Medici Money
Banking, Metaphysics, and Art in Fifteenth-Century Florence
“A model for all economic historians.” —The Economist
Before they were famous patrons of the arts and de facto rulers of Florence, the Medici family earned their fortune in banking. But even at the height of the Renaissance, charging interest of any kind meant running afoul of the Catholic Church’s ban on usury. In Medici Money, Tim Parks reveals how the legendary Medicis—Cosimo and Lorenzo “the Magnificent” in particular—used the diplomatic, military, and even philosophical tools at hand, along with a healthy dose of intrigue and wit, to further their fortunes as well as their family’s standing.
“Deft … a swift and brilliant synthesis of finance, politics and history.” —Ben Sisario, New York Times Book Review
“Marvelously fresh.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)