Rating: 
Summary: Excellently accessible history
Review: This excellent book is a complete history of the Medici family and their considerable input to the Renaissance.
Part I (-1462), after giving brief details of Giovanni de' Medici, really opens up with Cosimo and takes great pains (perhaps biased) to stress his image as a political player who ousts the ruling Albizzi family from Florence just after 1433. The author is careful to indicate his belief that Cosimo de' Medici exhibited a shrewdness of political character, the first private citizen since the Fall of Rome to exercise kingly authority from a place in the shadows. Fundamentally, Cosimo exercised major influence over all the major secular and temporal figures in Italy. The book then details Cosimo's 'dabbling' with the doctrinal conferences between Constantinople and Rome and gives a summary of his political domination for thirty-odd years. Once Cosimo was established as the paternoster of Florence (and therefore Italy), the book moves on to discuss his architectural patronage There is discussion (indeed as there is of most of the artists patronaged by the Medici throughout the book) of both Ghiberti and Brunelleschi. The book deals with Cosimo's involvement in war, particularly with the establishment of Sforza as Duke of Milan, at the time in major opposition to European power-brokering. There is a brief intro on his sons Giovanni (who dies from an obesity related illness) to Piero. Hibbert leaves us with a lasting impression of an almost 'saintly' man who's brilliant business acumen made him the greatest man of commerce in history.
Part II (1464-1492) opens with Piero de' Medici and his problems with Niccolo Soderini. By 1467 his ascendancy was assured and we continue on the trail of munificence with Piero's patronage of Botticelli et al. Part II is mainly devoted to Lorenzo. The author gives us a fairly complete physical and character description (all these can be backed up by the centre plates with various paintings and busts). The generosity of the Medici espoused here emphasizes that, like all empires up to the 16th century, they tended to be founded around single brilliant men (Cosimo, in this case) who then left a legacy. Hibbert shows us several other key moments. The massacre at Volterra, the assassination of Guiliano de' Medici by the Pazzi family, Florence's 'en masse' excommunication, Lorenzo peace treaty with Naples in 1479 and finally his early death in 1492.
Part III (1492 - 1537) starts with Piero di Lorenzo de' Medici. A petulant man, the other figure on the scene at the time was Fra Giralomo Savaronola (a major figure in Eliot's 'Romola'). Hibbert devotes a lot of time to this man, the priest of San Marco from 1489, who was convinced of his prophetical skills. Charles VIII of France invasion in 1494 plunged the Medici back into European politics with Piero negotiating a Florentine surrender. At this point serious divisions in the Medici family manifested themselves with his cousins actively siding with Charles VIII. Savaronola's execution came too late for the Medici and they were outcast from Florence. Piero died in 1503 and his brother Giovanni became Rome's youngest Cardinal at 16. Spain invasion of Italy and sack of Prato led to the restoration of the Medici and 6 months later Giovanni became Pope Leo X. Like most Popes of the time he looked after his family's interests, wanting to turn Italy into one Medici-governed state. He managed to spend more excessively than any former member of his family, draining papal treasury reserves until his death. It just before this the Medici family suffered a crisis of a different sort. The death of Leo X's nephew, Lorenzo de' Medici meant a lack of legitimate heirs. It is at this point we hear of a female Medici - Caterina - assuming prominence. After the German sack of Rome in 1527 Florence turned against the Pope who was seeking with Charles V to restore the Medici. The Prince of Orange's army forced a Florentine surrender and Alessandro de' Medici was sent by the Pope to govern her. His murder by Lorenzaccio de' Medici who seems to have indulged the Medici family prediliction for excess, meant the ascension of Cosimo di Giovanni de' Medici rule the family.
In Part IV (1537 - 1743) Hibbert covers a period three times as long as the preceding sections. He begins with Duke Cosimo I and ends with Anna Maria. Cosimo I brought the Medici back into some order and restored Florence, He became a Grand Duke under Pius V in 1569. Of his five sons, Francesco rose to prominence after the death of Cosimo's wife, Maria in 1564. Hibbert moves on to Grand Duke Fernando I in 1587. Again the Medici are famous for their pagentry and courting of European nobility. In 1690 Cosimo II succeeded and unbelievably increased the family reputation for lavishness. He was a patron of Gallileo. In 1642 Fernando II took over and attempted to keep the Medici out of politics. Hibbert devotes considerable time to his son's (Cosimo III) problematic marriage to Marguerite-Louise d'Orleans. In fact, this is really the only topic concerning Cosimo III. His son, the Grand Prince Ferdinand turned out to be a disappointment. In fact, what undid the Medici was that no heirs could be produced.The invasion of Austria meant that Anna Maria, Cosimo's surviving daughter was permitted to live out her life. She died in 1743.
To conclude, Hibbert book is enormously refreshing to read and he moves through the three hundred years of the Medici with an almost Suetonius-esque alacrity. What he demonstrates is an 'empire' that is built from one man's banking genius into an Italian dynasty. The Medici's patronage of the arts permitted the Renaissance and they irredeemably changed the course of European history. This book is a must-read for anyone wanting a general history of both the Medici and the Italian Renaissance.
Rating:
Summary: Interesting text on the Medici family of Renaissance Italy
Review: This is a great read for those seeking insight into the dynasty of the Medici. It is a great book for the casual reader, especially as an introduction to Italian Renaissance society. The family's rise and subsequent fall are chronicled over several centuries in this intriguing history. In addition, it provides a great deal of content concerning some of the period's most famous artists and politicians.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting facts but little flavor and no depth
Review: THis is a travel book and not really an historical book. I enjoyed reading it and it went very swiftly, but I was left unsatisfied with both the level of detail and the author's lack of interest in delving below the surface. Indeed, I would have wanted a book at least twice as dense.That being said, the facts of the Medici family are competently covered, from their rise with Cosimo the great banker to their dying out several centuries later in the most squalid and humorous decadence. From rich behind the scenes wielders of power, we watch their fortunes rise and fall until they become petty autocrats in the time of Louis XIV. THese facts were interesting and the writing is competent if unoriginal. Alas, the author does not ask any probing questions and shows little ability to stimulate further inquiry. He barely mentions what constituted the Renaissance, let alone asked what might have caused it, etc. We also get no real insight into why the Medicis behaved in the manner that they did - what their characters and motivations were - and the historical forces they reflected. THis is appalingly superficial. Take this book with you if you are going to Florence and want to know who those Medici people are in the paintings, but go for something else if you want to understand one of the greatest flowerings of human knowledge and artistic creativity since the fall of the ROman Empire.
Rating: 
Summary: High quality popular history
Review: This talented author of a long list of popular histories does an excellent job of telling the story of one of the most fascinating families in European history. Founded by the wiley oligarch Cosimo (called Pater Patriae), the enormously wealthy Medici became Grand Dukes of Tuscany and provided some of Europe's most colorful statesmen, popes, soldiers, scholars, and patrons of the arts. They were the embodiment of the Renaissance in Italy and they ruled Florence, frequently controlled the papacy, and influenced the policies of the entire Continent for 300 years. Princesses married them, kings borrowed money from them, other city states feared them, and Michelangelo and Botticelli worked for them. To understand the origins of both modern Europe and the self-made aristocrat, you must read about them.
Rating:
Summary: Details, details
Review: This was an excellent book in many ways. The reader comes away with an understanding of just how influential the Medici were. One also gets a good look at the Papacy and the political workings of the church. I found it readable up to a point but the enormous amount of detail on who was related to whom and who was murdering whom and why left me rather confused at times. If you are a history major focusing on Italy the details about the structure of the government will probably be interesting for you. I found it over burdened with a mountain of detail that detracted from the enjoyment of this book.
Rating:
Summary: Read it before you go to Florence
Review: Wandering the streets and piazzas of Florence and Fiesole would have been much more meaningful for me had I read this book before I visited. I picked it up on my last day (in Siena), and while I read the book in Paris kept thinking, "Aha! That's what went on there!" I'll never look at the Palazzo del Vecchio the same again, or the piazza in front of it, knowing some of the horrific things that happened there. I can't vouch for Hibbert's historian skills, but this book is a wonderful read, as gripping as a novel.
Rating:
Summary: Those Wacky Medici's
Review: Well, reading about the Medici Popes certainly was eye opening. Hard to believe the Catholic church survived, but I guess they are a pretty resilient bunch. I wanted to read about the Medici's because I'm interested in the origins of capitalism in Europe. I had the impression (wrongly, I now realize) that the Medici's were forerunners of the modern capitalist economy. While it is true that the family got its start in banking, they quickly moved into the Church and full time Princehood. Whether they continued their banking activities is hard to tell, since Hibbert seems little interested in the economic activities of the Medici (or maybe there wasn't that much activity, I just don't know for sure). My main criticism of this book is that it lacks context. Although this is a recent reprint, the book itself is from the seventies, and it reads like a history book from the seventies. This book is basically a chronological series of chapters about the succesive heads of the Medici clan: Where they lived, what artist's they supported, descriptions of their wives, the political turmoil they caused, the wars they fought, etc. That isn't to say this book is boring, far from it. Highlights include hilarious descriptions of the dinner parties thrown by Leo and Clement, the fun loving Medici Popes. I also learned more about Pope Leo's "anal fistula" then I probably need to know (including the grossest assasination plot I've ever read about.) Hibbert expands the scope just far enough to give us the machinatioins of the various surrounding monarchs: The Holy Roman Emperor, the King of Spain, the King of France and a brief appearance by Henry the VIII. On the whole I was entertained, but found my interest in the Medici's saitiated. I doubt I will follow this book up with any further reading.
Rating:
Summary: Those Wacky Medici's
Review: Well, reading about the Medici Popes certainly was eye opening. Hard to believe the Catholic church survived, but I guess they are a pretty resilient bunch. I wanted to read about the Medici's because I'm interested in the origins of capitalism in Europe. I had the impression (wrongly, I now realize) that the Medici's were forerunners of the modern capitalist economy. While it is true that the family got its start in banking, they quickly moved into the Church and full time Princehood. Whether they continued their banking activities is hard to tell, since Hibbert seems little interested in the economic activities of the Medici (or maybe there wasn't that much activity, I just don't know for sure). My main criticism of this book is that it lacks context. Although this is a recent reprint, the book itself is from the seventies, and it reads like a history book from the seventies. This book is basically a chronological series of chapters about the succesive heads of the Medici clan: Where they lived, what artist's they supported, descriptions of their wives, the political turmoil they caused, the wars they fought, etc. That isn't to say this book is boring, far from it. Highlights include hilarious descriptions of the dinner parties thrown by Leo and Clement, the fun loving Medici Popes. I also learned more about Pope Leo's "anal fistula" then I probably need to know (including the grossest assasination plot I've ever read about.) Hibbert expands the scope just far enough to give us the machinatioins of the various surrounding monarchs: The Holy Roman Emperor, the King of Spain, the King of France and a brief appearance by Henry the VIII. On the whole I was entertained, but found my interest in the Medici's saitiated. I doubt I will follow this book up with any further reading.
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