Giuliano De' Medici

“A provocative new interpretation of Giuliano’s political thinking and a welcome addition to Florentine historiography that clarifies the means through which the myth of the Medici was created and disseminated.” Guido Rebecchini, The Courtauld Institute of Art “Jungic weaves Giuliano’s adult life into the lives of his important contemporaries-including Machiavelli, Cesare Borgia, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo-whom Giuliano knew and with whom he worked on notable projects. The result is a blend of firmly documented history and plausible speculation that is blatantly meant to counter other historians’ characterizations of or conclusions about Giuliano. Well handled and of great interest to specialists, this is a book for those familiar with the people and events presented. Recommended.” Choice “Jungic’s remarkable book needs to be taken seriously by Machiavelli scholars and Italian Renaissance historians alike.” Journal of Interdisciplinary History “By focusing on personal bonds, rather than impersonal events, Jungic is able to view Giuliano’s life through his eyes. This allows for some genuinely new perspectives. Such intimacy lends Jungic’s work a pleasing vivacity. She breathes life into a figure who has too often been treated as a mere caricature. Coupled with her easy, conversational style, this makes for an unusually accessible—and enjoyable—read.” English Historical Studies “By focusing on personal bonds, rather than impersonal events, Jungic is able to view Giuliano’s life through his eyes. This allows for some genuinely new perspectives. Jungic succeeds in bringing out the tensions within the Medici family, particularly in the first weeks after their return from Florence, and in claiming for Giuliano a more autonomous agency than has previously been allowed. A welcome step towards the re-evaluation of an intriguing figure.” English Historical Review

Josephine Jungić (1942–2013) was professor of art history at Capilano University.