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143 Cosimus Medices Pater Patriae (1429 – 1464)
We finally get into the Medici in style with the man who is considered the founder of the family’s great fortune and political dominance. We follow Cosimo de Medici as he slowly asserts his power over the Republic of Florence with careful internal and external political manoeuvring to form what some have called the “crypto-signoria”…
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142 – Pope-ing out of the Middle ages (1447 – 1492)
We accompany the last set of popes of the middle ages, from Nicholas V to Innocent VIII as they take us along with the usual intrigue in the Italian peninsula with Naples,Florence, Milan and Venice as well as many others while the city of Rome takes the shape we would start to recognise today heading…
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141 – The popes are back in business (1417 – 1447)
After the healing of the western schism in 1417, new pope Martin V must get his papal states under control which means dealing with a whole load of issue such as brigands, mercenary captains, pushy neighbours, unruly lords and a lack of cash. We then see how his successor, Eugene IV was able to muck…
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140 – King Ferdinand’s woes (1458 – 1492)
After the death of Alphonse the Magnanimous, his illigitimate son, Ferdinand, has quite a time managing to hold on to the kingdom of Naples what with revolting Barons, meddling popes and even an Ottoman invasion! Will the poor man ever get any peace and quiet?
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139 – King Alphonse of Naples (1436 – 1458)
We go back a little to see how Alphonse V of Aragon actually got onto the throne of Naples and what he had to put up with once he got there dealing with Milan, Venice, Genoa and Florence, before a rather unprecedented alliance in 1454 under the “Italic League” when everyone became friends after the…