Short History of Florence and the Florentine Republic

The innovative city culture of Florence was the crucible within which Renaissance ideas first caught fire. With its soaring cathedral dome and its classically-inspired palaces and piazzas, it is perhaps the finest single expression of a society that is still at its heart an urban one. For, as Brian Jeffrey Maxson reveals, it is above all the city-state - the walled commune which became the chief driver of European commerce, culture, banking and art - that is medieval Italy's enduring legacy to the present. Charting the transition of Florence from an obscure Guelph republic to a regional superpower in which the glittering court of Lorenzo the Magnificent became the pride and envy of the continent, the author authoritatively discusses a city that looked to the past for ideas even as it articulated a novel creativity. Uncovering passionate dispute and intrigue, Maxson sheds fresh light too on seminal events like the fiery end of oratorical firebrand Savonarola and Giuliano de' Medici's brutal murder by the rival Pazzi family. This book shows why Florence, harbinger and heartland of the Renaissance, is and has always been unique.

Review: In a clear and lively style, Maxson weaves together the story of Florence's art, architecture, literature, and history, providing a truly interdisciplinary view of the city's development into a jewel of the Renaissance and its subsequent shift into a regional state in early modern Italy. The result offers a new synthesis to scholars, a useful introduction to students, and a compelling narrative for the general reader. A stunning achievement! * Monique O'Connell, Professor of History, Wake Forest University, USA *
In this deeply researched and elegantly written book, Brian Maxson offers a portrait of Florentine history which is as compelling as it is comprehensive. Covering an extraordinary range of topics, he conveys the full richness of the city's past with masterly authority, while imparting its fascination with an infectious charm. * Alexander Lee, Author of Machiavelli: His Life and Times, University of Warwick, UK *