Courtiers

Synopsis

In the eighteenth century, the palace's most elegant assembly room was in fact a bloody battlefield. This was a world of skulduggery, politicking, wigs and beauty-spots, where fans whistled open like flick-knives...

Ambitious and talented people flocked to court of George II and Queen Caroline in search of power and prestige, but Kensington Palace was also a gilded cage. Successful courtiers needed level heads and cold hearts; their secrets were never safe. Among them, a Vice Chamberlain with many vices, a Maid of Honour with a secret marriage, a pushy painter, an alcoholic equerry, a Wild Boy, a penniless poet, a dwarf comedian, two mysterious turbaned Turks and any number of discarded royal mistresses.

Summary

Chapter 1: The Palace of the Sun

* Introduction to the Medici court in Florence, Italy, during the Renaissance.
* Description of the lavish and opulent palace, the Palazzo Pitti.
* Introduction to the Medici family, including Cosimo I, his wife Eleanor of Toledo, and their children.
* Real example: The description of Eleanor's arrival in Florence in 1539, accompanied by a grand procession and welcomed with fireworks and pageantry.

Chapter 2: The Prince's Men

* Examination of the courtiers who served Cosimo I.
* Discussion of their backgrounds, motivations, and roles within the court.
* Introduction to key courtiers, such as Niccolò Machiavelli and Francesco Guicciardini.
* Real example: The rivalry between Machiavelli and Guicciardini, two prominent intellectuals and political advisors to Cosimo.

Chapter 3: The Ladies of the Court

* Analysis of the role of women in the Medici court.
* Description of their education, social status, and influence.
* Introduction to influential women, such as the poetess Vittoria Colonna and the painter Sofonisba Anguissola.
* Real example: The story of Lucrezia de' Medici, who was forced to marry the Duke of Ferrara and later suspected of adultery.

Chapter 4: The Arts of the Court

* Exploration of the patronage of the Medici towards the arts.
* Examination of the flourishing of painting, sculpture, literature, and music during the Renaissance.
* Introduction to renowned artists, such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael.
* Real example: The commission of the frescoes in the Sistine Chapel by Pope Julius II, a Medici family member.

Chapter 5: The Price of Power

* Analysis of the challenges and dangers faced by members of the Medici court.
* Discussion of political intrigue, violence, and exile.
* Introduction to the assassination of Cosimo I's son, Giovanni.
* Real example: The account of the Pazzi conspiracy, an attempt to overthrow the Medici family in 1478.

Chapter 6: The Legacy of the Medici

* Summary of the impact of the Medici court on Italian and European culture.
* Examination of the preservation of their artistic and architectural heritage.
* Discussion of the continuing influence of the Renaissance on Western civilization.
* Real example: The Uffizi Gallery in Florence, which houses a vast collection of Medici-commissioned artwork.