Most modern historians perpetuate the myth that Giuliano de' Medici (1479-1516), son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, was nothing more than an inconsequential, womanizing hedonist with little inclination or ability for politics. In the first sustained biography of this misrepresented figure, Josephine Jungic re-evaluates Giuliano's life and shows that his infamous reputation was exaggerated by Medici partisans who feared his popularity and respect for republican self-rule. Rejecting the autocratic rule imposed by his nephew, Lorenzo (Duke of Urbino), and brother, Giovanni (Pope Leo X), Giuliano advocated restraint and retention of republican traditions, believing his family should be "first among equals" and not more. As a result, the family and those closest to them wrote him out of the political scene, and historians - relying too heavily upon the accounts of supporters of Cardinal Giovanni and the Medici regime - followed suit. Interpreting works of art, books, and letters as testimony, Jungic constructs a new narrative to demonstrate that Giuliano was loved and admired by some of the most talented and famous men of his day, including Cesare Borgia, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Niccolo Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael. More than a political biography, this volume offers a refreshing look at a man who was a significant patron and ally of intellectuals, artists, and religious reformers, revealing Giuliano to be at the heart of the period's most significant cultural accomplishments.

About the Author
Josephine Jungic (1942-2013) was professor of art history at Capilano University.

Reviews
"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



Book Information
ISBN 9780773553200
Author Josephine Jungic
Format Hardback
Page Count 312
Imprint McGill-Queen's University Press
Publisher McGill-Queen's University Press