Death in Florence

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By the end of the fifteenth century, Florence had become the heart of the Renaissance, with the Medici family as prominent patrons of artists like Botticelli and Michelangelo. Lorenzo the Magnificent, a skilled diplomat, navigated the city's precarious political landscape amid shifting alliances among Italian powers. However, he faced a formidable opponent in Savonarola, a provincial monk whose fiery sermons resonated with a disillusioned populace yearning for the certainties of medieval faith over Renaissance ideals. Savonarola sought to create a 'City of God,' a groundbreaking democratic state. This ambition ignited a fierce struggle marked by invasions, trials by fire, the infamous 'Bonfire of the Vanities,' brutal executions, and mysterious deaths, involving key Renaissance figures. This conflict has often been simplified as a battle between a benevolent ruler and a religious zealot, or between secularism and extremism. Yet, Paul Strathern's richly detailed narrative uncovers the complexities, doubts, and political compromises that characterized this pivotal moment in Western history, illustrating the intricate battle for Florence's soul during the Renaissance.