{"product_id":"the-black-prince-of-florence-the-spectacular-life-and-treacherous-world-of-alessandro-de-medici-1","title":"The Black Prince of Florence: Alessandro de' Medici Biography","description":"\u003ch2\u003eThe Black Prince of Florence: Alessandro de' Medici Biography\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCatherine Fletcher's comprehensive biography chronicles the life of Alessandro de' Medici, the illegitimate son of Lorenzo II de' Medici and a dark-skinned maid. Born into the most powerful dynasty of the Italian Renaissance, Alessandro was groomed for leadership from birth. In 1532, at nineteen years old, he became Duke of Florence with backing from both the Holy Roman Emperor and the Pope, navigating a treacherous landscape of family rivals and oligarchs.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the first complete account of Alessandro's life, offering a real-world parallel to Machiavelli's Prince. His six-year reign was marked by political intrigue, opulence, and constant power struggles. In 1537, he was murdered during a late-night tryst orchestrated by a scheming cousin. Fletcher reveals how Alessandro was \"assassinated twice: first with a sword, then with a pen,\" as his enemies rewrote his legacy to justify his death as tyrannicide.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eHistorical Significance and Racial Identity\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAlessandro's story extends beyond Renaissance politics into centuries of debate about racial identity. Following his death, enemies emphasized his racial origin to portray him as a savage ruler, justifying his assassination. Later scholars, including Arturo Alfonso Schomburg in 1931, recognized him as potentially the first ruler of color in the Western world. Schomburg's article in \u003cem\u003eThe Crisis\u003c\/em\u003e magazine, then edited by W.E.B. Du Bois, called Alessandro the \"Negro Medici.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat This Biography Covers\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFletcher unravels centuries-old mysteries and exposes historical forgeries while bringing to life the epic personalities of the era—artists, popes, queens, and commoners alike. The narrative reveals how Alessandro's racial identity has been interpreted and reinterpreted over centuries, demonstrating that such identity often remains in the eye of the beholder. The book examines his sexual conquests, political maneuvering, and the constant struggle to maintain power in one of history's most colorful periods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch3\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCatherine Fletcher\u003c\/strong\u003e is Associate Professor in History and Heritage at Swansea University, specializing in Renaissance and early modern Europe. Her previous work, \u003cem\u003eThe Divorce of Henry VIII\u003c\/em\u003e, explored the Papal court during Tudor times. She consulted on the Golden Globe-winning miniseries \u003cem\u003eWolf Hall\u003c\/em\u003e and regularly broadcasts for BBC radio. Fletcher has held research fellowships in London, Florence, and Rome, bringing extensive academic credentials to this meticulously researched biography.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePublished by Oxford University Press in paperback format, this book serves as both a scholarly examination of a forgotten historical figure and an accessible narrative for anyone interested in Renaissance history, the Medici dynasty, or the complex intersection of race and power throughout Western history.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Oxford University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50493494165778,"sku":"9780190092146","price":15.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_5363eccd-3933-48b4-8e33-8d4fd1ace61b.jpg?v=1730649845","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-black-prince-of-florence-the-spectacular-life-and-treacherous-world-of-alessandro-de-medici-1","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}