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“A riveting portrait of the day-to-day life of a wealthy, worldly Renaissance prince” as he pursues power and influence in the Catholic church (USA Today).
The second son of Alfonso d’Este and Lucretia Borgia, the Duke and Duchess of Ferrara, Ippolito d’Este was made the archbishop of Milan at the age of nine. But from the time of his father’s death in 1534, he set his ambitions on acquiring the powerful and coveted cardinal’s hat. But one did not become a sixteenth century prince of the church through piety and good works. Ippolito had a taste for gambling and women. He enjoyed hunting in the Loir valley and pursued his ambition with money, schmoozing, and the dark arts of politics.
Working with Ippolito’s letters and ledgers, recently uncovered in an archive in Modena, Italy, Mary Hollingsworth has pieced together a fascinating and undeniably titillating tale of this Renaissance cardinal and his road to power and wealth in sixteenth century Europe. The ledgers document every aspect of Ippolito’s comings, goings, purchases, and debts. Out of these finely detailed records, Hollingsworth brings to life not only Ippolito, but his world.
“In this brilliant piece of historical detective work and narrative reconstruction . . . the most unlikely bits and pieces—a scrap of velvet, a stray barrel of wine—can be made to tell stories that resonate far beyond the neat columns of a well-kept account book.” —The Guardian
The second son of Alfonso d’Este and Lucretia Borgia, the Duke and Duchess of Ferrara, Ippolito d’Este was made the archbishop of Milan at the age of nine. But from the time of his father’s death in 1534, he set his ambitions on acquiring the powerful and coveted cardinal’s hat. But one did not become a sixteenth century prince of the church through piety and good works. Ippolito had a taste for gambling and women. He enjoyed hunting in the Loir valley and pursued his ambition with money, schmoozing, and the dark arts of politics.
Working with Ippolito’s letters and ledgers, recently uncovered in an archive in Modena, Italy, Mary Hollingsworth has pieced together a fascinating and undeniably titillating tale of this Renaissance cardinal and his road to power and wealth in sixteenth century Europe. The ledgers document every aspect of Ippolito’s comings, goings, purchases, and debts. Out of these finely detailed records, Hollingsworth brings to life not only Ippolito, but his world.
“In this brilliant piece of historical detective work and narrative reconstruction . . . the most unlikely bits and pieces—a scrap of velvet, a stray barrel of wine—can be made to tell stories that resonate far beyond the neat columns of a well-kept account book.” —The Guardian
3 Reviews
3.0
Briana McGrory
Created over 6 years agoShare
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Lucy Doughty
Created over 11 years agoShare
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Sarah-Beth Morrison
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“This non-fiction book traces the life of Ippolito d'Este, second son of the famous Lucrezia Borgia. Hollingsworth primarily draws on account books such as financial ledgers and letters from Ippolito to his older brother Ercole II to construct this tale. I was initially drawn to this book because like many I'm fascinated by the Borgia family. I watch the Borgias show on Showtime and just read a novel about Catherine de Medici who Ippolito knew as a member of the king of France's court. However, I was disappointed to find that rather than a biography, this is a detailed account of the price of everything in Ippolito's household from his many servants to the thread for his many garments. The vast majority of the book focuses on expenses Ippolito occured as a very wealthy and powerful figure leading up to receiving his cardinal hat. Additionally, I was disappointed that the novel rather abruptly concludes once Ippolito becomes a cardinal and only alludes to the rest of his life. I wanted to know what became of him.
I was interested in learning about how very little time powerful people spent at home during this time period. Ippolito spends a small fortune on his private residence only to leave for four years. I also found it interesting learning how little time he spent devoted to any religious matters. For a cardinal, he doesn't seem too concerned with church issues, but instead lavishes court ladies with gifts and spends his time gambling and searching for good horses and dogs.
While too reliant on endless lists of expenses, this book was an insightful look at the lives of the wealthy during this time period, as well as the corruption of the Catholic church. 2.5 stars”
About Mary Hollingsworth
Mary Hollingworth received her PhD in Renaissance architecture from the University of Anglia. She has lectured in art and architecture at several universities in the United Kingdom and has published several books on the patronage of Italian Renaissance art, as well as articles in Art History, Atlas of World Art, and the Times (London), among others.
Other books by Mary Hollingsworth
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