The Montefeltro Conspiracy: A Renaissance Mystery Decoded

Simonetta's research is impressive and his book is completely brilliant (and readable!). This author has contributed significantly to our understanding of the Pazzi Conspiracy--specifically, its ringleaders' underhanded (and juicy) machinations and the degree to which Federico da Montefeltro dirtied his hands (not to mention Pope Sixtus IV). He also convincingly argues how some works of art, commissioned by Renaissance leaders as they jockeyed for power, shed light on contemporaneous events. This book is a must-read for any Renaissance scholar.

When a beautifully written, highly accesible, and abundantly informative book like 'The Montefeltro Conspiracy' manages to elicit a chorus of pedantic sniping from jealous academics, you know it has to be a truly great piece of work. Marcello Simonetta is the real deal: a rigorous scholar who isn't afraid to reach beyond the narrow confines of academe and address a general audience. He writes thrilling narrative prose such as few historians working today could hope to rival, and his insights into Renaissance history, though provocative and revisionist, are so clearly presented that readers will feel smarter, better informed, and intellectually energized after finishing this treasure of a book. Frankly, after reading 'The Montefeltro Conspiracy,' I was left aching with a wish that I had written it myself. --Jonathan Lopez, author of 'The Man Who Made Vermeers'

Those familiar with the Italian Renaissance know the events of April 26, 1478 like they know the fingers on their right hand. It is a well-worn story: we learn in college seminar rooms, through books and on banners unfurled on museum facades that the Medici were early modern Italy's beloved bankers, and primary patrons of the arts. We read that in dramatic and violent fashion, the Pazzi family (with support from Pope Sixtus IV) attempted to murder their banking rivals at high mass in Florence's cathedral - killing Giuliano, and injuring Lorenzo, who escaped with the humanist Angelo Poliziano. We discover that the murder plot's imperfect execution inspired the Medici's vicious retaliation, in the form of the total extermination of the Pazzi surname. This story has become so central in histories of the Renaissance that we feel we can re-tell it with absolute certainty. Prepare to be shocked. Dr. Simonetta, a noted authority on Early Modern Italy, provides crucial archival evidence and exhaustive research that deeply implicates Federico da Montefeltro (the Duke of Urbino) in the Pazzi assassination plot, a discovery that will stir the pot for years to come. As Simonetta's story unfolds, other well-known Renaissance figures become embroiled in the conspiracy to oust the Florentine despot, which the author illustrates in clear prose, and using the interpretative tools appropriate to his guild (he is an historian at Wesleyan University, although the excitement here rivals that of any good detective whodunit). Throughout, Simonetta demonstrates to be true the maxim that art is never far from politics. The visual culture of this fascinating time - seen here in the paintings of Botticelli and Cosimo Rosselli, among others - was always embedded within the socio-cultural, political and religious beliefs of the individuals who produced and used them. Art was never just beautiful when ecclesiastical and princely patrons were involved. As with the previous reviewer, I disagree with Mr. Katz's appraisal of this book. I would add that besides those foundational art-historical luminaries whom Katz cites (he neglects to mention their mentor, Aby Warburg), the list of Botticelli scholars in the last century alone is so extensive - their interpretations so diverse - that to include a historiographic overview would merit a fifty-page excursus, or a post-modernist footnote resembling the work of David Foster Wallace. This is not in the spirit of the book. All told, "The Montefeltro Conspiracy" is a joy to read. Simonetta's book will provide both battle-tested scholars and general Renaissance enthusiasts with equal excitement and satisfaction on every printed page. It comes with my highest recommendation.

This book is a must read for anyone interested in the Renaissance broadly, and politics more generally. The book is a riveting account of the delicate balance of power that existed in Italy during the fifteenth century. With so much academic research being focused these days on esoteric topics, it is remarkable that Mr. Simonetta has been able to shed new light on the Pazzi Consiperacy, with primary research that conclusively links all of the major leaders of the time. From Naples, through the Vatican, Urbino and Florence, this book traces the motives and actions of the men who helped shape Western civilization as we know it today. The latter part of the book, which discusses Boticelli, is perhaps the most interesting as it links religion and politics with Boticelli's masterpieces. I cannot agree with Mr. Katzo's review. This is a highly recommended book that will provide a riveting read for anyone who picks it up.

I am not a historian or expert in the topic, but as a lay person, this is one of the most educational exciting reads I have ever had. Great facts, amazing story, even if you don't know (or care) much about the Italian renaissance. And if you do, it's even better! Definitely recommended!!!