Empires - The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance

Movie / Show Details

Empires – The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance is a PBS documentary series from 2004 that explores how one Florentine family transformed from a small Italian community into a dominant force reshaping European culture. Directed by Justin Hardy and featuring historians Dale Kent, James M. Saslow, Jerry Brotton, Lauro Martines, Marcello Fantoni, and Mario Biagioli, the series traces the Medici dynasty’s ascent through shrewd financial dealings and political strategy. As patrons of the arts and architecture, they became instrumental in fostering the Renaissance, leaving an indelible mark on the continent’s intellectual and artistic landscape.

This single-disc DVD release runs three hours and forty minutes and carries a not-rated designation. The documentary draws from scholarly expertise to examine how the Medici accumulated their influence across the courts, cathedrals, and palaces of Europe during the 15th century and beyond. Own this used copy and explore the ambitions and legacy of history’s most influential family.