Most modern historians perpetuate the myth that Giuliano de' Medici (1479–1516), son of Lorenzo the Magnificent, was nothing more than an inconsequential, womanizing hedonist with little inclination or ability for politics. In the first sustained biography of this misrepresented figure, Josephine Jungic re-evaluates Giuliano’s life and shows that his infamous reputation was exaggerated by Medici partisans who feared his popularity and respect for republican self-rule. Rejecting the autocratic rule imposed by his nephew, Lorenzo (Duke of Urbino), and brother, Giovanni (Pope Leo X), Giuliano advocated restraint and retention of republican traditions, believing his family should be “first among equals” and not more. As a result, the family and those closest to them wrote him out of the political scene, and historians – relying too heavily upon the accounts of supporters of Cardinal Giovanni and the Medici regime – followed suit. Interpreting works of art, books, and letters as testimony, Jungic constructs a new narrative to demonstrate that Giuliano was loved and admired by some of the most talented and famous men of his day, including Cesare Borgia, Michelangelo Buonarroti, Niccolò Machiavelli, Leonardo da Vinci, and Raphael. More than a political biography, this volume offers a refreshing look at a man who was a significant patron and ally of intellectuals, artists, and religious reformers, revealing Giuliano to be at the heart of the period’s most significant cultural accomplishments.

Josephine Jungić (1942–2013) was professor of art history at Capilano University.

Josephine Jungić's profile page

"A provocative new interpretation of Giuliano's political thinking and a welcome addition to Florentine historiography that clarifies the means through which the myth of the Medici was created and disseminated." Guido Rebecchini, The Courtauld Institute of Art

"Jungic's remarkable book needs to be taken seriously by Machiavelli scholars and Italian Renaissance historians alike." Journal of Interdisciplinary History

"Jungic weaves Giuliano's adult life into the lives of his important contemporaries-including Machiavelli, Cesare Borgia, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michelangelo-whom Giuliano knew and with whom he worked on notable projects. The result is a blend of firmly documented history and plausible speculation that is blatantly meant to counter other historians' characterizations of or conclusions about Giuliano. Well handled and of great interest to specialists, this is a book for those familiar with the people and events presented. Recommended." Choice

"By focusing on personal bonds, rather than impersonal events, Jungic is able to view Giuliano's life through his eyes. This allows for some genuinely new perspectives. Such intimacy lends Jungic's work a pleasing vivacity. She breathes life into a figure who has too often been treated as a mere caricature. Coupled with her easy, conversational style, this makes for an unusually accessible—and enjoyable—read." English Historical Studies

“By focusing on personal bonds, rather than impersonal events, Jungic is able to view Giuliano’s life through his eyes. This allows for some genuinely new perspectives. Jungic succeeds in bringing out the tensions within the Medici family, particularly in the first weeks after their return from Florence, and in claiming for Giuliano a more autonomous agency than has previously been allowed. A welcome step towards the re-evaluation of an intriguing figure.” English Historical Review