Week 15
The rise of the Sforza family in the fifteenth century is one of the greatest of Renaissance success stories. And the man who benefited most from the meteoric rise of the family was Ludovico Sforza who ruled the state of Milan in the last decade of the fifteenth century. The territory, the wealth, the artists, the educational projects all set Milan apart in the 1490's as the summit of Italian power and prestige.
REQUIRED READING: This week, Chapter V, "Milan"
RECOMMENDED READING:
J. R. Hale, The Civilization of Europe in the Renaissance. This study of the whole Renaissance period in all of Europe was the final masterpiece of one of the greatest historians of the Early Modern period. John Hale was working on this book when he suffered a debilitating stroke. But his wife, Sheila Hale, and other scholars finished the book for publication and we are all enriched by its availability. It is in print, but you might also look at used copies of the original quality paperback. This book will serve us for the whole year-long course. It is especially useful for Winter and Spring Quarters.
The Civilization of Europe in the Renaissance,
Scribner, Reprint edition (June 1, 1995),
ISBN 0684803526