144 - A sickly father, a magnificent mother amd balls (1464 - 1468)
Piero De Medici takes over the shadow government of Florence at the death of his father and with the help of his wife and son manages to hold the reigns, overcome a plot on his life and a war with a rather interesting character, Bartolomeo Colleoni
20 Sep 202219min
143 Cosimus Medices Pater Patriae (1429 - 1464)
We finally get into the Medici in style with the man who is considered the founder of the family's great fortune and political dominance. We follow Cosimo de Medici as he slowly asserts his power over the Republic of Florence with careful internal and external political manoeuvring to form what some have called the "crypto-signoria" of the Medici, all the whole increasing theri vast wealth in the face of many perils.
6 Sep 202220min
142 - pope-ing out of the Middle ages (1447 - 1492)
We accompany the last set of popes of the middle ages, from Nicholas V to Innocent VIII as they take us out of th middle ages with the usual intrigue in the Italian peninsula with Naples,Florence, Milan and Venice as well as many others as the city of Rome takes the shape we would start to recognise today.
30 Aug 202221min
141 - The popes are back in business (1417 - 1447)
After the healing of the western schism in 1417, new pope Martin V must get his papal state sunder control which means dealing with a whole load of issue such as brigands, mercenary captains, pushy neighbours, unruly lords and a lack of cash. We then see how his successor, Eugene IV managed to muck everything up before managing to sort tit all out again, more or less.
9 Aug 202223min
140 - King Ferdinand's woes (1458 - 1492)
After the death of Alphonse the Magnanimous, his son, Ferdinad, has quite a time managing to hold on to the kingdom of Naples what with revolting Barons, meddling popes and even an Ottoman invasion! Will the poor man ever get any peace and quiet?
2 Aug 202221min
AMM: Paolo Borsellino and Rita Atria
On the 30th anniversary of his death, we look at the life and struggle of anti-mafia investigative magistrate Paolo Borsellino up to his tragic killing and how he crossed path with a brave young girl of only 17, willing to give up the life she had known in search of justice, Rita Atria.
19 Juli 202225min
139 - King Alphonse of Naples (1436 - 1458)
We go back a little to see how Alphonse V of Aragon actually got onto the throne of Naples and what he had to put up with once he got there dealing with Milan, Venice, Genoa and Florence, before a rather unprecedented alliance in 1454 under the "Italic League"
12 Juli 202224min
138 - Aragonese Sardinia and Sicily (1410 - 1500)
We take a quick look at some of the situations and key events in Sardinia and Sicily in the 15th century as the Aragonese consolidate their hold over their new possessions
21 Juni 202218min