Black in Period Films

Book: The Black Prince of Florence: The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro de' Medici  Author: Catherine Fletcher  If I had to describe this book in one word, I would use the word BALANCED. Throughout the entire biography we get a balanced look at the life and times of Alessandro de' Medici, arguably the first black head of state. This is the first biography about the head of state, and unless new information about Alessandro is unearthed, I don’t see how any biographies that follow Fletcher’s will top it. The information provided, the pacing, and the structure of the biography are all excellently done. In the opening pages of the book, there are family trees detailing selected members of the junior and senior branches of the Medici family as well as a glossary of names. These features come in handy while reading. This is especially true for readers that are new to this period and these historical figures. The useful glossary is symbolic of Cat...

Today is the 480th year anniversary of the assassination of Alessandro de' Medici, Duke of Florence. This event is relevant to the blog as Alessandro is considered by many to be the first black head of state in Europe. This is said because evidence points toward his mother (Simonetta da Collevecchio) being a servant of African descent. There is some debate over whether his father was Lorenzo II de' Medici or Giulio de' Medici (later Pope Clement VII). Alessandro was ruler of Florence from from 1531 until 1537. I first came across Alessandro de' Medici by way of a portrait. When I saw the picture, I knew I had to do more research on the man. Fortunately, there was an amazing book to help me along. The book The Black Prince of Florence: The Spectacular Life and Treacherous World of Alessandro de' Medici is by Catherine Fletcher historian and author. My interest in the man was further heightened by the Medici: Masters of Florence television series.   ...