Studies in Renaissance Humanism and Politics

The fifteen articles republished here exemplify the many directions Robert Black's research in Renaissance studies has taken. The first five studies look at Renaissance humanism, in particular at its origins, and the concept of the Renaissance as well as the theory and practice of historical writing. Black also updates his monograph on the Florentine chancellor, Benedetto Accolti. Machiavelli is the subject of three articles, focusing on his education and career in the Florentine chancery. Next come Black's seminal studies of Arezzo under Florentine rule, revealing the triangular relationship between centre, periphery and the Medici family. Finally, two articles on political thought examine the relative merits of monarchical and republican government for political thinkers on both sides of the Alps.

Robert Black is Professor of Renaissance History at the University of Leeds, UK

Contents: Preface; Part I Humanism: The new laws of history; The Donation of Constantine: a new source for the concept of the Renaissance?; Boccaccio, reader of the Appendix Vergiliana: the Miscellanea Laurenziana and 14th-century schoolbooks; Benedetto Accolti: a portrait; The origins of humanism. Part II Machiavelli: Florentine political traditions and Machiavelli's election to the chancery; Machiavelli, servant of the Florentine Republic; New light on Machiavelli's education. Part III Arezzo: The uses and abuses of iconology: Piero della Francesca and Carlo Ginzburg; Cosimo de' Medici and Arezzo; Piero de' Medici and Arezzo; Lorenzo and Arezzo; Arezzo, the Medici and the Florentine regime. Part IV Political Thought: The political thought of the Florentine chancellors; Republicanism; Indexes.