The Glamorous and Thrilling Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino: A Tale of Power, Love, and Betrayal

Take a journey back in time to the lavish courts of Renaissance Italy and immerse yourself in the captivating world of the Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino. This extraordinary collection of memoirs brings to life the incredible stories of power, love, and betrayal that unfolded within the walls of the majestic Urbino Palace.

With its magnificent architecture and stunning artworks, the Urbino Palace was not only a symbol of power but also a hub of political and cultural intrigue. The Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino offer a rare glimpse into the lives of the influential dukes who ruled over this grand principality.

The memoirs, comprising several volumes, take us on a rollercoaster ride through the tumultuous history of the Urbino court, starting from its foundations in the 15th century. Each volume is filled with vivid descriptions and engaging narratives that transport the reader to a world where alliances were made and broken, and power was constantly shifting.

Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino Vol.3 (of 3): Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630. (Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino Series)

by Robert Roper (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8229 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	1018 pages
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Volume I: Birth of a Dynasty

The first volume of the Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino introduces us to Federico da Montefeltro, the founding father of the Urbino dynasty. Federico's rise to power is a captivating tale of ambition and cunning.

As a young man, Federico forged a path to greatness through his military prowess and strategic alliances. The memoirs provide detailed accounts of his daring military campaigns, where he crushed his enemies and solidified his position as one of the most formidable leaders of Renaissance Italy.

But it wasn't just through military conquests that Federico secured his place in history. The memoirs also shed light on his patronage of the arts and his transformative influence on Urbino's cultural scene. Federico's court became a center of intellectual and artistic innovation, attracting some of the most renowned thinkers and artists of the time.

Volume II: Love and Intrigue

In the second volume of the Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino, we delve into the passionate and often scandalous love lives of the Urbino dukes. This volume reveals the hidden desires, secret affairs, and illicit romances that unfolded behind the palace doors.

One of the most captivating stories within this volume is the legendary love affair between Duke Guidobaldo da Montefeltro and his wife, Duchess Elisabetta Gonzaga. Their passionate love story was reminiscent of the greatest tales of forbidden love, filled with secret meetings, stolen moments, and the constant threat of discovery.

But love at the Urbino court was not limited to the dukes and duchesses. The memoirs also shed light on the passionate flings and torrid affairs that existed among the courtiers, creating an atmosphere of intrigue and scandal that kept everyone on their toes.

Volume III: Betrayal and Revenge

The final volume of the Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino takes us into the heart of political betrayal and the ensuing quest for revenge. This volume reveals the treachery and deception that threatened to tear apart the Urbino court.

One of the most dramatic stories within this volume is the tale of Duke Francesco Maria II della Rovere and his trusted advisor, Count Baldassare Castiglione. The memoirs depict the shocking betrayal that led to Castiglione's exile and his subsequent plans for revenge against those who had wronged him.

Power struggles, political maneuvering, and a thirst for vengeance permeate the pages of this volume, making it an exhilarating and edge-of-your-seat read.

The Legacy of the Memoirs

The Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino not only offer readers a captivating glimpse into the lives of Renaissance nobility but also provide valuable insights into the political and cultural landscape of the time.

These memoirs have become an invaluable resource for historians and scholars, shedding light on the turbulent world of Renaissance Italy and the lives of those who shaped it. The rich descriptions, engaging narratives, and powerful storytelling make them a must-read for anyone interested in this fascinating period of history.

So, if you're ready to be swept away by tales of power, love, and betrayal, dive into the extraordinary world of the Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino. Prepare to be captivated, enthralled, and transported back in time to a world of intrigue and grandeur.

Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino Vol.3 (of 3): Illustrating the Arms, Arts, and Literature of Italy, from 1440 To 1630. (Memoirs of the Dukes of Urbino Series)

by Robert Roper (Kindle Edition)

4 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	8229 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	1018 pages
Screen Reader	:	Supported

FREE

During nearly one hundred and ninety years, five Dukes of Urbino well and ably discharged the duties of their station, comparatively exempt from the personal immoralities of their age. The rugged frontier of their highland fief had, in that time, been extended far into the fertile March of Ancona, until it embraced a compact and influential state. Saving their subjects, by a gentle and judicious sway, from the wild ferments that distracted democratic communities, and from the yet more dire revolutions which from time to time convulsed adjoining principalities, they so cultivated the arts of war, and so encouraged the pursuits of peace, that their mountain-land gained a European reputation as the best nursery of arms, their capital as the favoured asylum of letters. That glory has now become faint; for the writers by whom it has been chiefly transmitted belong not to the existing generation, and command few sympathies in our times. But the echoes of its fame still linger around the mist-clad peaks of Umbria, and in the dilapidated palace-halls of the olden race. To gather its evanescent substance in a form not uninteresting to English readers, is the object of the present attempt. Should it be so far successful as to attract some of his countrymen to the history, literature, and arts of Italy, they will not, perhaps, be ungrateful to the humble pioneer who has indicated a path to literary treasures hitherto inadequately known to them. For such an undertaking he possesses no qualification, beyond a sincere interest in the past ages of that sunny land, and a warm admiration for her arts during their epoch of brilliancy. But a residence there of six years has afforded him considerable opportunities of collecting materials for this work, which he has been anxious not to neglect.

A great portion of the duchy of Urbino, including its principal towns, has been thrice visited, and nearly every accessible library of Central Italy has been examined for unedited matter. To these researches, time and labour have been freely given; and in the few instances when his attempts were foiled by jealousy or accident, the author has generally had the satisfaction of believing that success would have been comparatively unproductive. To this, two exceptions should be mentioned. He was prevented by illness from recently visiting the libraries or archives at Venice; and the Barberini Library at Rome has been entirely closed for some years, in consequence of a disgraceful pillage of its treasures. Should the latter be again made accessible, the MSS. amassed by the Pontiff under whom Urbino devolved to the Church, and by his nephews, its two first Legates, can hardly fail to throw much light upon the duchy. The invaluable treasures of the Vatican archives have been to him, as to others, a sealed book; but the Urbino MSS. in the Vatican Library, those of the Oliveriana at Pesaro, and of the Magliabechiana at Florence, have afforded copious sources of original information, and have supplied means for rectifying omissions and errors of previous writers. Some of these materials had been freely drawn upon by Muzio, Leoni, and Baldi, biographers of the early dukes of Urbino, who have not, however, by any means exhausted the soil; the amount that remained for after inquirers may be estimated from the single instance of Sanzi's almost unnoticed rhyming Chronicle of Duke Federigo, in about 26,000 lines.

The reigns of Dukes Federigo, Guidobaldo I., and Francesco Maria I., from 1443 to 1538, formed the brightest era of Urbino, and included the most stirring period of Italian history, the golden age of Italian art; but our regnal series would be incomplete without Dukes Guidobaldo II. and Francesco Maria II., who prolonged the independence of the duchy until 1631, when it lapsed to the Holy See.

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