Did you know that I f you go to Florence you can stomp on the plaque in Piazza della Signoria that marks the spot where he was burned and hurl epithets at his prob burning-in-hell soul? Just don’t do it on the 23rd of May, ever, because on that date (his death date and my birthday!) there’s an annual Renaissance-ish procession with the sole purpose of leaving flowers on the marker. So I guess he’s still got some fans. Great read, as always!
Oh my God, I can't stand Savonarola. I admit, I'm biased. I'm obsessed with the Medici. (The Borgias are entertaining too.) And I'm not going to pretend Lorenzo or any of his family members were "good guys," but I would take a hundred Medici-style dirtbags over Savonarola any day. Great work as always. I love your newsletter.
I saw the title “bonfire of the inanities” and lol’d so hard I alarmed my husband at 6 am. Then i opened the email and saw that it’s about Savonarola. Hell yes, my favorite wackadoo from the late medieval period. Can’t wait to read your take on this weirdo.
This is a great recap. I am generally familiar with the Medicis but I never quite figured out Savonarola other than that he was a cult leader. So I appreciate how you pulled it all together.
Also, your last bit about putting “the magnificent” after your name made me think of the TV show Evil that’s on Paramount+ because there’s a character whose referred to as “Ben the Magnificent.” And then after reading this article, I’m thinking you would really like it. It’s a tongue and cheek show about investigators for the Catholic Church. And it’s both creepy and funny as hell.
Just when I think these can’t get any funnier I get to the statement “This man is perilously close to being a tourist trap deep-dish pizza” and laugh out loud on the station platform!
Thanks, Allison for always brightening my day.
Incidentally, when you mentioned morality police, my mind jumped straight to the Faith Militant too which is weird given how much morality policing has gone on in the world.
Just spitballing here: how about an International Dirtbag Registry, modeled after the Country Music Hall of Fame, where experts nominate history’s dirtbags and fans get to vote. Then a dirtbag’s status is official, and historians such as you won’t get blowback from, say, Nietzsche groupies.
My this era of Florence was rife with assholes. I'm currently chugging through Dante's Inferno (aka, the original Burn Book), and the deep history intro in the Sibbald translation was just, *stunning.*
You write great history - please never stop.
Thank you so much!!
Did you know that I f you go to Florence you can stomp on the plaque in Piazza della Signoria that marks the spot where he was burned and hurl epithets at his prob burning-in-hell soul? Just don’t do it on the 23rd of May, ever, because on that date (his death date and my birthday!) there’s an annual Renaissance-ish procession with the sole purpose of leaving flowers on the marker. So I guess he’s still got some fans. Great read, as always!
omg who is coming on a Dirtbags Vacation with me where we stomp on all the plaques of everyone who sucks
🙋🏼♀️
omg, who but WHO would leave flowers for that hooligan?
I'm not sure, but it might be an official city thing. Or who knows, maybe it's a Savonarola cult. I shall do some research!
Oh my God, I can't stand Savonarola. I admit, I'm biased. I'm obsessed with the Medici. (The Borgias are entertaining too.) And I'm not going to pretend Lorenzo or any of his family members were "good guys," but I would take a hundred Medici-style dirtbags over Savonarola any day. Great work as always. I love your newsletter.
Same! Never could stand that pathetic french fryar of a man. What a waste of DNA.
FRENCH FRYAR
I have to go lie down
Never hath a willful typo spoken so true
I saw the title “bonfire of the inanities” and lol’d so hard I alarmed my husband at 6 am. Then i opened the email and saw that it’s about Savonarola. Hell yes, my favorite wackadoo from the late medieval period. Can’t wait to read your take on this weirdo.
This is a great recap. I am generally familiar with the Medicis but I never quite figured out Savonarola other than that he was a cult leader. So I appreciate how you pulled it all together.
Also, your last bit about putting “the magnificent” after your name made me think of the TV show Evil that’s on Paramount+ because there’s a character whose referred to as “Ben the Magnificent.” And then after reading this article, I’m thinking you would really like it. It’s a tongue and cheek show about investigators for the Catholic Church. And it’s both creepy and funny as hell.
oooh I will check this out! sounds right up my alley.
Just when I think these can’t get any funnier I get to the statement “This man is perilously close to being a tourist trap deep-dish pizza” and laugh out loud on the station platform!
Thanks, Allison for always brightening my day.
Incidentally, when you mentioned morality police, my mind jumped straight to the Faith Militant too which is weird given how much morality policing has gone on in the world.
Looking forward to the Borgias!
I knew of him before reading this, but I didn't realize he was such a nut job.
I seem to remember a Lorenzo the Magnificent at my 4bth birthday party. There were no rabbits in his hat, just a puppy
A true Dirtbag.
Bookburner burned.
Thank you Allison for a magnificent return to form.
I thought Nietzsche a bit poorly done by.
Just spitballing here: how about an International Dirtbag Registry, modeled after the Country Music Hall of Fame, where experts nominate history’s dirtbags and fans get to vote. Then a dirtbag’s status is official, and historians such as you won’t get blowback from, say, Nietzsche groupies.
“The Devil Went Down to Borgia” 😂
That you got flack for tackling Nietzsche is just proof we take our philosophers waaaaaaaay too seriously. 🤣
Also once again your dialogue writing is pure perfection
My this era of Florence was rife with assholes. I'm currently chugging through Dante's Inferno (aka, the original Burn Book), and the deep history intro in the Sibbald translation was just, *stunning.*
More dirtbags proving that truism: Never trust anyone who’s middle name is The!