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The Cardinal's Hat is the fascinating story of how Ippolito d'Este, the second son of Lucretia Borgia, became the Archbishop of Milan. Through his own letters and ledgers, recently uncovered in the basement of an archive in the northern Italian town of Modena, Mary Hollingsworth has pieced together a fascinating and undeniably titillating tale of a real-life Renaissance cardinal and how he achieved his ambition to acquire the coveted cardinal's hat—a road to power and wealth that had little to do with piety.
The ledgers in the archive document every aspect of Ippolito's life—his meals; clothes; the men he employed as courtiers, cooks, stable boys and valets; his horses, dogs, and falcons; what he wore in bed; and what he gave his mistresses for Christmas. And it's not just Ippolito who comes to life out of the minutiae, bit his staff, as well: the page who had to pawn his doublet to settle a debt, the gardener's son who stabbed a monk, the nun who embroidered his shirts, and the goldsmith who took potshots at Ippolito's peacocks.
Also found in the cardinal's letters is a remarkable record of events: his journey (with his retinue of servants and retainers in tow) across the Alps to meet the King of France; his successes at the gambling table; his visit to the King's mistress while she was in her bath; and his reception in Rome when he at last acquired his cardinal's hat.
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Ray Thomas
reviewed Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Housekeeping in a Renaissance Court on May 03, 2020
Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Housekeeping in a Renaissance Court
Reading this made for a great reminder of why history books are so fun. I got this at a book sale for basically nothing, and it's about someone I'd never heard of before. That just made it more of an adventure!
It's interesting to me how historical figures can intersect, yet you can so easily overlook people who are background players in other people's stories. For instance, I've read a great deal about King Francis I, and I know a bit about Lucrezia Borgia (here spelled Lucretia). But I had no idea one of her sons with her third husband was such a good friend of the French king.
This is why history is such a blast! There's always more to discover.
The Cardinal's Hat is a very short read about Ippolito II d'Este. We get some background about his family, and learn quite a lot about his older brother, the Duke of Ferrara.
The book takes you on a journey, tracking Ippolito's efforts to gain the titular cardinal's hat. Along the way, there are so many logistics that can either seem riveting or boring depending on what you like. I thought it was concise enough to find the tidbits about how his household was kept quite neat.
This is not a drawn out biography that tries to dive into each tiny aspect of the protagonist's life. Instead, it's a great overview, with plenty of fascinating details.
It was a good library book sale find, and it reminded me of why I enjoy history books so much.
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Add Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Housekeeping in a Renaissance Court, The Cardinal's Hat is the fascinating story of how Ippolito d'Este, the second son of Lucretia Borgia, became the Archbishop of Milan. Through his own letters and ledgers, recently uncovered in the basement of an archive in the northern Italian tow, Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Housekeeping in a Renaissance Court to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
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Add Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Housekeeping in a Renaissance Court, The Cardinal's Hat is the fascinating story of how Ippolito d'Este, the second son of Lucretia Borgia, became the Archbishop of Milan. Through his own letters and ledgers, recently uncovered in the basement of an archive in the northern Italian tow, Cardinal's Hat: Money, Ambition, and Housekeeping in a Renaissance Court to your collection on WonderClub |