The House of Medici ruthlessly wielded control of Florence for nearly 300 years. Through financial and political machinations, they transformed the city into a cultural powerhouse and the epicentre of the Renaissance, spawning popes and royalty along the way.  Across four special episodes, Not Just the Tudors takes a deep dive into this complex and controversial dynasty that left an indelible mark on Western civilisation. In this first episode, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb talks to Tim Parks, author of Medici Money, about the dramatic, frequently bloody story of how the Medici rose to power through their banking activities. Presented by Professor Susannah Lipscomb. The researcher is Alice Smith, audio editor Ella Blaxill and the producer is Rob Weinberg. The senior producer is Anne-Marie Luff. Not Just the Tudors is a History Hit podcast Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original TV documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off your first 3 months using code ‘TUDORS’ https://historyhit.com/subscription You can take part in our listener survey here > https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK