About
Michael H. Brown is a retired Wall Street executive with a passion for history, especially that of Florence and the Italian Renaissance. He spends time in Italy as often as possible. When not living la dolce vita he resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is the author of the soon to be published book, Crossroads: The Medici, a Pope and an Emperor, History in Florence 1433-1443. He is also the author of the essay, “Cast in Bronze,” which examines the references to the Council of Florence in the bronze doors created in the first half of the 15th century by Donatello, Ghiberti and Filarete.
Featured Work
Crossroads: The Medici, a Pope and an Emperor, History in Florence 1433-1443
During a seminal decade (1433–1443), Florence became a crossroads of cultural, political, and ecclesiastical significance, hosting an exiled pope and a desperate Roman emperor while embracing the rise of Cosimo de’ Medici as de facto prince. Crossroads: The Medici, a Pope and an Emperor traces the historical arcs of the Commune of Florence, the Medici, the Catholic Church and Byzantium. The intersection of these histories transformed Florence into a unique stage upon which occurred some of the most important events of the early Italian Renaissance.
