The Tragedies of the Medici

Project Gutenberg's The Tragedies of the Medici, by Edgcumbe StaleyThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online atwww.gutenberg.netTitle: The Tragedies of the MediciAuthor: Edgcumbe StaleyRelease Date: January 30, 2004 [EBook #10877]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE TRAGEDIES OF THE MEDICI ***Produced by Charles Aldarondo, Linda Cantoni and the Online Distributed Proofreading TeamTHE TRAGEDIES OF THE MEDICIBY EDGCUMBE STALEYAUTHOR OF "THE GUILDS OF FLORENCE," "RAPHAEL," "FRA ANGELICO," ETC.ILLUSTRATEDTO THE MEMORY OF MY FATHER THOMAS STALEYPREFACEWhen Alexandre Dumas wrote his Crimes of the Borgias—and other "Crimes"—he fully intended to compile acompanion volume, treating of episodes in the great family of the Medici. With this project in view, he collected muchmaterial, and actually published, tentatively, two interesting brochures: Une Année à Florence—in 1841, and LesGaleries de Florence—in 1842.Nothing, however, came of his more ambitious "idea," and, until to-day, no one has taken in hand to write TheTragedies of the Medici. My attention was first directed to the omission during the preparation of my Guilds ofFlorence, published in 1906; and I determined to address myself to the forging of that lurid link in the catena ofFlorentine ...