Simonetta M. Zagadka Montefeltro. Dinastiya Medichi. Renessans v Italii / per. s ital. V. Nikolaeva. Moscow: Slovo, 2021. 288 p. (The Mystery of Montefeltro. The Dynasty of Medici. Renaissance in Italy). Simonetta M. Lisy i l’vy. Tayny dinastii Medichi. Renessans v Italii / per. s ital. T. Kudryavtsevoy. Moscow: Slovo, 2022. 327 p. (Foxes and Lions. The Mystery of the Dynasty of Medici. Renaissance in Italy)

The review is timed to the publication in Russian of the first two books of the trilogy by the Italian historian Marcello Simonetta on the history of the Medici dynasty in Florence. From other popular science books on the subject, his work is distinguished by a research approach based on the publication of archival materials, mainly the correspondence of the popes, the rulers and less senior characters. The «Montefeltro Enigma » focuses on the history of the Pazzi conspiracy in April 1478 and clarifies the role played in it by the famous condottiere and patron of art Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino. The second book, «Foxes and Lions», focuses on the rise to power of the Medici family after their return to Florence and the election of Cardinal Giovanni to the papal throne as Leo X. The review describes the contribution of the monographs to the study of the subject and has a number of comments on their content, as well as on the style, terminology and quality of the translations into Russian.

Marcello Simonetta, Medici, Federico da Montefeltro, Pazzi Conspiracy, Machiavelli, Leo X