41: Trial by Fire

I Take History With My Coffee

I Take History With My Coffee
41: Trial by Fire
Feb 15, 2024 Season 1 Episode 41
Bruce Boyce

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The spring of 1498 Florence concludes the tumultuous story of Girolamo Savonarola, a man who once held the city in his moral grasp. Journey with us through the fervent streets of a divided Florence, where faith and power collide, leading to a climactic trial by fire that was poised to define Savonarola's legacy. The spectacle captivates a city, but nature intervenes with a thunderous declaration, leaving a legacy of betrayal and a populace swaying from fervent support to vehement disdain. Witness the unraveling of a once unassailable influence, and the subsequent downfall of a figure who sought to reshape the soul of a republic.

Our journey ends with an exploration on whether Savonarola's fiery rhetoric and moral crusade position him as a precursor to the likes of Luther and Calvin or if his influence was a singular blaze that burned bright but fell short of igniting the widespread Reformation.

Resources:
Scourge and Fire: Savonarola and Renaissance Florence by Lauro Martines
Map of Italy 1494
Map of Florence 

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Intro Music: Hayden Symphony #39
Outro Music: Vivaldi Concerto for Mandolin and Strings in D