EXCLUSIVE WEBINAR | “Family Life in Renaissance Florence: Everyday Aspects and Social Dynamics” 
Presented by Dr. Fabrizio Ricciardelli
with Additional Commentary by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero

Family structures were central to social life in Renaissance Florence. Florentine society revolved around patriarchal households, where marriage alliances, kinship ties, and lineage shaped social status and economic security. Women were primarily defined through their roles as daughters, wives, and mothers, and their lives were closely guided by family strategies, particularly through arranged marriages and dowry systems.

Although excluded from formal political institutions, women played significant roles within the household and in sustaining family networks, reputation, and honor. Their daily experiences varied across social classes, yet through domestic responsibilities, religious practices, and social relationships, women were essential to the stability and continuity of Florentine society.

The webinar will include a 45-minute lecture followed by 15-minutes of Q&A.

Please note:

• Your participation is confirmed once you have purchased your ticket. You will receive the Zoom link to join the presentation circa 30 minutes before the start time.
• VIDEO RECORDING of the webinar will be available for unlimited streaming at your convenience for 7 days after the event.

Fabrizio Ricciardelli earned his undergraduate degree in Medieval History at the University of Florence (Italy) and his Ph.D. at the University of Warwick (England). Since 2004 hew was professor of “Renaissance History” at Georgetown University. Between 2010-2012 he was Academic Director of the Georgetown University program in Florence. In 2010 he became Chairman of the scientific committee “Villa Le Balze Studies”. In 2012 he was appointed Director of the Kent State University program in Florence. His academic experience includes journal articles, conference presentations, and several reviews. He has authored and co-authored numerous books on institutional and political history. His main field of study is Italian city-states in the social, economic, political, and cultural landscape of Medieval Europe. Ricciardelli has recently embarked upon the study of the relationship between emotions and passions as forms of political persuasion in Renaissance Italy. His latest publication are A Short History of Florence (2019) and The Medici. The Power of a Dynasty (2021).