Carpe Diem!

Carpe Diem is the story of a boy, Nicolo, who is adopted into the Contarini family of Florence. The head of the family, Carlo, is in banking and trade and good friend of the de Medici. He comes upon Nicolo by accident and is impressed with his artistic potential and suspects that he might know the orphan's real parentage. Carlo has four sons from a previous marriage who are engaged in the following: running the family's estate, sailing with explorers, converting to Protestantism in Wittenberg, and running trade for the family in Antwerp. A daughter by his second wife, Sophia, becomes a nun while the youngest becomes a sculptor. The mystery of Nicolo's real parentage is resolved. The danger of not becoming a unified state is highlighted by the multiple invasions of the Valois and Habsburg dynasties and Machiavelli's fears of not having a cohesive political and military strength. Major artists and their work are discussed as is the intellectual atmosphere of the Platonic Society focusing on Ficino and Mirandola. The rise of the Ottomans and its effect on Europe is discussed as is the Yuan and early Ming dynasties in China. Piero Contarini's voyages with Columbus and Magellan emphasize the growing importance of Spain which will become part of the Habsburg empire with Charles V. The further enrichment of Spain through Pizarro's conquest of Peru is shared through the historian of the era, Francesco Guicciardini.