Pier Mattia Tommasino (Columbia University) in conversation with Davide Trentacoste (Scuola Normale Superiore), on the occasion of the publication of Davide Trentacoste’s book:
Shahs and Grand Dukes. Medici-Safavid Diplomatic Relations in the Early Modern Mediterranean. Abingdon, Oxon. New York, NY: Routledge, 2026.
The early modern period witnessed the emergence of new forms of diplomatic interaction across political, religious, and cultural boundaries. Within this changing diplomatic landscape, Safavid Persia became an important interlocutor for European powers seeking to navigate the geopolitical balance of the Mediterranean and, in particular, their relations with the Ottoman Empire. This book examines the long-standing but still understudied relationship between the Medici Grand Duchy of Tuscany and the Safavid dynasty, from the late sixteenth century to the fall of the Safavids in the eighteenth century.
This event is part of the Italian and Mediterranean Colloquium organized by the Department of Italian and sponsored by the European Institute.