Il duca d'Atene

In the bustling streets of 15th‑century Florence, the river Arno glints beneath the setting sun as workers raise a new wall around a palace. Tile de' Cavicciuli, a keen‑eyed observer, is drawn into a whispered plot when the wealthy Filippo Bordoni demands his oath of silence, promising to seal a conspiracy that could crown a new “Duke of Athens” over the city. Their secret meeting crackles with tension, hinting at rival families, foreign interests, and a looming assault on the Medici stronghold.

Amid this intrigue, young Matilde Adimari, daughter of the conspirator Antonio, finds herself torn between duty and a forbidden affection for the charismatic Count Rinaldo d'Altavilla. Their quiet moments in the shadow of Santa Maria Novella contrast sharply with the murmur of armed men gathering in the streets. As rumors of French hostility swirl, the novel captures the fragile balance of love, loyalty, and the ever‑present danger of betrayal in a city on the brink of upheaval.