For They Shall Inherit the Earth: Humility and the Constructed Etruscan and Carolingian Origins of the Medici

Authors

• William M. DeLoach, Harding UniversityFollow

Publication Date

Spring 2026

Subject Area

Section 3: Life & Letters in the Renaissance

Abstract

The Italian Renaissance and the cultural legacy of the Classical World are inextricably linked. The links between the non-classical sources and the Renaissance, however, have frequently been neglected. This article examines the non-classical origin claims made by the Medici family in Renaissance Florence. Specifically, it evaluates the purpose behind the Medici's attempts to link themselves to the Etruscans and to Charlemagne. Ultimately, it concludes that these efforts represent an attempt to conceal the significant authority the Medici had, both at the time that these sources were written and in Florentine history through the fifteenth century.

About the Author

Max DeLoach is a senior history major from Bella Vista, Arkansas. He is president of the Phi Alpha Theta history honors society, and he is a member of the Honors College and the American Studies Institute. He intends to pursue a career in higher education as a professor of history.