Rudolf II: Was the 'Mad Emperor' a Genius? Unpacking History, Art, & Science

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Episode notes

Discover the true story of one of history's most misunderstood rulers in Rudolf II: The Life and Legend of the Mad Emperor by Thomas DaCosta Kaufmann. This insightful historical biography, first published in 2025, delves into the complex world of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, a figure long shrouded in the "Black Legend" of madness available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3YT02xR

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Often portrayed as an eccentric ruler whose passions for art and science distracted him from governing, Kaufmann's work draws on historical sources to present a groundbreaking new interpretation. Far from being irrelevant or aberrant, Rudolf II's extraordinary interests in collecting, art, architecture, and science – including the supposedly occult – were in fact inextricably connected with his role a ... 

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