Nice work science, but 400 years is a long time to hold onto old grudges. I go by what the "Good Book" says and "forgive and forget." (sorry guys channeling my ken m)
I miss him.
Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
21–30 of 58 posts
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#22My family has spent centuries marrying into an alternative claimant to the Grand Duke of Tuscany who did not inherit through Ferdinando I. We were planning to use this as an excuse to invade Italy and put the scion of our own dynasty on the throne and establish ourselves as royalty in the annals of history. Unfortunately, this + the unification of Italy may have irredeemably foiled our plan. Not sure what to do now,…
Not sure, but I would 100% buy a copy of your family cookbook. Just imagine the titles you could use.
Unfortunately most of the recipes call for “tears of a noble bloodline.”
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#23Earlier quoted context omitted.
Right. If one lives in an area prone to malaria, has good immune system, will the body tend to carry the antibodies all the time?
Yes, which is why the immunological tests done in 2006 were not seen as conclusive. However, this time they found actual plasmodium DNA which suggests active infection at time of death. Including from two species, suggesting double infection. Fun.
I live in Ghana, we have malaria as a common (not too common though) ailment. I have also had malaria several times, though the last time was almost 9 years ago.
As I understand it, some malaria parasites can remain dormant in the body for a long time. Clinical symptoms develop once the parasite burden and immune response become sufficient to cause illness.
Not sure if the couple had made trips to Tuscany before the last one, but it is interesting they found two species of malaria pathogens.
I thought that was also an interesting angle to consider.
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#24My family has spent centuries marrying into an alternative claimant to the Grand Duke of Tuscany who did not inherit through Ferdinando I. We were planning to use this as an excuse to invade Italy and put the scion of our own dynasty on the throne and establish ourselves as royalty in the annals of history. Unfortunately, this + the unification of Italy may have irredeemably foiled our plan. Not sure what to do now,…
Very Crusader Kings :)
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#25what a mess, what is the significance of resolving this? land claims? title? access to frozen assets? recarving borders? treaties?
Historical curiosity
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#26Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes, which is why the immunological tests done in 2006 were not seen as conclusive. However, this time they found actual plasmodium DNA which suggests active infection at time of death. Including from two species, suggesting double infection. Fun.
I live in Ghana, we have malaria as a common (not too common though) ailment. I have also had malaria several times, though the last time was almost 9 years ago. As I understand it, some malaria parasites can remain dormant in the body for a long time. Clinical symptoms develop once the parasite burden and immune response become sufficient to cause illness. Not sure if the couple had made trips to Tuscany before the…
> Not sure if the couple had made trips to Tuscany before
Dude, they were the royal family of Tuscany. They lived there. Which is why this test is not conclusive: sure, they had malaria, but at the time it was pretty common in the region and they likely had it for a long time.
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#27What's this one? Fable or Sol?
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#28what a mess, what is the significance of resolving this? land claims? title? access to frozen assets? recarving borders? treaties?
I too am astounded by humanities desire to know things without a monetary benefit. Don't they understand the money spent on this could've gone to a vulture capital?
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#29what a mess, what is the significance of resolving this? land claims? title? access to frozen assets? recarving borders? treaties?
It's Italy, there's probably a dispute over a dozen tenements in Florence.
Re: Medici family mystery may be solved after more than 400 years
#30I am living in Poggio a Caiano and I never expect it will be mentioned on HN.
I know very well the history of Bianca Cappello and I am not surprised about the malaria. The area around Poggio a Caiano (Poggio means exactly "small hills") was a swamp and malaria was very common.