Ancient DNA nails malaria as the Medici brothers’ demise
TL;DR
An international team analyzed the 16th‑century remains of Cardinal Giovanni de’ Medici and Grand Duke Francesco I and found DNA evidence of malaria parasites, confirming they died of malaria rather than poisoning; Francesco’s bones show infection with both P. falciparum and P. malariae, while Giovanni carried a novel P. falciparum strain. The work, published in iScience, provides insight into malaria’s evolution in Europe and suggests swampy Tuscany environments facilitated transmission in the Medici era.
- Ancient-DNA analysis solves 500-year-old mystery of what killed 2 Medici brothers Live Science
- Medici brothers' remains reveal Renaissance-era malaria strains, closing the book on a murder mystery Phys.org
- Scientists Solve the Mystery of the Death of the Medici Brothers, Clearing Centuries of Speculation About Poisoning La Brújula Verde
- Scientists finally know how Italy’s Renaissance-era Medici brothers died The Independent
- Ancient DNA from the Medici brothers in Florence confirms malaria killed them, but it also exposes an old parasite strain and ends the poison rumour The Times of India
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