First as Dukes of Florence and then as Grand Dukes of Tuscany, the Medici became players in an area that extended from Safavid Persia to the Republic of Venice. The Medici Archive Project is organizing a conference dedicated to the relations between the Medici and the wide cultural, social and geographic area that in time has come to be identified as ‘the Levant.’ The period covered will extend from 1532, when the Medici received the ducal title, until the death of the last member of the dynasty in 1743. Contributions highlighting any of the connections between the Medici state and the Levant, or dealing with the Medici and their perception of the East – or with their reception in that part of the world – are welcome. Date and venue: Friday, June 7, 2013 - Archivio di Stato di Firenze, Viale Giovine Italia 6, 50122 Florence, Italy