Food and disease at the Renaissance courts of Naples and Florence: A paleonutritional study

A paleonutritional study of the Medici Grand Dukes in Florence (16th-17th centuries) and of the Aragonese Princes in Naples (15th-17th centuries) was performed. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope analysis of bone collagen showed high values of delta N-15 at the level of carnivores and demonstrated a diet that was very rich in meat. delta C-13 values are in accordance with an intake of fish, especially for the Aragonese series from Southern Italy, which can be estimated at 14-30% for the Medici and 12-40% for the Aragonese. Adherence to medieval fasting is likely to have been the main reason for this dietary change. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.