Season 1 Florence, 1429.
Giovanni de' Medici is a rich banker who also represents one of the most important political forces of Florence's
Signoria. He has a plan to increase his family's power by making an agreement with the Church of Rome. The election of a new pope is about to take place and Giovanni sends his sons
Cosimo and
Lorenzo to Rome to encourage the election of a pope close to his family. In Rome, Cosimo, fascinated by the beauty of ancient architecture and art, meets Donatello and one of his models Bianca. Cosimo falls in love with her but is then forced to leave her and marry
Contessina de Bardi, a political marriage arranged by Giovanni and Contessina's father. The Medici candidate is elected, which assures the bank of the Medici of unparalleled economic power. Twenty years later, Giovanni is mysteriously murdered and Cosimo and Lorenzo try secretly to investigate his death. The political situation in the city is troubled by plots against Medici power, and their vision of the future of Florence—which will then lead to the Renaissance—is in danger. Cosimo's dream is to complete the
Duomo of Florence, but no architect seems to have a feasible solution due to the shape of the base created for the cathedral. Finally,
Filippo Brunelleschi introduces himself to Cosimo and shows him plans for the dome. Cosimo decides to trust Brunelleschi and the construction of the cathedral starts, bringing jobs and people to Florence. Meanwhile, the mystery surrounding the death of Giovanni thickens and Rinaldo Albizzi, Cosimo's main opponent in the Signoria, tries to block the construction and to incite the people to rise up against the Medicis.
Season 2 Twenty years have passed since the events of the first season.
Piero, Cosimo's son, and his wife Lucrezia are now at the head of the family. The power of the Medici has consolidated over time, but an assassination attempt on Piero brings to light his mismanagement of the family bank. The Sforza family are the largest debtors of the bank, but come to an agreement with Piero to erase it. The solution proposed by Sforza would also bring about the invasion of Florence. To prevent this, Piero's son
Lorenzo takes over the role of his father both in the government of the Signoria and as head of the family. Although he has a relationship with a married woman, Lucrezia Donati, Lorenzo accepts marriage to a religious Roman noblewoman, Clarice Orsini (who initially wanted to be a nun but is obliged to give up her dream for the marriage). Their marriage goes through a turbulent time as their interests differ, but he soon falls in love with her and they start living happily. His brother
Giuliano and his dear friend
Sandro Botticelli both meet and fall in love with Simonetta, although in different ways. Botticelli's interest is an artistic one and leads to the painting of Venus and Mars in which Simonetta is represented alongside Giuliano. The Pazzi family, led by Jacopo Pazzi and his nephew Francesco, join forces with the Pope to increase the Church's control of nearby territories and mines, in opposition to the Medici's policy. This argument will eventually lead to a conspiracy against Lorenzo in an attempt to put an end to his power and his dream of a peaceful and culturally alive Florence.
Season 3 This season starts eight years after the previous one. With his brother's death and the counsel of his new ruthless advisor Bruno Bernardi, Lorenzo has grown into a cruel determined man and vows revenge. He soon has three children with Clarice (and eventually a miscarried child as well that leads to Clarice's death), and they also raise Giulio (Giuliano's illegitimate son) after his father's death. Following the breakdown of the Pazzi conspiracy, Lorenzo must still face a military coalition from the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples, with the Papal Army led by the Pope's ambitious nephew,
Girolamo Riario. Lorenzo undertakes a diplomatic journey to Naples and succeeds in negotiating a separate peace. However, Father
Girolamo Savonarola gradually challenges the Medici for power in Florence. Season 3 focuses on how Lorenzo would do anything, to any extent for his family and his legacy. ==Episodes==