Medici: Masters of Florence (2016) s03e04 Episode Script

Maddalena? Papa? You should be asleep.
What are these? Well, they're fabric.
Fabric is English.
The weavers are Flemish, but the pattern, the pattern was made by a Florentine.
Beautiful, isn't it? It's all of Christendom.
Spain all the way to the edge of the Turkish Caliphate.
They took years and years to prepare.
And all that time, a piece as delicate as this needlework has held.
Florence is the center? And who is at the center of Florence? You are.
It's true.
You are the center of your father's world.
But what are these for? They're gifts.
For the rulers of all of these lands.
See in a month's time, their envoys are going to arrive in Florence and I'm going to convince them to sign a treaty that will guarantee the peace that we've had for years.
Yes, and what if the envoys of these states do not come, because you have not invited the Pope? Well, they've already agreed.
Because they know it's papa's peace.
Yes they do.
The Duke will be back in Ferrara within a week.
I've asked he meet you as soon as he returns.
But he will agree to attend a peace conference? Yes.
I'm sure of it.
And when you've seen the Duke, will you go back home Messer Tommaso? Don't worry, my lady.
My heart is always yours.
I should think so, my lord.
Stay here.
What's going on? The city walls are breached.
By whose men? They bear the arms of Girolamo Riario.
The city is yours, my lord.
Don't let the other prize escape: Bring me Tommaso Peruzzi.
We know Peruzzi's waiting for the Duke.
So where is he? Tommaso returned to Florence last night.
He was-he was in quite a hurry.
An urgent family matter.
Your father is in a lot of danger.
And I want to help him.
Can you help me do that? Is he hiding a man in this house? You wouldn't lie to me, would you? Alright, let's move on.
Messer Tommaso? Thank you, Vittoria.
You should have let them take me, rather than put your family at risk.
You are our friend, Tommaso.
I owe you my life, my lady.
And how's Tommaso? Are you sure he is safe? Riario's men haven't found him as far as we know.
Piero? What are you doing in here? Nothing.
I was I was just You should have gone with your father to the Council.
What help would I be? By the time he was my age, he'd met with the Pope on the family's behalf.
Look, Lorenzo was an exception, Piero.
He trusts Giulio more than me.
He sees his brother in Giulio.
But you're is son.
Don't forget that.
We have no choice but to declare war.
We are pledged to march to the defense of Ferrara.
As well as the Florentine merchants Tommaso Peruzzi is trapped in the city.
Riario has seized Ferrara for one reason.
To provoke a war that will end this peace conference, and with it Florence's chance to become the political center of the peninsula.
You could invite the Pope to the conference.
How could he refuse to sign a treaty that would secure permanent peace? And once he has he'll have to call off his nephew Riario or else look like a hypocrite.
I don't know how many times I have to say this: I will not be seen to invite the man who allowed my brother's murder.
Perhaps the French King could be persuaded to invite him instead.
See if it's possible.
Holy Father, you're early.
I could not stay away, Sandro.
What have you for me today? I have started on the devil.
Don't listen to his whispers.
No, Holiness.
It's not easy to be a good man.
My duty is to tend to the Lord's flock.
And yet I seem to have spent my life fighting one war after another.
And now my nephew tries to start a new one.
While Lorenzo de' Medici uses this conference in Florence to steal away my role as a peace-maker.
I'm sure that is not his intention, Holiness.
You will not go to the conference? If I go to Florence I would appear to condone Lorenzo's undermining of my authority.
When you finish this, you will start the fresco in the Cappella Magna immediately.
Yes, Holiness, yes.
It will be amongst your greatest works.
We will both be remembered by it.
It is for his glory, Holy Father.
Not ours.
Giulio Come here.
Take off that cloak.
Let me see.
What happened? Duelling? If someone insults you, you have to challenge them.
What are all these medicines? Well, I have many grandchildren.
Endlessly getting ill, hurting themselves.
Who insulted you? Tucci's son.
That boy's as stupid as his father.
What did he say? That uncle Lorenzo's a coward, without honor who's betrayed Ferrara.
Lorenzo knows what's best And do you know how I know that? Because I taught him.
Go.
Thank you.
No, don't thank me.
I want something in return.
- Father Girolamo - How are you, Quintino? Better for seeing you.
You have returned for the election? I had heard the Prior died.
God rest his soul.
But no.
I'm only visiting at the request of Lorenzo de' Medici.
Please, come in.
Thank you.
That's what happens when you sneak around! I'm sorry! I'm sorry, child! What's the matter, Maddalena? Nothing, mama.
Maria Oh, you've raised fine children, Clarice.
Thank you.
I've noticed a distance between you and Lorenzo.
It is more on his part than mine.
A man must be obsessed to make his dreams reality.
I wish there was something I could do to be close to him again.
I always find it's easier to share their dreams, rather than compete with them.
That's why I took on the running of the bank.
You've been a great help to him.
The time's approaching where I must hand over that responsibility.
To me? - I wouldn't be able - Oh, you are able.
What you don't know, I can teach you.
Something's wrong? My lungs.
Mastro Leoni says it's only a matter of time.
I'm so sorry.
No sympathy, please, please It undoes me.
You'll say nothing to Lorenzo.
If I don't, it will only worsen the blow.
Please, Clarice.
My only regret is leaving my son and my grandchildren.
But I will see Giuliano again.
I'll help you, however I may.
Thank you.
What do you think you're doing? Can a wife not tend to her husband's needs? What news from Rome, wife? Good news.
Your uncle has rejected the French King's invitation to Lorenzo's conference.
This is not good news.
Florence still refuses to march to Ferrara's defense.
And Milan? The Duke has been bough off.
With a painter.
Ferrara was to be the fire that burned Lorenzo down.
Then find more kindling.
Salt.
Please.
It looks like she was the cause that made you suffer and you all have it within your power to end that suffering.
Excommunication is just an act of Father.
Been too long.
It's good to see you, Lorenzo.
You must be busy with peace treaty preparations and the unfortunate events in Ferrara.
Your home town It is many years since I have returned.
You heard about your old friend, the Prior, leaving us? I'm sure my brothers will elect a suitable successor.
I want you to stand.
I know we don't see eye to eye on everything but we do agree that the current Pope is bad for everyone.
And if I was Prior, I could remind the people of that? Indeed.
But that's not the reason.
Let me show you something.
I bought the gardens from the old Prior.
I would not have sold them to you.
Well, that's only because you don't understand.
That's better, but a remedy is that reference point.
Tell me, young man what have you learned from your master today? We use Brunelleschi's technique of lines connected to a vanishing point.
As described in Alberti's "On Painting," to achieve accurate perspective.
Father Thank you.
Your son? Giovanni.
So, the treaty is just the beginning.
These artists they're ambassadors for Florence.
They fill Europe with beauty and knowledge and they bind it together.
It is not your place to save the world, Lorenzo.
If it is the wish of my brethren I will stand for the position of Prior.
Thank you.
But I hope I am not successful.
- For the sake of our friendship.
- Lorenzo? Bruno? Riario has closed the roads through Ferrara.
Summon the Ten immediately.
Excuse me, Father.
The seizing of Ferrara fails to provoke a war, so now Riario tries this.
It could work.
Ardinghelli and Spinelli are already agitating the merchants.
With the roads to the sea blocked there can be no trade in salt.
Lorenzo, we have no choice but to declare war.
It cannot be allowed to happen! Summer is almost over.
Without salt how will we preserve food to last until next spring? - We must take back Ferrara.
- Absolutely! You really think that military action is the answer? You trade your sons' lives for salt? Without salt they will starve.
Is it our sons or your precious peace conference you wish to save, Lorenzo? Florence needs to look to its own needs.
There are other sources of salt.
The mines in Volterra.
Which are far more costly.
The Medici will pay the difference for as long as it takes to find a peaceful solution.
You have my word.
Let this be a test of the Medici and the Ten.
You never took the paintings I offered you.
Some find pleasure in a fine painting or a piece of poetry.
I find mine in a sharp quill and a well-ordered desk.
I suppose I was born a clerk.
You know, you never talk about your past.
Where you're from You want Bernardi's story? You must have asked others.
A few.
Over the years.
Seems the story is a mystery.
Not all of us have a story.
I am a man of little consequence from somewhere of even less consequence.
No.
I don't think so.
I've seen the ease with which you flirt with my mother.
She's a fine woman.
Even men of no consequence may dream.
We have more pressing matters.
The salt embargo is causing unrest.
I could make a personal appeal to Sixtus.
Even if you were willing to write, he wouldn't listen.
Not until you go down on your knees and beg his forgiveness for the hanging of Bishop Salviati.
Well, I know I will not write.
Here.
Take this.
Lorenzo Thank you for this.
I owe you much.
Well That was a long time ago.
Now I am the one that needs your help.
Imagine the world that we could build if all men truly followed Christ's example.
What are you doing here? I came to ask you in person to come to Florence attend the peace conference.
How dare you speak to me about following Christ's example.
You only have hatred in your heart.
And there's none in yours? What are you doing? I ask for forgiveness.
From you and from Almighty God.
For the death of your brother and for all the evil that I have caused your family.
Will you do the same? Ask for God's forgiveness? How can you think to bring harmony to the world when you do not carry it in your own heart? Repent, Lorenzo.
Only God and I will know.
Do it and I will stop Riario.
There's only one way he can be stopped.
You'd have me murder my own nephew? He will not rest until my family are dead.
So your words are meaningless.
I will never never show any remorse for avenging my brother's murder, never.
And I will never go to Florence.
To do so would be to surrender the authority of the Papacy to the Medici.
Then it doesn't matter.
It's not how many frescoes you commission.
You'll only ever be remembered for the bloodshed and death Riario leaves in his wake.
How could Lorenzo enter Rome and meet Sixtus without our knowledge? Botticelli.
But Lorenzo failed to persuade him.
This time.
You've taken Ferrara cut off the salt and still there is no war.
What else can be done? Not all my spies have failed me.
Tommaso Peruzzi is hiding at the Palazzo Soriano.
You'll send men to seize him? No.
Madonna, how may we help you? It's very urgent.
I must speak with Tommaso Peruzzi.
Your husband's men searched the house for him.
I have no time for games, Messer Soriano.
I'm here to warn you.
My husband is about to order you and all Florentine families expelled from the city.
It's a trap.
Once you're out of the city, he'll have you killed.
Why would Riario's wife warn us? Because before I was Riario's wife, I was a Sforza.
I swear on my family's honor I'm here to prevent innocent lives being lost.
No Messer Peruzzi Madonna Sforza It's done.
Now the loyal Tommaso will send word to Lorenzo.
Messer Bernardi? What do you want? The word is you collect news, Messer.
I've some that might be of interest to you.
I very much doubt that.
Speak.
Father Girolamo Savonarola has been elected the new Prior of the San Marco convent.
Now that is of interest.
I have heard you don't share Lorenzo's opinion of him There is nothing more dangerous than a true believer.
- You have a name? - Nico.
I'm a choir boy at San Marco.
For your trouble, Nico.
And for any other intelligence you think might interest me.
The most important branches are in Pisa, Milan, Venice Lyon, Bruges, Rome.
You should be aware that we've had trouble with the manager in Lyon, but Sassetti has that in hand.
Would you leave us, please? Thank you.
Close the doors behind you, will you? And where we have no branch? We contract with another bank that can be trusted to honor drafts and accept bills of exchange.
- Sorry Sorry - Are you alright? - And these are all of the ledgers? - Yes.
Yes.
The official ones, yes.
And this one? A powerful man must appear powerful.
Go.
You think the bank alone could sustain Lorenzo's spending these last years? The works of art commissioned lavish tapestries prepared as gifts and buying in of salt from Volterra? Well, how then? By borrowing from the city coffers.
Borrowing? I would never have done this if it weren't necessary.
If for one moment I thought that we couldn't repay it.
We are We are stealing from the city? The bank supports Florence and Florence supports the bank! I cannot play a part in it.
You will do what you will, Clarice.
But if you won't, then who will? Lorenzo doesn't know? No, he would be compromised.
First he cannot know that you are dying, and now this? You think I've trapped you.
Well, that was never my intention.
But if the bank fails everything that Lorenzo has worked so hard to achieve since his brother's death it will it will be for nothing.
Father Girolamo has been elected Prior.
Good to have a friend at San Marco.
He may not be as malleable as his predecessor.
I've been thinking about our influence in the church as a whole.
It seems to me that the only way to guarantee that the Papacy is in tune with Florence's interests in the long term is a Medici Pope.
- And who do you propose? Carlo? - No.
Giovanni.
But you're serious? Why would I not be? He wants to be an artist, not a priest.
How many of us choose the path that our lives take? We'll send him to the seminary in Rome and once he's ordained, I'll purchase benefices for him.
With what? The bank will pay.
Mother will see to it.
- Of course.
- You see? It's not a problem.
What is it you want, Messer Bernardi? We have word from Tommaso.
We must send a force immediately to prevent Riario's men from harming Tommaso and the others.
If Riario wanted them butchered, why didn't he have his men do it in the city or the moment they left? I believe he's waiting for you to send men to protect them.
And then he has his war.
There must be a way to avoid the trap.
There is But you won't like it.
It's a long walk to Florence, isn't it? Don't worry.
Lorenzo won't let us come to any harm.
The dragon emerged from its cave breathing fire.
And thus, the king had no choice.
He sent his strongest men to ride out to meet the terrible dragon.
But the dragon was fierce.
The king knew that if he sent his men into battle even more lives would be lost.
For the welfare of his kingdom he had to sacrifice his dearest possession.
His honor.
At last.
The Florentines are here.
Let's draw them into battle.
Come on, run! Hold the line! Aren't you going to help them? Do not engage! You said Lorenzo would help us! They are not protecting them.
Kill them anyway! The king had sworn to fight the dragon and defend the innocent at all costs.
But now he ordered his men to stand down while the dragon roared at the people.
And terror filled the land.
They're coming back! Go, go! The people cowered at the dragon which opened its jaws wide to devour Messer Peruzzi - You come with me.
- I can't! I'm not leaving without them.
All seemed lost But then, out of the woods there come a knight.
His name was Lorenzo! What's wrong, papa? I received them this morning from Lorenzo.
Men women children All mercilessly murdered on the orders of your nephew.
You told me they would not be killed.
It upsets you? You lied to me.
I swore on my family's honor they would not be harmed! I can do whatever I want to you! Why did Lorenzo let them die? He's not the man I thought he was.
He's changed.
I don't know if I can defeat him.
You could have stopped it.
You knew, and did nothing! - I saved you.
- And let others die! Children among them.
It was the only solution.
Did he tell you that? I would rather that you let me die than be any part of this.
I had to do this or more would die.
It's a message from Carlo.
The massacre deeply grieves the Pope.
He has condemned Riario, he accepts your invitation to a peace conference.
Excuse me.
There is one proviso: it's not to be held in Florence, but in neutral territory.
In Bagnolo.
He has made this public.
Then we cannot deny him.
And the peace will be seen to be his.
You did what you had to do.
Where do I go from here? To Bagnolo, it seems.
No, no The sword! The sword! Giulio! Giulio! Giulio! - Grandmother! - No! Where is Giulio?! I cannot let it happen again.
No! No! Madonna Lucrezia! Madonna! - No, no! - Madonna, go back inside! No! Leave me! I must find my son! No, leave me! I must find my son.
Giulio! Giulio! Giulio! Wait for me, wait, wait Lucrezia! Where were you? How did it happen? We found her on the street.
She was delirious.
Looking for you.
Holy Father You have the arrogance to put yourself before the Vicar of Christ? Holy Father I wish to start this meeting with a gesture of reconciliation.
A personal one.
For nothing is as important to me as this peace.
I would ask you and Almighty God to forgive me for the hanging of Bishop Salviati.
You accept this gesture and the treaty will be seen as mine.
You are not truly repentant.
Think of your immortal soul.
You refuse and it'll also be mine.
The Pope forgives you, Lorenzo.
May God forgive you also.
He who looks into everyone's heart.
Giovanni, what's wrong? Father says I have to go away.
To the Curia, in Rome.
- Why? - To be a priest.
I want to paint! I won't know anyone.
I'm scared, Giulio.
I'm disturbing you? We need to talk.
About the way Lucrezia kept the accounts.
My mother's Latin poets philosophy lives of the saints.
She recommended them to me, on after another.
They're all still here and she's gone.
And I wasn't even here.
All your mother wanted more than anything in the world was for you to achieve your dream.
I can't do this anymore.
Yes you can.
But you don't have to.
Not alone anyway.
I promise.
Giovanni? Carlo is going to accompany you to Rome.
I'll see you're settled in.
We will come and visit you very soon.
Now, listen, Giovanni.
If after a year at the Curia, you you still want to study painting you have my blessing.
Uncle? I would like permission to go with Giovanni.
To the Curia.
To do what, be a priest? And to be with my cousin.
Lorenzo! The Pope is dead.