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[[File:Medici_the_Magnificent.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|Figure 1. The Medici Season 2 Poster.]]__NOTOC__ The <i>Medici</i> has recently been released has moved forward in time and it cover picks up five years after the period death of Cosmo de Medici, played by Richard Madden in the season 1. Season 2 focuses on Lorenzo the Magnificant (Lorenzo de' Medici), who was one of the most influential Medici family members who . He ruled or and influenced Florence and at the birth of the Renaissance. The period this season covers is between covered is around 1469-1477, 1478. This season climaxes with the series culminating in the Pazzi conspiracy on Easter Sunday , April 26, 1478, that sought to depose the Medicis from power.

[[FileGiuliano de' Medici:Image002 0 0Guiliano is the brother of Lorenzo.jpg|thumb|Figure 1He is shown as a skilled fighter, handsome, and a someone who always showed interest in women, refusing to settle down and instead bedding different women, including Simonetta Vespucci, a renowned beauty who was the wife of a prominent noble in Florence. The In fact, he appears to fall in love with Simonetta and this begins to create problems for the Medici Season 2 after Simonetta's husband learned of the affair and jails his own wife. His youthful love of life and handsome appearance influences Botticelli to paint him as his Mars character, but that is not certain. Giuliano did father an illegitimate child, with another woman, who later became Pope Clement VII, but for this was not even brought up by the series despite the historical significance of this. Clement VII was the pope who presided over the fragmentation of Christianity during the Protestant Reformation. Giuliano was killed in the Pazzi conspiracy and key characters shownthat was depicted by the series.<ref>For more on Giuliano, see: Jungić, J., & Leader, A. (2018). <i>Giuliano de’ Medici: Machiavelli’s prince in life and art</i>. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.]]</ref>

Lorenzo the MagnificantClarice Orsini: Lorenzo is depicted Clarice was shown as a smart and wise leader of the Medici family. His father, Piero di Cosimo de' Medici dies nun in training at the beginning of the serieswho is then arranged by Lorenzo's mother, Lucrezia, in 1469to marry Lorenzo. His father was While reluctant, and shown as somewhat a weak character who could not always deal well naive and pious individual, she complies with all the intrigues of the Signoriathis marriage as she sees it as God's chosen path for her. At first, which was the seat of government and ruling body in Florence. Lorenzo she is energeticnot happy, ambitious for as Lorenzo continues to have a relationship with a nobleman's wife after his familymarriage. Eventually, she has Lorenzo stop this affair and displayed traits like his grandfather Cosimo Medici by supporting the arts, with the series concentrating on his patronage she begins to become more influential in Lorenzo's life. The couple eventually grow more fond of Sandro Botticelli. He is shown each other and they both help each other as having Florencethey plan the family's best interest in mindaffairs.<ref>For more on Clarice, see: Pernis, M. G., & Adams, although L. (2006). <i>Lucrezia Tornabuoni de’ Medici and the Medici family in reality he often did promote his family above all elsethe fifteenth century</i>. New York: Peter Lang.</ref>

Giuliano de' MediciSandro Botticelli: Guiliano is The series depicts Botticelli as a well-regarded painter patronized by the brother of LorenzoMedici. He is shown The series depicts the painter as a skilled fighter, handsomebeing inspired by Simonetta Vespucci, who inspired <i>Venus and Mars</i> and a someone who always showed interest in womenlater <i>Primavera</i>, refusing with his later <i>Birth of Venus</i> painting alluded to settle down as also inspired by her. The actual history of these paintings is not certain, as <i>Venus and instead bedding different women, including Simonetta VespucciMars</i> may have been painted much later than what was shown in the series. In factNevertheless, he appears to fall in love with Simonetta, although she is married to one of the members of the Signoria. His youthful love a possible muse inspiring Botticelli's depiction of life and handsome appearance influences Botticelli to pain him her as his Mars characterVenus, but that is not certainalso disputed by historians. Giuliano did father an illegitimate child that later became pope (Clement VII)is purported to be the one inspiring Mars, but for some reasonhe had died long after this, this was not even brought up by although the series despite showing him posing, along with Simonetta, for the historical significance painting. None of this. Clement VII was is historically clear, but some historians do accept the pope who presided over two as inspiring the fragmentation of Christianity during the Protestant Reformationwell-known painting.<ref>For more on Botticelli, see: Lightbown, R. W. (1989). Giuliano was killed in the Pazzi conspiracy <i>Sandro Botticelli: life and that was depicted by the serieswork (2nd ed)</i>. New York: Abbeville Press.</ref>

Clarice OrsiniFrancesco de' Pazzi: Clarice was shown as a nun in training at Francesco is one of the beginning main characters of the series Pazzi family, who is then arranged by are rivals to the Medicis and resent their control and power over Florence. Francesco initially befriends Lorenzo, as he believes his uncle Jacopo de' Pazzi did not have Florence's mother, Lucrezia, to marry Lorenzobest interest and too obsessed against the Medici. While reluctantHowever, she complies over time he becomes disenchanted with this marriagethe Medicis as he sees them as power hungry. At first, she He is not happymarried briefly before he sends his wife away, as Lorenzo continues to but this may have a relationship never happened. Francesco eventually reunites with a nobleman's wife after his marriageuncle Jacopo and they together launch the Pazzi conspiracy on Easter Sunday in 1478. Francesco succeeds in killing Guiliano but the conspiracy fails and he is executed along with the other conspirators on the walls of the Signoria. Eventually, she has The depiction of the brief friendship between Francesco and Lorenzo stop this affair is likely inaccurate. He was also dragged from his house and she begins to become more influential killed, while in the series he was shown as being captured after the conspiracy was launched in Lorenzo's lifethe well-known Duomo of Florence. The couple eventually grow <ref>For more fond of each other on Francesco, see: Martines, L. (2004). <i>April blood: Florence and they both help each other as they plan the family's affairsplot against the Medici</i>. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press, pg. 97. </ref>

BotticelliJacopo de' Pazzi: The series depicts Botticelli Jacopo is depicted as well regarded painter patronized by the real head of the Pazzi family and obsessed with overthrowing the Medicifamily. He was shown as finding new ways to obtain power for himself and the Pazzi. The series depicts While there might be some truth to this, he was also, historically, known to have patronized the painter arts and commissioned works such as being inspired by Simonetta Vespuccithe Palazzo Pazzi in Florence. His conspiracy launched with Francesco fails ultimately, who inspired <i>Venus after many other less violent attempts to topple the Medici. Jacopo is depicted as a cunning and Mars</i> and later <i>Primavera</i>scheming man, although in reality the problem with his later the Medici probably dealt with the fact that both families were power hungry.<iref>Birth of VenusFor more on Jacopo, see: Strathern, P. (2003). </i> painting alluded to. The actual history Medici: Godfathers of these paintings is not certain, as <i>Venus and Marsthe Renaissance</i> may have been painted much later. Nevertheless, Simonetta is a possible muse inspiring Botticelli's depiction of her as VenusLondon: Jonathan Cape, but that is also disputed by historianspg. Giuliano is purported to be the one inspiring Mars, but he had died long after this, although the series showing him posing, along with Simonetta, for the painting. None of this is historically clear, but some historians do accept the two as inspiring the well-known painting163.</ref>

Francesco de' Pazzi==Key Plot==[[File: Francesco is one Leonardo da Vinci - Hanging of the main characters of the Pazzi family, who are rivals to the Medicis and resent their control and power over FlorenceBernardo Baroncelli 1479.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|Figure 2. Francesco initially befriends Lorenzo, as he believes his uncle Jacopo de' Pazzi, did not have FlorenceLeonardo's best interest. However, over time he becomes disenchanted with the Medicis as he sees them as power hungry. Francesco eventually reunites with his uncle Jacopo and they together launch the Pazzi conspiracy on Easter Sunday in 1478. Francesco succeeds in killing Guiliano but drawing showing one of the conspiracy fails and he is executed along with the other conspiratorshung. The depiction of the brief friendship between Francesco and Lorenzo is likely inaccurate. He was also dragged from his house and killed, while in the series he was shown as being captured after the conspiracy was launched in the well-known Duomo of Florence.  Jacopo de' Pazzi: Jacopo is depicted as the head of the Pazzi family and obsessed with overthrowing the Medici family. While there might be some truth to this, he was also, historically, known to have patronized the arts and commissioned works such as the Palazzo Pazzi in Florence. His conspiracy launched with Francesco fails ultimately, after many other less violent attempts to topple the Medici. Jacopo is depicted as a cunning and scheming man, although in reality the problem with the Medici probably dealt with the fact that both families were power hungry.]]

The key plot of the series However, there is Lorenzo beginning a desire to try to unite some of the main city-states of Italy, in particular Milan smooth tensions and eventually Venice, together to form a stronger alliance for these cities and help their business. However, the Medici lost their papal account and their bank is threatened with insolvency as the Pazzi conspire with the Pope (Pope Paul II and later Pope Sixtus IV) to stop the Medici. The alliance with Milan is broken up with the murder of Duke Sforza of Milangets involved by expressing his wish for peace. Without seemingly knowing or at leat least not knowing in detail, Pope Sixtus has Cardinal Riario send a deligation delegation to Florence to try to sooth relations with the Medici and resolve the conflict with the Pazzi. Cardinal Riaro is a Pazzi alley and works with them to conspire against the Medici. This deligation delegation is sent , although Lorenzo's wife begins to suspect something when she visits Carlo, Cosimo's illegitimate son who eventually became a prelate in Rome, with armed guards who are actually sent to conspire against the Mediciand take over the Signoria. The Pazzi form alliances with some of the powerful families of Florence so they can also take power after killing the Medici while turning families against the Medici. The choice of Easter Sunday was chosen to launch the conspiracy because the Medici will would certainly be in the Duomo attending services. The Pazzi appear to show peace and reconcliation reconciliation with the Medici but in reality attack the Medici in the Duomo during EasterMass. Giuliano is killed from behind by Francesco and his collaborators. However, they fail to kill Lorenzo, who is holed up in a small room in the Duomo with his wife and mother. Eventually, the people of Florence rally around the Medici and the conspirators are rounded up in the Signoria, where they tried to complete their conspiracy by taking authority over the city. This fails and the conspirators are captured and hung from the Signoria. Leonardo da Vinci, who was young and in Florence at the time, drew the hanging of one of the conspirators, who was Baroncelli (Figure 2).

[[File:However, they fail to kill Lorenzo, who is wounded but holed up in a small room in the Duomo with his wife and mother. Eventually, the people of Florence rally around the Medicis and the conspirators are rounded up in the Signoria, where they tried to complete their conspiracy by taking authority over the city. Lorenzo also escapes the Duomo. The conspiracy now fails and the conspirators are captured and hung from the Signoria. Leonardo da Vinci - Hanging , who was young and in Florence at the time, drew the hanging of one of the conspirators, who was Bernardo Baroncelli 1479.jpg|thumb|from a prominent merchant family in Florence that conspired with the Pazzi (Figure 2). Leonardo's drawing showing one of <ref>For more on the key events leading up to the conspirators hungmain Easter conspiracy, see: (Martines, 2004).]]</ref>

The key events are accurate, in that the Pazzis did ultimately try to topple Lorenzo. The Medici's are shown as more benevolent, but that might be less accurate as most likely politics in 15th century Florence was likely ruthless with conspiracies launched by various sides. The events and people that influenced Botticelli, including two of his well-known paintings, may not have happened as shown, as the timelines do not match since his famous works were finished probably almost a decade later. Nevertheless, the importance of the Medicis in influencing the Renaissance, and the backstory of how they achieved their power over Florence as the Pazzi attempted to diminish their power, is true. The Medicis may not have been close to bankruptcy, but the killing of the Duke of Milan was also a key event during this time and, in fact, was related to the larger Pazzi conspiracy, as the Pazzi attempted to put another ruler on the throne of Milan. The Pazzi were banished or killed after their conspiracy against the conspiracy Medicis failed and ultimately the conspiracy they launched devasted the influence of the family, although the Pazzis did prove later return to be their downfallFlorence in the 16th century.