The series begins with the poisoning of Giovanni di Bicci de' Medici and Cosimo de' Medici taking over the by then well known and established Medici bank. By this time, the business was flourishing and among the largest in Europe with branches in many cities. The family also had close connections with the papacy, as they were responsible for the finances of the Pope. Throughout the series, flashbacks show Giovanni training his children, Cosimo and Lorenzo, in the family banking business. Giovanni was also obsessed with controlling his childrens' lives, including who they could marry. Cosimo was influenced to marry Contessina de' Bardi, which ended up being a sometimes strained marriage, although Contessina was loyal to Cosimo. Lorenzo also had great tension with his father, also involving his love life.
Two key plots play throughout the first season. First, Cosimo was elected to an important seat in the Signoria of Florence, which was effectively its government. His election to the Signoria caused great jealousy among his rivals, namely Rinaldo degli Albizzi, who headed the Albizzi family. Second, Cosimo's father was murdered and it was investigated by Marco Bella, a close family associate. The rising power of Cosimo creates a power struggle among Signoria, with Rinaldo eventually successfully accusing Cosimo of usury. While Cosimo avoids being sentenced to death -he was exiled to Venice, but his exile was temporary.
After some time, Cosimo returns to later returned after Florence's fortunes declined. Florence as things turned poorly for was in financial trouble because the city, where 's mercenaries had become a burden. Signoria decided it was in financial difficulty and mercenaries were causing trouble, leading them time to invite Cosimo back Cosimo to the SignoriaFlorence. In his return, Cosimo eventually is successful successfully in exiling exiled his Albizzi rival, who had taken control of the government in Florence. Tensions in the investigation of Cosimo's father murder boil boiled over as at first Lorenzo and then Marco are was accusedof murdering Giovanni. Meanwhile, Albizzi himself is murdered just as he tries to begin began his exile, which implicates . People immediately assumed that Cosimo since he was responsible for his death because Albizzi was seen as his main rival. However, that Cosimo was a plot by Jacopo de' Pazzi, not involved but another member of the Signoria and the head of a Florentine prominent family head in Florence, Jacopo de' Pazzi, rubbed out Albizzi. He had Albizzi killed and sought to try to frame Cosimo so he could take the banking account of the Papacy. This Essentially, he wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Unfortunately for Pazzi, this plot failed when a letter is was uncovered that implicated Pazzihim in Albizzi's death. Lorenzo, Cosimo's brother, however, was killed after he and Marco captured a Pazzi assassin. Nevertheless, the Medici family gains prominence again as they regain the Pope's favor and ultimately Florence's. The murder of Giovanni is finally uncovered when the Medici's a close banking associate who kept records, Ugo, confessed to murdering Giovanni because he . Ugo was ordered to kill a lover of Lorenzo's that was pregnant with Lorenzo's child. His regret in this led him Unfortunately, he had to kill Giovannias part of the plot and regretted the murder.
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