Envy towards a man who appeared constantly blessed by fortune, a ruthless conspiracy, a tragic epilogue.

Two leading historians tell the story of a bloody conspiracy targeting the Medici family. Giuliano fell victim to it. His brother Lorenzo, at the height of his power, escaped with his life but embarked on a war that would ultimately destroy him.

1459. Lorenzo de’ Medici, barely ten years old, is sent by his family to Ferrara as Florence’s ambassador to duke Borso D’Este; he, like emperor Frederick III, who travelled through the city, is struck by the young boy’s uncommon intellectual maturity.

1469. Lorenzo, now 20, marries Clarice Orsini, descended from an ancient, powerful line of Roman barons. The marriage seals Lorenzo’s place in society: he now has the warewithal to rule Florance. As a young man of great genius and many talents – he is an artist, a musician and an expert on ancient art, not to mention an excellent diplomat – Lorenzo rids himself of the low profile his grandfather and father Piero had scrupulously maintained.

1478. Lorenzo is at the peak of his fortune. Undisputed ‘signore’ of Florence, although the city prides itself on being a Republic, he is a welcome guest in every Italian court and has made an excellent match that ensures his succession. Yet a series of mistakes committed in the recent past threaten to unseat him. He faces hostility from the new Pope, Sixtus IV, who released the Medici from their lucrative position as papal bankers; hatred from Volterra, exploited for its natural resources; vengeance from the Pazzi family, who have grown in power and now represent a formidable rival.