02x05 - Ties That Bind

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May I see Piero properly? Of course.

It is an honor to be his Godfather.

He will have wealth and influence beyond any man's dreams.

And a family.

We will build a new family of our own, soon enough.

Things are no better witn your uncle? Every time I vote with the Medici in the Priori, I seem to twist a Kn*fe in Jacopo's wound.

We hardly talk at the bank.

Luca, we need to talk.

Mother.

Look, it's not yet common knowledge, but Galeazzo Sforza has acquired the city of Imola.

Now is our chance to secure it.

Deal with Sforza? He cannot be trusted.

Must you see a cloud stitched to every silver-lining, Luca? If he will sell it, Florence will be strong enough to become a true Republic.

Should this chimera you chase, dictate policy? Well, a city where every man stands equal before the law? Where every citizen has a real say in the decisions that affect them? Or is that impossible? It sounds pretty enough, but what it means in reality is rule by the mob.

Oh, so you doubt the ability of the people to run their own city? We were common merchants not long ago What right do we have to withhold that right from others? Luca, if we do not strengthen this Republic, we will wake to find ourselves ruled by a tyrant.

I know, I know that Galeazzo Sforza is unreliable.

But what choice do I have? I'm to attend the marriage of his daughter, in Milan.

I'll press him to sell Imola, before anyone else does.

What news couldn't be entrusted to a messenger? The news we've been waiting so long for.

A chance to weaken the Medici.

Must I wait all day to hear it? Rumor has it Galeazzo Sforza now owns Imola, and may sell it.

The Pope has long had an interest in gaining control of it.

Now is the journey worth your precious time? With it, the Papal States would surround Florence, have a choke hold on its trade with Venice.

Sit.

Lorenzo cannot afford to let Sixtus have Imola.

It Is the perfect opportunity to drive a wedge between the Medici and the Papacy.

You would lose from It, too.

Not if the Pazzi bank were to take the Papal account from the Medici.

Sixtus will never entrust his financial affairs to a man who has no heir.

A bank without a future.

You must win over Francesco.

Why don't you inform Sixtus about Imola, and see he appreciates the urgency of acquiring it? You can leave Francesco to me.

Is it custom for a girl in Milan to be married so young? She's twelve.

It's legal.

Caterina was illegitimate.

Marrying the Pope's nephew is more than she had any right to expect.

Messer Medici, you didn't travel here to question Caterina's marriage.

He is here to try and buy Imola.

Are you not? Yes, you're right, Madonna.

As a favor.

A favor? Well, the city is famously hard to govern.

If there is trouble, we will crush it.

Yes, that may be, but it won't be cheap to keep a city like Imola garrisoned indefinitely.

You'll have to sell it eventually.

Why not now? How much? What? I am not the answer to what is missing in your life.

And nor are late nights and wine.

And what is missing from my life? Purpose.

You must find your place in the world.

In your family.

And what place is that? Lorenzo is head of the bank, and the family.

Then you should be his right hand.

That place is taken by another.

Besides, I love wine, and late nights.

And you.

You know, by conducting yourselves like this, you put her at risk.

Would you have me stop? And lose that light in her eyes? I must be allowed to finish it.

To paint her again.

The Da Forli's wish to borrow more money.

I don't think I know them.

Thank you for coining.

I came only to tell you, there can be no communication between us that my husband is not aware of.

You didn't tell Francesco you were coming here today? Why? He will not talk with me about anything but the business of the bank.

My husband treats you as he does with good reason.

It was not him, but your hatred of the Medici that cost you your family.

It was God that took my family.

Three sons.

And a daughter.

My wife, Madeleine, she carried them, and each time, he chose to tear them from her I'm sorry.

She could bear it no more.

She now nurses her pain in a mountain convent.

Francesco is like a son to me.

Is there nothing can be done to heal this wound? Guglielmo will have a child soon.

A Medici.

Guglielmo is dead to me.

I must go.

Very well.

You weren't at the wedding of Da Forli's first son, Angelo, a few years ago, were you? No.

Why do you ask? No reason.

But you are quite sure? Quite.

On reflection, I'm sure I don't even know them.

Straight in.

Here you go.

In the corner.

Put it here.

A birthing chair? So soon? -It's a caution, Madonna.

We do not want to be ill-prepared.

Yes, don't be frightened.

I'm not.

Not for myself.

I so want to give Guglielmo a boy.

I was scared too, when I carried Lorenzo.

But I remember your grandmother, Contessina, telling me that husbands not only look to their wives for children.

But for a sharp mind and a loyal heart.

And you have both.

Sister.

How are you? In need of distraction.

How was the wedding? Unique.

And Imola? The city has always been prone to unrest.

And we'll place one of our own there.

Someone whose loyalty cannot be questioned.

I'll approach Francesco.

He understands that Imola is key to strengthening our ties with Venice, hopefully pulling her into an alliance with Milan and Florence.

I'm not questioning your visión for our city, but trust must be earned.

Well, what a better way to earn it? Have you considered your brother? No, and this isn't right for him.

It's not what he wants.

What Giuliano wants is to feel needed.

Now, you've made Francesco godfather to your son, at least offer Imola to your brother.

Signore Francesco, we need your signature on this page.

Thank you.

Francesco, I wish to apologize.

What for? For meeting your wife, without your consent.

I'm sorry, I assumed she had told you.

Well, of course she told me.

Yes, of course Please, don't be angry with her.

I had hoped she might help effect a reconciliation between us.

I assure you, she was very clear.

All fault for the current situation is mine.

I would ask you to not speak with my wife again, under any circumstances.

Brother? As you wish.

I was looking for you.

What brings you here? -I need your help.

Choose a name for the baby.

You're scared for Bianca.

You needn't be.

Come on, let's get you a drink.

Imola has long been a subject of unrest.

And the Duke is not doubt glad to be rid of it.

I believe Sforza has already accepted an offer from Lorenzo de' Medici on behalf of Florence.

What if he has? Florence's trade route to Venice will be protected by Imola.

The relationship between these two great cities will flourish, at some cost to the Papal States.

Also, Lorenzo has already strengthened Florence's treaty with Milan.

If he were to now draw Venice into that alliance, he could cut off your own trade with the north whenever he chose.

Has Florence paid for Imola yet? Not to my knowledge, Holiness.

So there may yet be time to convince Sforza to invest in your nephew Riario's future.

It would please his family.

And it will be to the benefit of Imola.

The Church's involvement could only help ensure peace in that troubled city.

You will make my case to the Duke.

I cannot see Sforza choosing the Medici over the good of the Church, Holiness.

As any good Christian, he fears excommunication.

He has no need to fear it.

Of course.

Thank you, Nori.

Make sure the messenger does not stop until he reaches Milan.

Giuliano! God It's been so long since I last saw you properly, I've forgotten what you look like.

- I've been sitting for Sandro.

We need to talk.

About what? You have a new family, a new life, a new brother even.

It was not my intention to exclude you.

I need you I need you to take charge of Imola for me.

Did mother tell you to offer me that? Well Look, you're my only brother.

And I trust you.

I cannot leave Florence.

Because I'm your brother, and you can trust me.

Others are bound to you by political expediency, or shared beliefs, but I'm your blood.

Still, right now, I must go.

Sandro waits.

Is Vespucci's wife sitting? Is she the real reason that you won't leave Florence? Offer Imola to your new brother.

He's who you want to give it to, anyway.

You spoke to my uncle.

Forgive me.

He requested the meeting.

I should have told you.

Why didn't you? You would have said no.

And yet, you are not happy like this.

I thought I might help.

Are you angry? With you? No.

What did he want? To reunite his family.

Isn't that what you want? -My uncle smells out people's weaknesses, desires.

Then uses them to divide, manipulate, destroy.

It was a mistake.

It won't happen again.

You have the experience to help govern Imola.

Along with your uncle you run the Pazzi bank, and have travelled widely on its business.

He still doesn't trust me fully, Luca.

I mean no offence, but I was raised to question every word that fell from a Medici mouth, and old habits die hard.

Maybe you're better off far away from Jacopo.

With Imola under our control, I believe I can persuade Venice of the benefits of a joint alliance with Milan and Florence, and then the real work can begin.

Building a better world, in this city.

Francesco, we need an answer.

One last question: Why not offer Imola to Giuliano? I did.

And he refused.

You wanted honesty, Francesco.

Let us do this then, together.

His Holiness had hoped that he would be the one to purchase Imola.

I gave Lorenzo my word it would be his.

That is great shame.

The Pope planned for it to be a wedding gift for your daughter and his nephew, Girolamo Riario.

Caterina would benefit greatly from her husband's promotion.

My daughter is provided for.

Please relay my apologies to the Pope.

But Florence is Milan's ally.

Tell them you've changed your mind.

I will not stand for any man, priest or otherwise, telling me what do to in my own house.

I spoke out of turn.

Forgive me.

I sought only to protect you and the citizens of Milan.

Protect from what? His Holiness is devoted to his nephew.

He would not excommunicate a city over this.

Trade with Milan would be forbidden.

The dead would lie unburied.

Your people would suffer.

But I believe you're looking at this the wrong way: rather than guessing what His Holiness may or may not do, perhaps you should ask yourself: What am I prepared to risk? Thank you.

I am to govern Imola on Florence's behalf.

I thought I should tell you in person.

Let me be the first to congratulate you.

I thought - What? I want you as my heir, but I will not beg you.

You must be your own man.

And the Priori will have to approve it, of course, but I will not stand in your way.

Thank you.

Novella never told you about our meeting, did she? So, if I hadn't, you'd have never known.

Do you ever wonder about her arrival here? It never struck you as strange that she arrived in Florence when she did, at Lorenzo's invitation? Novella came to attend the marriage of her friend, Bianca.

-Yes, if that is what she told you, then it must be the truth.

Or a lie Lorenzo told her to spin.

What do you mean by that? Open your eyes, Francesco.

Lorenzo has played you for a fool from the start.

Right now, he's at his dinner table, laughing at you with all fne other Medici.

Go to Imola, if you choose.

But don't delude yourself you aren't being manipulated.

Have you seen Francesco? Lost your guest of honor? Novella? I'm looking for your husband.

He should be here soon.

Sorry I'm late.

I was at the bank.

Problem? I was blessed that you came to Florence when you did.

So much of life is chance.

It was chance, wasn't it, that we met? Or fate Or fate Francesco, what is it? Nothing.

Maestro, it has been over a year since you started on this commission.

When will my wife be free of you? Isn't the price the same however long it takes you, Sandro? It Is.

Then the longer it takes, the more of a bargain it is.

After all, this man is a genius.

I'm not sure about that.

Excuse me.

I need some air.

To this day, I can barely believe she married me.

Neither can we.

This is reckless.

You were reckless.

And drunk.

You make me both.

That's why I could have never left for Imola.

Lorenzo asked you to go before Francesco? And you refused? Why? Because of us? A toast! To Florence's new representative in Imola, my dear, dear friend, Francesco Pazzi.

Francesco! Francesco! You're concerned about Francesco.

He was not himself.

He's so innocent.

This world is so dark.

His father is dedicated to bringing light to it.

He will guide him Just like your father did.

And our son has you.

Now he looks lonely.

Well, I think we should make him another brother or sister.

Come in.

What does it say? Sixtus is asking for a loan to buy Imola.

Well, there must be a mistake No, the letter bears the Pope's seal.

Salviati's already been dispatched to collect the money.

So Sforza's agreed? But he already gave his word Florence would have it Go to Milan.

Speak to him yourself.

No, it's too late.

The Pope is supposed to be our ally.

He cannot have Imola.

But how can we stop him? The Medici will refuse the loan.

Salviati will just approach the other banks here.

Well, they too must turn him down.

Turn down the Pope? Look, how else are we to prevent this? Francesco? I agree.

But I can't speak for my uncle.

No.

Jacopo will agree to the loan in order to win favor with Sixtus, and will use that influence to see the Papal accounts stripped from the Medici and given to the Pazzi.

-The revenues from our handling of the Papal alum alone bring more money into the bank's coffers than all of our other business combined.

Can we use the debt of the Pazzi bank to undermine its shares? It would put our bank at risk Undermine your main competitor.

-This is not about.

our bank or your bank.

This is about Florence So you say.

And I I have no power over you, Francesco, none.

The decision is yours.

Though all of us must live with the consequences.

It is different to your other work.

But it still glorifies God.

-It's magnificent.

In fact I drew some inspiration from one of your poems, Poliziano.

I have it here somewhere.

Sorry Sorry.

What is this? -An idea for another work.

Brilliant idea.

A work? Using my wife? To think, I allowed her to come and go from here freely You misunderstand.

I can explain.

-1 understand everything.

My wife will never set foot in your workshop again.

No, Messer Vespucci, no, stay! What did you mean before? When you talked of why my wife really came to Florence? It is not my place -Speak.

I did not want to.

When I asked to meet her, it was in desperation.

You would not speak to me and I wanted to heal the breach between us.

I did not expect her to come.

But she did.

Eagerly.

And with many questions.

About the bank.

About our relationship, about our family.

I confess, I wondered who would benefit from all this information.

Who but Lorenzo? You're lying.

I am lying? Lorenzo once told me your wife was invited to Bianca's wedding.

They had become good friends after they had met at me marriage of Angelo da Forli.

What of it? Your wife never attended Angelo's marriage.

She did not even know him.

She told me herself.

Novella came to Florence at Lorenzo's invitation, not Bianca's.

Do you think it was a coincidence that Clarice de' Medici was playing matchmaker so soon after her arrival? Ask your wife to deny it.

Maybe he had other reasons.

Maybe he didn't just bring her here to spy on you.

God knows these Medici men can't get enough of bedding other men's wives.

What were you talking to Lorenzo about at the dinner held in my honor? Nothing.

He asked where you were.

-And what else? Is that all? What's wrong? What's this about? Bianca de' Medici is your close friend? You know she is.

Since when? When did you first become friends? I can't recall.

Lorenzo said it was at the da Forli wedding.

Is that true? No.

Because you were not there.

That's right.

So If you were not invited to Florence by Bianca, who did invite you? Francesco, this is such a small thing.

I don't understand why you're so upset.

Who invited you? Lorenzo? Who? -Francesco! Who? The invitation was extended to my father and included me.

Why? Why did it include you? I don't know.

You'd have to ask Lorenzo.

Lorenzo? -Yes.

Francesco? Where're you going? His Holiness has given his word to his nepnew that he shall have Imola as a wedding gift.

You know I would never give him the money to purchaselmola.

As you know, you will lose the Papal account as a result.

So why are we here? I wanted to see your face as you heard that your bank was in ruins, as I saw my father's the day the Medici bank called in his loans.

-As was its right.

It was your father who ruined your family.

This is the beginning of the end for the Medici.

This bank will survive without the Papal account, Salviati.

Even if it does, how long before the city turns on you, once you've made an enemy of the Papacy? Go home, go home, get out.

There's no work for you this afternoon.

She's not coming.

Vespucci has forbidden it.

Why? He suspects her of having an affair.

Slow down, slow down! Or there will be both our heads for noose.

It's me he suspects, not you.

And as it's not true, and Vespucci's in love with his wife, I believe that Simonetta can convince him of it.

I could lose her -Yes, yes, and if you lose her, all the world will have lost is another two lovers.

If I lose her, I lose What, an unfinished painting? This is nothing.

See? Are you sure you're well enough? There'll be other meals.

While I can, I'd like to enjoy a simple meal with the people I love.

Well, to my sister! And the people that she loves.

Ah, Francesco, please, sit, join us! The papers you requested.

The debts of the Pazzi bank.

All you need to destroy it.

Let's discuss this another time, shall we? I don't want to mix family and business.

Why not? You had no problem doing so when you asked my wife to spy for you.

What are you talking about? This is Jacopo's doing.

All he has done is to open my eyes.

You would do well to open yours too, brother.

And see what, exactly? That you want me to play a part in the story that you wish to write for Florence.

Well, I've never hidden that from you.

And what story would Jacopo write in its place? You talk of a true Republic, of a government voted for in honest and free elections, accountable to the people.

Of throwing off the dead hand of the past and changing things, but that dead hand belongs to you! To your family! The Medici! Who have ruled Florence for four generations.

Jacopo's story is one in which the Pazzi liberate the city from them, rather than serve them.

That man twists the truth to serve his purpose.

Don't let him break us apart.

The child.

Breathe! Fetch the midwife! To her room.

Get the room ready! Breathe! Your nephew is about to be born.

Stay.

And let's talk.

So you can convince me I'm wrong? If you wish to speak to me, I'll be in the Pazzi bank with my uncle.

Overseeing the Papal account.

Good evening, Madonna Vespucci.

Giuliano.

What if I had been with my husband? -When can I see you again? You must leave.

-When? Just leave.

-When? Never.

Giuliano -Simonetta, do not do this.

Let go of me.

Why? Because Vespucci's suspicious of Sandro? No.

I will not be a part of you throwing your life away.

Nor will I throw mine away.

I have a husband.

And you do not love me? Deep breaths, come on.

Please, wait outside.

I will not leave the door, Bianca.

I'm with you.

Call for Salviati.

As you wish.

It's never been done.

That doesn't mean that it can't be.

Is there news? -No.

Come.

Tonight is for family.

-Well, then convince Nori to do as I say.

Messer Medici says that legally the alum trading rights are separate from the Papal accounts.

That we can split them.

Well, you're playing with fire.

You may not have evidence of its debts, but Jacopo must have over-extended the bank to provide the loan.

Yes, in the belief that he could secure the Papal account and the far more profitable alum trading rights.

If you do this, it's only a matter of time before there's open warfare between the Pazzi and the Medici.

Francesco You will return to your father's house in Venice.

Francesco! No! I won't go! Francesco! I won't go! You believe I should withdraw the account from the Medici bank? It is the only reasonable response, Holiness.

Lorenzo not only refused you the loan, he forbade every other bank in Florence from making it.

I thought that we could work together.

It is a sad day.

In agreeing to loan you the money, the Pazzi have defied Lorenzo's sanctions.

Because they wished to win the account from the Medici.

Still Breath.

Keep breathing! And again and again.

It cannot be.

It just cannot be.

He's kept the alum.

This is only the Papal account.

This is the Medici.

Where is your brother? This is what they do.