The first series of Medici Masters of Florence thrilled audiences with the dark secrets of the Medici dynasty. It mixed history with pure fantasy and threw in some famous actors for good measure.
The second series, entitled “Medici: The Magnificent” was released on Netflix in early 2019.
Season 2 of Medici Masters of Florence was shot in Florence and Volterra, the Tuscan hilltop town that will be the setting of the new Medici adventures. The protagonist? Lorenzo il Magnifico (or Magnificent) who was the grandson of Cosimo de’ Medici, and by far the most fascinating character of the Medici dynasty.
Medici Masters of Florence Season 2 – What’s it all about?
In the first series “Medici Masters of Florence” we witnessed the rise of Giovanni and Cosimo de’ Medici, as they struggle to gain wealth and power against rival families like the Albizzi. It was a whodunnit story for a murder that never actually happened. This time we hope the scriptwriters won’t need to stray that far from history.
The next season tells the story of a fascinating member of the Medici family, known as Lorenzo Il Magnifico (1449-1492). An extremely charismatic man, a statesman and a poet, whose brother was murdered by ruthless political rivals, he was a victim of attempted murder himself. There are love interests in his story too, so it’ll definitely make a good viewing.
⇒ 10 Fascinating facts about Lorenzo the Magnificent.
Meet the Protagonists – Lorenzo the Magnificent and Giuliano
Lorenzo (1449-1492) was the son of Pietro, whom we saw in the first season of “Medici Masters of Florence”. Piero was married to the beautiful Lucrezia. The couple had five children, but Lorenzo was Cosimo’s favourite grandson, clever and charming and destined to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps. He was 15 when Cosimo died and the wise grandfather thought that he’d be perfect to take on the family responsibilities. For that reason he was schooled from a very early age in politics and humanism.
As a teenager Lorenzo loved jousting and discussing philosophy with humanists. He travelled around Italy on diplomatic missions, and made his first forays into the Florentine government. Later he famously discovered the young prodigy Michelangelo. He went on to marry a noble woman from Rome, Clarice Orsini. Though she was legendary for her beauty and gave him 10 children it was said he never loved her. Instead he wrote poems for his ‘platonic lover’ Lucrezia Donati.
How historically accurate is the Medici the Magnificent series?
=> Find out about the filming locations of the series!
⇒ Get to know Lorenzo the Magnificent better in this great book by Miles J. Unger. It’s easy to read and filled with fascinating details about his life and the troubled time in which he lived.
The other protagonist of Medici Masters of Florence season 2 will be his younger brother Giuliano (1453-1478) who is described in history books as handsome and athletic. The two young Medici were very close, and Lorenzo was heartbroken when Giuliano was brutally murdered during the so-called Pazzi Conspiracy.
Who to look out for – The cast of Medici Masters of Florence second season
Daniel Sharman is the good looking actor who will play the not very good looking Lorenzo.
Bradley James, once a king in the series Merlin, takes the role of the younger brother Giuliano. Their father Piero in this series is played by Julian Sands.
Sean Bean, actor of Game of Thrones, plays Jacopo Pazzi, one of the Medici detractors who plot to have Lorenzo and his brother killed.
A famous Italian actor, Raoul Bova, will be seen in the role of the controversial Pope Sisto IV.
The series skips ahead to a time where both Cosimo and Giovanni are dead. And for all the fans that hope to see Richard Madden again, there’s talk about him appearing in some flashbacks, but we can’t promise anything.
⇒ 3 Books about the Medici family every fan should read.
=> What was Giuliano de’ Medici like in real life?
=> 10 Curious facts you should know about Sandro Botticelli
The series is now (January 2019) available on Netflix. According to Variety, “the budget is 24 million Euros, putting this production in the league of high-end TV”.
Blood and Rivalry – The Pazzi Conspiracy
The Pazzi Conspiracy is a bloody and dramatic episode in Florentine history, that features in the series.
But this time the murder was very real. It happened inside Florence’s Cathedral (which incidentally wouldn’t at that time have had the ornate facade it does now), and brother Giuliano really did die after being stabbed. Lorenzo on the other hand managed to escape and flee.
SPOILER ALERT: Jacopo Pazzi will be captured and hanged from one of windows in Palazzo Vecchio in Piazza della Signoria.
If you loved watching the Medici, you might like to explore the world of the Borgia family. Filled with sex, power and murder, this series takes a look at one of history’s most notorious crime families.
