Marco meets Alessandro, a new young artist that have great ambitions. Marco, who is currently short in cash, and plans on getting some money in the upcoming exhibition, wants to help the kid and himself. However, Mario, the kid's uncle, thinks otherwise.
Tonio, de Medici's nephew, studies art at Marco's, and is a promising young artist. He wants to marry Laura, daughter to a leading Republican. Both de Medici and the father are against this marriage, and Marco is to try and make peace.
Marco is and always was against slavery. Sandro tells him of another transport of slaves from the east, and Marco goes to talk with the slave master, just when he prepares to sell Natalia, a Turkish princess. Marco, opposite to Sandro and Angelica, decides to help her escape at any cost.moreless
de Medici asks Machiavelli to negotiate with the Duchess Di Crespi, for converting her broken casle to a defense fortress for Florence. That's when the troubles begin.
Stephano returns from the east with plans to build another ship. He asks the Duke of Urbino for help, but de Medici wants to borrow money from him as well.''Meanwhile, both dukes plan to punish Florence for not paying taxes. Marco has to deal with helping Stephano while preventing the taxes.moreless
de Medici wants to impress the Duke of Valencia with a new set of decorations that he ordered from the artists, with no intention to pay for them. The artists prepare a demonstration in order to fight back for the payment.
Beppo, the bellringer, is not allowed to ring the liberty bell anymore. de Medici's guards have forbidden it. Marco and Sandro are currently afraid, that since the bell won't ring once a year anymore, it will be a victory of de Medici!
Girolamo and Zanobi's families are to be united by the marriage of Ipolita, Girolamo's daughter, and Sigismondo Zanobi. The two are from the most powerful families of Italy. However, they have never met. So Marco is hired to paint beautiful Ipolita to send to her future husband, but should he unpaint her scar?moreless
Marco manages to prevent from The Duke de Medici to lay a tax. de Medici, in revenge, calls Marco for a duel, but his cowardice leads him to placing De Foix, Europe's greatest swordsman, instead of him in the battle. Marco is advised to escape, but he has a plan.
Umberto gets himself into troubles: On one hand, he writes a critique about republicanism, what can endanger him if de Medici finds about. On the other hand, as a parchment maker, he doesn't want his daughter to marry Luigi, a paper maker. Will Marco be able to solve this situation?
General Ferruci, the enemy of de Medici, who is regarded to as the hero of Florence, is to come back from his exile after accepting an amnesty. Is the big hero, a traitor?
Francesca gets thrown from her horse while riding outside. Marco wants to help, but Paolo, her jealous future husband, sends Marco away. Later, when Marco finds out that Francesca's bracelet got sticked to his cloth, he goes to return it, but gets attacked, and the bracelet is now stolen.
de Medici's agents manage to kill an emissary. The message was to be delivered by Orsini, but the agents don't know who he is. de Medici hires a spy, Filippo, that will identify Orsini by the fact that Orsini's daughter is currently being portrayed by Marco.
de Medici is aware that his taxes may even cause a rebellion in Florence. He plans to use police hired from the Duke of Ferrara, that are not afraid to use force and even to kill. Even Marco is now at stake.
Marco has heard that Baglione, de Medici's General, is looking for an artist to make a portrait of his daughter, Caterina. However, when Baglione tries to acquire an artist from Venice, Marco is determined to avenge the insult made to the local artists.
The great artist Leonardo De Vinci joins forces with Marco, to prevent his painting of the Mona Lisa, being sold to Count Ugo, a famous nobleman, but also a friend of the hated de Medici.
Vespucci, the great explorer, wants nothing more than a budget for his next journey. However, to prove his wonderful "revelations", he creates a native from the new found land, Little Fawn.
de Medici orders to kill Guilo Basti for opposing a tax. Captain Rodrigo, who gets the order, knows that Marco is currently painting Basti's beautiful wife Lucrezia. He plans on making believe that Marco and Lucrezia are lovers, what will hopefully lead to a duel between Marco and Basti.
Sandro gets himself into trouble, when he gambles not only on his own money, but also on a money he is entrusted for. When he loses it all, he tries to suicide, but then, Marco comes to his help.
Marco meets with six men in his studio, in order to decide what gesture they would give the Duke. After deciding to collect the pamphlets from their hidings, Marco goes there, but then meets the Duke himself. Meanwhile, Sandro hides, and hears the Duke talks about a spy in Marco's studio.moreless
Francesca, the young sister of The Duke de Medici, are forced by her brother to marry The Duke of Granada, in order to create an alliance against the Repulicans. However, she prefers otherwise.