Medici: The Magnificent Season 3, Episode 3 recap: Trust

Netflix series Medici: The Magnificent episode 303 is about oneupmanship.

“Trust” begins with Lorenzo (Daniel Sharman) still in a bind with Pope Sixtus IV (Raoul Bova). Lorenzo actually leaves the city of Florence for an important political meeting with King Ferrante (Ray Stevenson) over in Naples. Given the diplomatic elements involved, even Riario (Jack Roth) delays his attack. However, Lorenzo’s mission is compared to entering a lion’s den.

When he arrives in Naples, he is greeted by King Ferrante’s favorite son, Enrico (Daniele La Leggia), and Ippolita Sforza (Gaia Weiss), considered an old flame of Lorenzo’s. Backed into a corner, Lorenzo actually offers King Ferrante much control over Florence itself, by “marrying” Lorenzo’s financial power with his trade routes. Lorenzo adds that the people of Florence won’t be easily subjugated. As he mulls it over, Ferrante tells him, “Please, enjoy the liberty of our city while I consider what you have said.”

Medici: The Magnificent gets strategic

Riario also meets King Ferrante, but things don’t go as planned for Riario. Ferrante demands a larger share of power from Riario. Meanwhile, Lorenzo meets with Ippolita, who hints that they’re being spied on. Later, Riario threatens Lorenzo as Enrico is elected knight to Naples. However, circumstances prevent them from being entirely at each other’s throats.

Lorenzo says he offers Ferrante an alliance and the chance to be an enlightened visionary. In contrast, Riario sows seeds of doubt by providing paper evidence that the Medici family is no longer wealthy. This prompts Ferrante to demand 50,000 florins (Florence’s currency) from Lorenzo. Basically, Lorenzo is being held hostage by Ferrante at this point, and he must discredit Riario to demonstrate that the Medici’s have money.

It’s also suggested they may take Lorenzo’s life for his prior dalliances with Ippolita as a young man. When Lorenzo’s mother, Lucrezia (Sarah Parish), learns of this problem, she decides to combine all their borrowings to muster 50,000 florins. Interestingly, Lorenzo also gets word of an Ottoman raid imminent against Naples, which is an additional bargaining chip.

Lorenzo laid before the Ottoman raid?

Medici: The Magnificent offers another soap opera moment when Ippolito and Lorenzo are alone. It’s obvious that they have feelings for each other, yet she is cynically being used by Ferrante to extract information from him. They decide to use this to their advantage, plotting to expose Riario as withholding information from Ferrante about the Ottoman attack, with additional help from Bernardi (Johnny Harris).

Ippolita has a lip reader to translate Riario’s discussions with a trader (Michele Morrone). Though they speak in code, Lorenzo and the others privately break it, then reveal the information to Ferrante. King Ferrante then warns Riario: “If you were not the Pope’s Ambassador, I would have you cast in irons.”

Renewed hope?

Feeling confident, Lorenzo actually burns deposit note of 50,000 florins that Lucrezia managed to write up — assuring they won’t end up broke. Another thing happens that works oddly in Lorenzo’s favor: Enrico died in battle to repel the Ottomans, which has Ferrante less ready, willing, or able to negotiate. Winning his trust, Ferrante says his alliance with Pope is at an end, adding that Riario should be grateful his life is spared.

Upon returning to Florence, Lorenzo is greeted by a cheering crowd. However, he assures Clarice (Synnove Karlsen) that he didn’t have an affair with Ippolita on this diplomatic mission. He adds that Ippolita saved his life. Still, when he and Clarice wave at the crowd, she is noticeably not holding his hand. This suggests renewed tensions for Medici: The Magnificent.

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