Da Vinci's Demons

A delicate truce between Milan and Florence is disrupted. Lorenzo de Medici’s dilettante brother Giuliano suggests an Easter celebration as a show of power and commissions the rising artisan Leonardo da Vinci to create a spectacle at the event. After some maneuvering, da Vinci is commissioned to sketch Lorenzo’s mistress Lucrezia Donati. Meanwhile, Pope Sixtus IV hears of the successful assassination of the Duke of Milan and the brilliant war engineer hired by Lorenzo. Leonardo is intrigued by a mysterious Turk that appears in Florence.

Leonardo continues his quest for the Book of Leaves while the Pope’s nephew, Girolamo Riario, arrives in Florence with designs to uncover what Leonardo knows about the book. Leonardo’s war designs for the Medicis are failing, infuriating them as Rome’s influence increases daily. Riario secretly meets his spy in the Medici court. Defeated by Leonardo, Riario returns to Rome with news of da Vinci’s prowess and Florence’s might.

Riario discusses his defeat with Pope Sixtus, as well as a mysterious prisoner in the Vatican dungeon, whom Riario seems to trust more than anyone. Lorenzo hears news of an outbreak of demonic possessions in a nearby convent. Rome blames it on the Medici’s lack of piety and so Giuliano is sent to solve the problem. He arrives to find Leonardo already using his scientific knowledge to explore rational explanations for the outbreak. Meanwhile the search for the Medici spy intensifies.

Giuliano confronts Lorenzo about the arrest of Becchi, who is accused of being a spy for Rome. The conflict between Rome and Florence intensifies as both armies face off. Riario, at the helm of the Roman army, orders Lorenzo to surrender, but Leonardo reveals his latest weapon to deter them. Back in Florence, Becchi receives a visitor in prison and is given a gift. Lorenzo throws a fete in da Vinci’s honor to celebrate their victory over Rome but the celebration is interrupted by Officers of the Night (at the behest of the Pazzis) who arrest da Vinci on charges of sodomy.

Knowing that the accusations against da Vinci are an attack by Rome, Lorenzo orders Piero da Vinci to defend his estranged son in court. King Ferdinand and the notably pious Queen Isabella of Spain meet Lorenzo to discuss business and while in Florence they are entertained by Giuliano’s staging of a play. During the distraction of the performance, Leonardo manages to turn the tables on the corrupt judge, forcing him to drop the charges. Da Vinci returns to his workshop where he is surprised by the Turk.

The Turk sends Leonardo in search of the Abyssinian who has clues to the Book of Leaves. Together with Zoroaster and Nico, Leonardo heads to Wallachia to see Vlad Dracula, otherwise known as Vlad the Impaler, where the Abyssinian is imprisoned. Back in Florence, Lorenzo and Piero meet the Duke of Urbino to build a strategic alliance, while Giuliano is intent on finding the true spy and works diligently to clear Becchi’s name. Leonardo faces off with Vlad Dracula and, ultimately, uncovers another clue surrounding the Book of Leaves.