Picking up where we left off, Giovanni de’ Medici, son of Caterina Sforza and known to history as Giovanni of the Black Bands, continues his meteoric rise through the bloody and chaotic world of Renaissance warfare. Backed by a Medici pope and driven by his fierce loyalty to his men, Giovanni’s legend as a mercenary commander — and his troubles with the powerful Medici family — only grow.

Host Mike Corradi unpacks the dangerous charisma, discipline, and contradictions of this larger-than-life condottiero: a man both feared and admired, ruthless yet loyal, reckless yet revered. From duels and executions to daring river crossings and political intrigue, this episode captures Giovanni at the height of his brutal glory.

• From Soldier to Legend – How Giovanni built the feared and disciplined Black Bands, and the tough standards that made them famous.
• Mercenary Life in Renaissance Italy – The realities of the “condotta” contract system, pay, discipline, and the fine line between soldiers and extortionists.
• A Code of Blood and Brotherhood – Giovanni’s uncompromising justice, personal duels, and brutal loyalty to his men.
• Exile and Recklessness – The duel with Camillo d’Appiano, murders in Florence, and yet another banishment for the restless Medici captain.
• Back to War – Giovanni’s return to papal service, his victories in the Marche, and the death of Pope Leo X — when his men finally took the name The Black Bands.
• The Battle of Vaprio (1521) – A daring river crossing, a sleeping French commander, and a crucial victory that spared Milan from destruction.
• Family and Bloodlines Again – Giovanni’s rescue of his stepsister Bianca Riario, echoing his mother Caterina’s courage.
• A New Companion – The arrival of Pietro Aretino, the scandalous writer and provocateur, whose influence on Giovanni we’ll soon discover.

• Giovanni de’ Medici “of the Black Bands” – The fearless condottiero whose name became a legend.
• Pope Leo X (Giovanni de’ Medici) – The Medici pope whose death marked a turning point for Giovanni’s army.
• Maria Salviati – Giovanni’s long-suffering wife, holding the family together in his absence.
• Prospero Colonna – The respected general under whom Giovanni fought, and a link to the fall of Cesare Borgia.
• Bianca Riario – Giovanni’s stepsister and loyal supporter, mirroring their mother’s fierce independence.
• Pietro Aretino – The notorious writer and satirist soon to become Giovanni’s newest and most scandalous ally.

• The discipline and image of the Black Bands as a symbol of military professionalism.
• Giovanni’s ruthless moral code: loyalty rewarded, betrayal punished — often fatally.
• The economic and moral contradictions of the condottieri trade.
• How personal honour and vendetta shaped early 16th-century warfare.
• The seeds of change as firearms began to replace the medieval knight.

As Giovanni’s fame and ferocity spread across Italy, his world teeters between the medieval and the modern — where mercenary loyalty, family honour, and the politics of popes collide.

But with the arrival of a new friend — and bad influence — in Pietro Aretino, Giovanni’s story is about to take an even darker and more dangerous...

Hello You! for our 220th and 8th anniversary episode I thought I would invite contributions from the most VIP I could think of... YOU!

So please send in a sound file or, if you don't feel like it, written message with a contribution, consideration, question, something i didn't mention or talk about enough.

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In this episode, we reunite with an old friend of the show — Caterina Sforza, the indomitable “Tigress of Forlì.” From her, we follow the turbulent and violent early life of her son, Giovanni de’ Medici, known as Il Gran Diavolo — the Great Devil — a man whose passions, battles, and excesses would shape the future of both the Sforza and Medicidynasties.

We go through the tangled lineage and fiery temperament of one of Renaissance Italy’s most fascinating figures, tracing his path from rebellious youth to feared mercenary captain — and father to the first Grand Duke of Tuscany.

• The Birth of “Il Gran Diavolo” (1498) – Giovanni’s birth to Caterina Sforza and Giovanni “Il Popolano” de’ Medici, and the prophetic words that would define his life.
• A Child of Chaos – His mother’s imprisonment by Cesare Borgia, his custody battles, and his violent childhood in Florence.
• Love, Blood, and Family Ties – The marriage to Maria Salviati uniting two Medici branches, and the domestic discord that followed.
• A Life of War and Vice – Duels, brothel fights, noble feuds, and the infamous bridge incident with the Orsini family.
• From Rogue to Commander – His rise through the papal ranks, battlefield heroics, and growing legend as a fearless condottiero.
• The Birth of Cosimo de’ Medici (1519) – The long-awaited heir who would one day found the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, born amid firelight celebrations across Italy.

• Caterina Sforza – The formidable mother whose courage and intellect defined Giovanni’s heritage.
• Giovanni de’ Medici “Il Popolano” – His father, from a cadet branch of the Medici family.
• Maria Salviati – His loyal but neglected wife.
• Giovanni della Stufa – The inseparable and scandalous companion.
• Pope Leo X – Patron, relative, and pivotal figure in Giovanni’s military career.
• Cosimo de’ Medici – The son who would carry the Medici name to new heights.

From Caterina’s fierce independence to Giovanni’s reckless courage, this episode explores how blood, loyalty, and ambition intertwined in the crucible of Renaissance Italy — giving rise to a new generation destined to rule.