If you’ve spent any time binge-watching Starz's historical fantasy, you know Girolamo Riario as the guy you love to hate. Blake Ritson plays him with this chilling, whispered intensity that makes your skin crawl. He’s the Pope's nephew. He’s the "Count of Forlì." He’s basically the dark shadow trailing Leonardo through Florence and Rome. But honestly, how much of Girolamo Riario in Da Vinci’s Demons is actually real?
History is usually messier than TV. In the show, he’s this almost supernatural zealot, a member of the Labyrinth, and a man obsessed with the Book of Leaves. In reality? He was a greedy, ambitious nepotist who managed to piss off almost everyone in Italy. He wasn't some shadowy cult leader. He was a power-hungry relative of Pope Sixtus IV who used his family connections to grab land, titles, and influence.
Let's break down where the show gets it right and where it goes totally off the rails.
Who Was the Real Girolamo Riario?
The real Girolamo Riario was born in 1443. Unlike the lean, brooding figure on screen, contemporary accounts and portraits—like the one by Melozzo da Forlì—suggest a more standard Renaissance nobleman. He didn't spend his time hunting down ancient mystical texts. He spent it trying to carve out a principality for himself in the Romagna region of Italy.
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You’ve gotta remember that back then, the Papacy was basically a family business. When Francesco della Rovere became Pope Sixtus IV, he didn't just pray. He promoted his family. Girolamo was his "nephew" (though many whispered he was actually the Pope's son). This gave him an incredible amount of leverage. He wasn't a warrior-monk. He was a politician. A brutal one.
His biggest claim to fame—or infamy—was his role in the Pazzi Conspiracy. This wasn't some mystical quest for the "Spear of Destiny." It was a cold, calculated attempt to murder Lorenzo and Giuliano de' Medici and take over Florence.
The Pazzi Conspiracy: TV vs. Reality
In Da Vinci's Demons, the Pazzi Conspiracy is framed as this epic clash of ideologies. Riario is the mastermind, pulling the strings of the Pazzi family to crush the enlightenment the Medici represent.
The history is just as wild. April 26, 1478. The Duomo of Florence. During High Mass. The conspirators attacked. Giuliano died—stabbed 19 times. Lorenzo escaped. The city didn't rise up against the Medici like Riario hoped. Instead, the Florentines went into a frenzy of revenge. They hung the conspirators from the windows of the Palazzo Vecchio. Riario wasn't there in the thick of it; he was waiting outside the city with an army, ready to swoop in once the deed was done. When he realized it failed, he had to retreat.
The Count of Forlì and Imola
The show makes Riario’s lordship over Forlì feel like a sinister base of operations. In reality, it was his pride and joy. He bought Imola from the Duke of Milan and was granted Forlì by the Pope. He actually did some good things there—modernized the city, built palaces, and lowered taxes to win over the locals.
But he was always broke.
Building palaces and funding wars costs money. When his patron, Pope Sixtus IV, died in 1484, Riario’s world collapsed. Without the Pope’s protection and the flow of Vatican gold, he was just another petty tyrant with a lot of enemies. He became paranoid. He started seeing assassins everywhere. Turns out, he was right to be scared.
Caterina Sforza: The Wife Who Outshined Him
We can't talk about Girolamo Riario in Da Vinci’s Demons without talking about Caterina Sforza. In the show, their relationship is... complicated. It's full of tension and power plays.
The real Caterina was a total badass.
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When Sixtus IV died and Rome descended into chaos, it was Caterina—pregnant at the time—who rode a horse to the Castel Sant'Angelo, took command of the fortress, and refused to budge until the Cardinals agreed to terms. Girolamo was often seen as the weaker link compared to her. While he was indecisive and unpopular, she was "The Tiger of Forlì."
Their marriage wasn't a romance novel. It was a strategic alliance. And honestly? She probably fared better once he was out of the picture.
The End of the Road (No Spoilers for the Show, Just History)
The way Riario dies in history is way less cinematic than a fantasy show but much more brutal. By 1488, he had survived multiple assassination attempts. He was living in the Palazzo Orsi in Forlì, basically a prisoner of his own fear.
On April 14, 1488, three members of the Orsi family—who were his own guards—entered the palace. They claimed they had a message. Instead, they stabbed him to death. His body was stripped and thrown from a window into the public square below. The mob then dragged his corpse through the streets.
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That’s the Renaissance for you. One day you’re the Pope’s favorite, the next you’re being dragged through the mud by the people you used to rule.
Why Does the Show Change So Much?
David S. Goyer, the creator of the show, wasn't trying to write a textbook. He wanted a "historical fantasy." By making Riario a member of a secret society, he creates a foil for Leonardo. Leonardo represents progress, science, and curiosity. Riario represents the stifling, dogmatic power of the old world—the "demons" that hold humanity back.
Basically, the show uses the vibe of the real Riario to build a legendary villain.
Myths vs. Facts Table
| Feature | Da Vinci's Demons Version | Historical Reality |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation | Finding the Book of Leaves and the Labyrinth | Wealth, land, and Papal influence |
| Skillset | Master strategist, fighter, occult knowledge | Politician, administrator, nepotist |
| Relationship with Leo | Intensely personal, recursive enemies | Likely never met Leonardo da Vinci personally |
| Personality | Ascetic, religious zealot, brooding | Lavish, greedy, prone to paranoia |
What Can We Learn From the Real Riario?
History shows us that Girolamo Riario was a man of his time. He lived in an era where power was fragile. He wasn't inherently "evil" in a cartoonish way; he was a product of a system where you either grabbed power or you were crushed by those who had it.
If you're a fan of the show, don't let the historical inaccuracies ruin the fun. Instead, use them as a jumping-off point. The real 15th-century Italy was actually more insane than the show portrays. There were poisoned daggers, secret letters, and betrayal at every corner.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs
- Visit the Source: If you ever find yourself in Italy, go to Forlì. You can still see the Rocca di Ravaldino, the fortress that Caterina Sforza defended.
- Read the Contemporaries: Check out the writings of Niccolò Machiavelli. He actually mentions Girolamo Riario in The Prince as an example of how not to rule (specifically regarding his reliance on fortresses rather than the love of the people).
- Look at the Art: Search for portraits of the Riario and della Rovere families. Seeing the real faces—often painted by masters like Botticelli or Raphael—humanizes these "villains" in a way TV never can.
The legacy of Girolamo Riario in Da Vinci’s Demons is one of a dark, magnetic antagonist. But the legacy of the real Girolamo is a cautionary tale about the dangers of relying on nepotism and the fleeting nature of power. Both are worth exploring if you want to understand the world that produced a genius like Leonardo.