-
With the King of France in Naples and a peace of sorts arrived at, Rodrigo swears revenge against those who plotted against him. Cardinal Della Rovere is poisoned, though he survives the attempt on his life. Cesare and Juan continue to fight despite Rodrigo's pleas to unite with him against their enemies. Rodrigo also decides to hold a celebration for the people of Rome on a pagan feast day featuring a horse race and a large effigy of a bull. He also discovers a beautiful young woman, Vittoria, who is posing as a boy so that she can be an artists apprentice. The …
-
The Pope decides to go out on the streets of Rome to see what he can learn about the people. Dressed in simple clothes and accompanied by his mistress Giulia Farnese and artist Vittoria, they wander about the city. The Pope is appalled at the poverty he sees around him (and the disgusting number of pigeons) and takes Cardinal Versucci, responsible for distributing money to the poor, to task. The Pope notes the number of beautiful villas he's constructed for himself in recent years. He's ordered to do better by the poor. Paolo, the father of Lucrezia Borgia's child, …
-
Lucrezia is devastated when Paolo is found hanging and his death is ruled a suicide. It leads the Pope to refuse him a Christian burial and Lucrezia goes on a hunger strike to get him to change his mind. Her protest also means her baby is not being fed. Lucrezia accuses Juan of killing the boy and has proof that Paolo did not take his own life. The Pope decides to send Juan to Spain to find a bride but Lucrezia has her own plans for him. Caterina Sforza and her cousin Giovanni, Lucrezia's husband, offer their support to King Charles VIII of France should he decide to …
-
The Pope salutes Vittoria's clever deception of the French and Cesare urges him to build real cannons for the next time. Cesare races to the convent when he learns that Ursula Bonadeo has died after an attack by the French. Cardinal Sforza suggests that his cousin, Ludovico of Milan, may have a plan to defeat the French. Ludovico proposes that the combined armies of Rome, Venice and Milan meets the French in battle on the field of honor, led by the Duke of Mantua. The Pope agrees but Cesare believes he has a different way of fighting the French. He organizes a small …
-
With the French armies defeated and returning to France, the Pope sends Cesare to Forli Palace to deal with Catherina Sforza and Lucrezia's husband Giovanni Sforza, who sided with the French. On the way, they stop at Micheletto's home where Cesare meets his mother. Cesare invites Catherina to kneel before the Pope and kiss his ring but she delays her answer. She doesn't delay seducing him however. The Pope has another problem and travels to Florence where Friar Savarona is preaching to enthusiastic crowds about the decadence of the Church and the urgent need for …
-
The Pope has not yet come to terms with the lightning strike and his new-found piety is to some just an act. Prior Savonarola's excesses continue as do his rants against the De Medicis. The Pope has a plan to deal with him. Cardinal Della Rovere's plot to poison the Pope continues with a young monk preparing to be the assassin. Cesare returns from his visit to the Sforzas and confesses his sins to his father. Cesare wants to take an army north to finish what he started but the Pope admits they do not have the resources. Now that Lucrezia is again free to marry, a new …
-
Juan returns from Spain with gifts: a panther from the New World for Lucrezia, which promptly bites her and something new for his father, a box of cigars. Juan is married but his pregnant wife has stayed behind in Spain. The Pope is pleased with the way his son's life has taken shape. Juan is suffering from syphilis however and seeks treatment from a doctor. The Pope puts Juan in command of the Papal army and sends him to lay siege to Forli Castle with authority to eliminate Catherina Sforza if she refuse to come to Rome. At Forli, Juan makes it clear what lies in …
-
Juan Borgia returns from the siege the Catherina Sforza's Forli castle with a tale of his bravery and of standing by his men. Cesare learns the truth from Hernando de Caballos and also that Sforza's son is being kept in the dungeons. Rumors however begin to circulate about what really happened but Juan denies it all. The Pope's doubts are proven correct when Benito Sforza is released from his prison cell and tells the Pope what truly happened. The Pope orders Cesare to return the boy to his mother. Cardinal della Rovere's plan to poison the Pope is moving forward with…
-
The Pope has decided once and for all to rid himself of Brother Savonarola by excommunicating him. Cesare travels to Florence to give him one last chance to present himself to the Pope but to no avail. He challenges Savonarola to prove he is right, a challenge the Brother foolishly accepts. In Rome, the Duke of Genoa withdraws his marriage proposal in favor of his brother who is in love with Lucrezia. Juan Borgia's health continues to deteriorate. When he threatens Lucrezia's recently baptized son, she wishes him dead. It is Cesare however who takes action. Meanwhile,…
-
The Pope is increasingly worried about the welfare of his son Juan, who has vanished and orders Cesare to find him. Cardinal Sforza tells his men to start looking in the city's morgues. When his body is found, the Pope is grief-stricken and orders that his son will not be buried until his killer is found. Cesare is also tasked with getting a confession from Brother Savonarola but that is also proving to be a difficult task. In the end, Cesare follows Machiavelli's advice. Lucrezia has a new suitor but toys with him pretending to be one of Lucrezia's servants. When the…