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 Pope's mistress, Giulia Farnese, is not pleased. In Naples, plague has wiped out much of the population and Prince Alfonso, who introduced the plague, is tracked down and taken prisoner. Written by garykmcd

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, arrives in Rome looking for her. He's something of a laughing stock among the street women he meets when they learn who he's looking for. Paolo and Lucrezia meet and he sees his child. Juan however has his own plans for the peasant boy. Cardinal Della Rovere recovers sufficiently from the attempt to poison him him to leave the convent where he's been recovering. Written by garykmcd

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 ex-husband, offer their support to King Charles VIII of France should he decide to march against Rome. Micheletto arrives in Rome with news that the King will soon be on the move. The Pope has a plan to defend the city but Cesare is forced to improvise. Cardinal Della Rovere meanwhile returns to Rome and seeks to join the Dominican order and obtain their help in eliminating the Pope. Written by garykmcd

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 band of men who can attack in the dead of night and then disappear. The prisoners they capture tell him why they attacked the convent. On the night prior to the battle, Cesare and his small band manage to destroy the French supply of gunpowder thereby neutralizing their artillery. Back in Rome, Giulia Farnese advises the Pope of a great many discrepancies with the funds that were destined to the poor. At Giulia's ... Written by garykmcd

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 reform. In Rome, Lucrezia, her mother Vanozza and Giulia Farnese are having an impact. Their first priority is to ensure that the general populace has access to clean water and public baths. They then tour the brothels of Rome to gather information. Cardinal Della Rovere plans to poison the Pope. Written by garykmcd

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 political alliance may be in the offing. Lucrezia isn't keen on re-marrying whoever her father chooses. Machiavelli is in Rome to prepare Piero De Medici's house for his arrival. Giulia, Vanozza and Lucrezia apply pressure on the Curia in order to obtain funds to house the poor. Written by garykmcd

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 store for Catherina should she refuse the Papal edict. Under a white flag, Juan takes her 15 year-old son hostage and tortures the boy in front of her. Ludovico Sforza of Milan comes to her assistance and surprises Juan's troops on the battlefield. Cesare is in Florence where Brother Savonarola is preaching in defiance of the Papal order. His young acolytes are going house to house collecting anything of value that can be ... Written by garykmcd

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 his young assassin now ready to strike. They must eliminate the Pope food tester first. The Pope is growing ever more impatient with Lucrezia's delay in choosing her next husband. Her mother tells her that she doesn't have to chose between the Duke of Genoa and his brother: she should marry one and take the other as her lover. Written by garykmcd

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, Cardinal Della Rovere's plot to poison the Pope is moving forward. Having found his food tester's body in the river, the Pope selects a new tester, Della Rovere's young assassin. Written by garykmcd

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 young man falls in love with her she decides to reveal her true identity and agrees to marry him. Meanwhile, Cardinal Della Rovere's assassin strikes. Written by garykmcd