With Pope Alexander poisoned but still alive, Cesare takes charge of the situation. It takes him little time to learn that Della Rovere was behind the assassination attempt but his mother suggests he think of what they will do if Alexander die. He seeks Cardinal Sforza's assistance in learning who aspires to being Pope. Della Rovere is arrested but manages to escape. He also learns that there is a second plot, this one concocted by Caterina Sforza and her new henchman. She means to kill all of the Borgias. After Alexander recovers he doesn't understand why, on the verge of death, he did not see the face of God. Written by garykmcd

Having failed to eliminate the Borgias, Caterina Sforza moves on to a new plan - uniting several warring families into a confederacy of hatred directed to removing the Borgia Pope. Pope Alexander knows who his enemies are - Cardinals from the same families that Caterina Sforza is approaching - and he decides to purge the Vatican's nest of vipers - the College of Cardinals. Cardinal De Luca, fearing he will find himself on the torturer's rack, accuses the heads of those same great families of plotting against the Pope. One among them however has a plan to get rid of him. As Alexander recovers from the attempt on his life, he decides that his mistress should go away. Written by garykmcd

The purge of the College of Cardinals continues, it's latest victim being Cardinal Versucci. He accuses the Pope of lining his own pockets and proceeds to set the Vatican treasury on fire.Cesare travels to Naples to negotiate Lucrezia's marriage contract and also to see if they might be of help against Caterina Sforza. He finds people starving and is not impressed with his allies. The King of Naples claims to have an army of 10,000 but Cesare is not so easily duped. The contract is successfully negotiated but the King refuses to accept Lucrezia's child. The new French ambassador tells the Pope of the French King's unhappy marriage and Alexander sees the possibility of a new alliance. The King of Naples also sees the possibility of new allies and invites Caterina and the four major families to the wedding. Written by garykmcd

The Pope consecrates new Cardinals including Giulia Farnese's brother. He's put in charge of the Vatican's financial records and finds that the treasury has been emptied. The Pope orders that former Cardinal Versucci, who is traveling the countryside, be found and taught the error of his way. Giulia proposes a way to assure the future loyalty of the consistory. Alfonso admits to his cousin King Ferdinand that he and Lucrezia did not spend their wedding night together. When he does get into her bed, she proposes a different kind of relationship. Ferdinand raises the issue of the unconsummated marriage with the Pope and demands that proof be provided that the marriage contract is complete. The Pope hosts a dinner for bankers and merchants from Venice where he accedes to their request to do something about Turkish interference in their trade routes. He declares a crusade against the Turks....and then new taxes are announced. Caterina Sforza's new ally strikes. Written by garykmcd

Lucrezia will soon have to leave for Naples with her new husband, and is upset at having to leave her child behind. She soon develops a plan to rid herself of her principal opponent, but Micheletto proposes patience. He finds a solution to her dilemma. At Forli castle, Caterina Sforza formally proposes a union of the five powerful families against Pope Alexander. In Avignon, Cesare meets King Louis XII of France who wants his marriage to be annulled. Also in Avignon is Machiavelli, who advises Cesare that the King can be bought. Cesare wants an army most of all, but he is also looking for a bride, along with a French title and a dowry. The Pope tries to convince Bianca Gonzaga to return to her husband, but she has news for him. It is soon apparent that she is mad. Written by garykmcd

With the King of Naples dead, Lucrezia sends for her son. The year 1500 is approaching and Pope Alexander has declared it to be a year of jubilation. Expecting large numbers of pilgrims in Rome, he wants the Church to provide the spectacle they will expect. He wants the cardinals to come up with money-making ideas. He also puts pressure on the representatives of the Constantinople Jews who came to seek permission to live in Rome, to contribute to the holy crusade against the Turks. Yet they have a different contribution in mind. The plague has returned and Caterina Sforza looks to use it as a weapon against the Pope. Cesare returns with his own army countering the Sforzas influence and intent on taking Milan. He quickly gains several allies. He is outsmarted however. Written by garykmcd

Cesare and his French army have taken control of a defenseless Milan but he is upset that the Duke, Ludovico Sforza, is nowhere is nowhere to be found. The King of France arrives displeased that someone else still has a claim to the city. The Pope orders Cesare to bring the Duke of Milan to him in chains. Arrangements are soon made not only deal with Ludovico but with his charge, Caterina Sforza's son Venito. Micheletto visits the absent Leonardo da Vinci's studio and finds a new lover who is more than he appears. In Rome, the Pope learns that Giulia Farnese has a new suitor, Vincenzo Salvatore, who she wishes to present to him.In Naples, Lucrezia's husband is third in line for the throne after his cousins Frederico and Raphael. When Raphael tells that as king he will ban her son from his court, she begins to plot against him. Written by garykmcd

Micheletto discovers that his new lover is spying on him. Caterina Sforza grieves over the loss of her dead son and plots her revenge. She puts the Shroud of Constantinople on display and arranges for a fake miracle to draw the crowds. When she learns from her spy that Cesare will be checking into this new holy site, she plans to kill him. The Pope has decided to officiate at the investiture of King Alfonso of Naples. In return the King asks that he name an ambassador from the Vatican and specifically requests that he name Lucrezia. He agrees and she is quite pleased but they have been duped. Once back in Naples, Alfonso makes it quite clear that she is his prisoner. Meanwhile, the Pope has come to an agreement with the Jews of Rome. Written by garykmcd

Both Pope Alexander and Cesare realize that Lucrezia is now being held hostage in Naple and that King has allied himself with Caterina Sforza. As such, any attack on Caterina's Forli castle will result in Lucretia's death. Cesare leaves to rescue her. He does so without Micheletto who has eliminated his lover but has now disappeared. In Naples meanwhile, the court celebrates the festival of Bacchus and Lucrezia has made plans for her escape by spiking the wine with a sleeping potion. Once safely in Rome, Alfonso begins to suspect that Lucrezia and Cesare's feelings extend beyond simple sibling relations. The Pope conspires with Mattai the Hebrew to control the supply of sulfur, used to make gunpowder. Written by garykmcd

Cesare calls on Machiavelli to learn what Florence might do if he were to take Forli. He says Florence will do nothing. He teaches Cesare that the perfect crime is one in which there is no suspect - as in the case of Juan Borgia. Such a man, he says, would make a great prince. Pope Alexander muses about the possibility of making the papacy hereditary. He will need a kingdom however to make that happened. Cesare marches his army from Rome to Forli but Caterina Sforza is caught unprepared when Cesare's French army arrives from Milan. Cesare races to Forli and finds that Micheletto has returned with information on how to breech the castle's 12 feet thick walls. He soon turns his sights on Naples but must eliminate one obstacle that is in his way. Written by garykmcd