The Borgias — Season 3
The Pope’s grip on power tightens in a season marked by peril and ambition. A brazen attempt on Alexander VI’s life, orchestrated by Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, is narrowly averted thanks to Lucrezia's quick thinking – her knowledge of traditional remedies proving unexpectedly vital. With his survival secured, the conflict with the Sforza family intensifies, spiraling into a full-blown war that threatens to engulf Rome. But Alexander’s designs extend far beyond mere territorial disputes; he now harbors a bold and unsettling vision: transforming the papacy itself into a position passed down through bloodlines.
Pope Alexander struggled for survival as the cardinals vied for dominion over the papacy. Meanwhile, Cesare and Micheletto pursued the assassin's trail, while Della Rovere subtly plotted his ascent.
Alexander charged Cardinal Sforza with a ruthless cleansing of the College of Cardinals. Meanwhile, ancient Roman families plotted the Pope's downfall, while Lucrezia sought to ensnare Cesare in a web of seduction.
The King of Naples, however, would not concede Lucrzia’s child as stipulated in their marriage accord. Instead, he made a deliberate show of hospitality, extending an invitation to Caterina Sforza and other adversaries of the Borgia family.
Cardinal Farnese revealed Cardinal Versucci’s fraudulent dealings, just as the King of Naples insisted upon being present for the marriage of Lucrezia to his cousin.
Lucrezia and Micheletto conspired to eliminate King Ferdinand, fueled by his refusal to return her child. This denial thwarted Cesare’s promise of an annulment for Louis X, a promise intended to secure the king both a wife and a powerful ar…
Cesare rallied the sons of the five Romagna families to his banner, forming an army united against Forlì, while the Pope engaged in negotiations with the Jews of Constantinople for a sacred relic.
With Milan abandoned, the French king placed the responsibility of eliminating Ludovico upon Cesare's shoulders. Meanwhile, Lucretia found herself drawn into the intricate and dangerous currents of Neapolitan courtly life.
Micheleto discovers his beloved is a spy for the Sforza family. Meanwhile, Caterina Sforza stages the Shroud of Turin as a competing holy relic, and Alfonso places Lucrezia under house arrest.
Fleeing Naples, Lucrezia takes refuge with Alfonso, carrying her infant child. Their departure coincides with the Pope's consolidation of the sulfur trade, effectively monopolizing its production and thereby limiting the ability of others t…
Micheletto made a brief return to Cesare, lending his considerable skills in the destruction of Forli's fortifications. He played a key role in capturing Caterina Sforza, and subsequently, he was tasked with recruiting Rufio, a formidable a…
