The Borgias

Inspired by the discovery of a caché of long-lost ancient Roman artifacts, Pope Alexander VI throws a grandiose pagan-themed feast for the people of Rome. Meanwhile, Lucrezia tends to her new baby while her brothers Cesare and Juan find their mutual animosity spilling over into outright conflict. Alexander's mistress learns that the Pope has taken a new lover and turns to Vanozza for advice.

Paolo, the young stable lad from Pesaro, has made his way to Rome, determined to rejoin his one-time lover Lucrezia and the child that she bore him but he has never seen.

When her father tells heart-broken Lucrezia that Paolo's suicide cannot be given a Christian funeral and will go to Hell, she refuses to feed either herself or her baby. Worried for his grandson, Alexander relents, but he also suspects what she has already realized: Juan murdered him. The French army is marching from Naples, King Charles is eager for vengeance for being tricked by Alexander.

Alexander's old enemy Ludovico of Milan and Mantuan Duke Gonzaga seek the Pope's blessing for an alliance with Venice to attack the French army, which is still laying waste to the Italian countryside. Cesare learns that the retreating French have burned the nunnery of St. Cecilia and his Ursula has been killed; he and Micheletto recruit a band of killers and mercenaries to seek revenge.

Alexander is determined to deal with the thorns in his side: the Sforza family and the Florentine friar Savonarola. He sends Cesare to Sforza's castle to demand she swear allegiance to Rome while he travels to Florence in disguise to hear the increasingly powerful Savonarola preach not knowing that Della Rovere is there too, getting Savonarola's blessing on his plot to assassinate the Pope.

Convinced that the lightning strike was a sign of God's disapproval, Alexander begins a fastidious regime of Lenten fasting. Alexander's political problems worsen: Cesare's intemperate killing of Giovanni has hardened the enmity of the powerful Sforzas, while Piero de Medici flees to Rome with news that Savonarola now rules Florence and that Papal deposits with the Bank may be lost.

Juan returns from Spain, flanked by a retinue of conquistador generals led by the proud Don Hernando. Alexander is impressed by his son's newfound confidence and orders him to lead the Papal armies to besiege Catherina Sforza's castle. Lucrezia meanwhile, stalls attempts to marry her off, but Lucrezia proceeds to flirt with his younger (and thus inappropriate) brother Raffaello.

Back in Rome, Juan spins a yarn about his valiant conduct at his army's defeat at Forli. But Hernando brings the boy Benito back to Rome and Cesare is determined to have his father hear the truth of Juan's cowardice. Lucrezia, Giulia and Vanozza discover that the improvements to an orphanage they demanded from the Cardinals have not been begun, so they turn to blackmail to finish the project.

Calvino tells the Pope he cannot marry Lucrezia because his brother Raffaello wishes to marry her instead. He is refused and the brothers leave Rome. With the assistance of Machiavelli, Cesare challenges Savonarola to a trial by fire. He fails the trial and loses favor in Florence. Cesare brings him to Rome for a confession under torture. Antonello is appointed as the Pope's taster.

While Alexander worries that Juan has not come home, Savonarola is tortured on the rack but will not confess. Cesare, determined to destroy his legacy as well as his body, fakes a confession and Savonarola is burned as a heretic. Meanwhile, a new suitor for Lucrezia's hand - Alfonso of Aragon - arrives in Rome.