I loved this book, it was like reading a gossip magazine at times. My first introduction to the Borgia family but I feel like it was also a really informative book on the Papal legacy. 

The Boriga family believed that they were a family that descended from Royalty, from King Ramiro I of Aragon. There is no evidence that supports this but it plays a big role in how they family viewed themselves.
   Alonso de Borja became Pope in his mid seventies and had a 4 year reign.  He had a gift of early learning. It was unusual that the first child would become lead a religious life. His sister, Isabella, married her cousin, Jofre de Borja thus enabling a male Borja to take over the family estate.  They would go on and have a son named Rodrigo. As the boy grew the uncle took him under his wing. When he became Pope, Rodrigo was elevated to that of a cardinal. Success for Rodrigo also meant success for Alonso. 
    At the age of 26 Rodrigo was promoted to that of vice chancellor, one of the most prestigious and powerful posts. After his uncle died Rodrigo was able to maintain that post. It was said that he never missed a single consistory unless prevented by illness which seldom happened.
    Cardinal Rodrigo was become quite wealthy in his posts, taking many favors for himself. He would even build himself a palace. Although he was ordered to live discreetly, he fathered a child by a mistress whose name is unknown. The child was born as early as 1462 and named Pedro Luis Borga, and soon sent off to Spain to be raised by Borgia relatives. In 1467 he would father a daughter who was named Isabella after her grandmother, followed by another daughter Girolama, a few years later. All three of these children possibly have the same mother.  All three children were brought up in Spain.
   Rodrigo did not stay faithful to one woman. He would eventually fall in love with a woman named Vanozza. She would give birth to a son named Ceaser. The Pope, Pope Sixtus IV, would legitimize Ceaser in an official document. Some years pervious he legitimized his son Pedro Luis. Three other children would come, Juan in 1476, Lucrezia in 1480 and Jofre in 1482. Her children would become Rodrigo's favorites.  Vanozza was set up in comfort and purchased a plot of land.
   Giovanni Borgia is one Borgia that was born under secrecy. He would later be claimed to be the Pope's son. The mother of the child is Lucrezia, she was sent away when she had to give birth, where it was said the baby was stillborn. The father was the Popes manservant Perotto. Perotto would be murdered by Ceaser along with Lucrezia's maid. When Alexander came out and said he was the father of Giovanni that furthered the rumor he and his daughter were something more than parent and child. 
    In the year of 1492 Rodrigo Borgia would become Pope Alexander VI, most Popes are modest when elected, he was elated and shouted, "I am Pope! I am Pope!" In-between Pope Innocent VIII;s final illness and  the coronation of Alexander VI no less than 220 murders were recorded in Rome.  During Alexander's years as pope the Borgia family reputation for depravity would begin to unfold, specifically surrounding his three favorite children, Juan, Ceaser, Lucrezia and Jofre. Alexander would reward his favorite son Juan by making him Duke of Benevento, Duke of Gandia, holding more titles and land than his younger brother Ceaser. Ceaser saw the advantages and was quite jealous. Juan's body was found stabbed repeatedly. The hot gossip of the day was that Ceaser was the murderer and that he was having an affair with youngest brother Jofre Borgia's wife, Sancia. 
   Alexander VI's papal would be unusually. He would soon move his family into the Vatican apartments. He was being open and honest, not hiding his women or children like most Popes did in the past. He also took on a new bride, 16 year old Giuia which caused a bit of a scandal because she was 18 to his 60. The two would have a son, become his eighth child. After the birth the two would have a falling out.
   The relationship between father and son was always a compliacated one. One between Alexander and Ceaser being much more so.  The Pope loved and feared his son. The aging father depended on Ceaser to fulfill his plans just as Ceaser needed the Popes backing. Alexander VI was the strategist while Ceaser was the agent who acted upon his instructions. As the years would go by Alexander would slowly lose control over his son.
   Ceaser, being the Pope's son, would obviously become a Cardinal. Ceaser could be described as "deceptive, daring, avoidance of humiliation and vicious revenge for any possible insult. Father and son had a close relationship. The Pope relied on his son. Ceaser was very much his fathers' son, dominating by a sheer force of personality, aided by overcoming his enemies in the most ruthless fashion. In time Alexander VI would deem that Ceaser can hang up his cardinal hat, make himself a solider and get himself a wife. He would also get the French title Duke Valentinois. Much would be made of Ceaser's appearance, people stating that he would cover his face to hide his syphilis blooms. He was also very active in the night, liking the dramatic lighting that candles gave off. 
   Ceaser had a lucky love match marrying Charlotte d'Albert, the young sister of King John III of Navare. Alexander was overjoyed over this match. Ceaser leaving his bride in France was away when he found she was pregnant.  King Louis XII had no intention of letting Charlotte leave France, instead inviting Ceaser to come back. Ceaser responded he "cares little for France." The couple would have a daughter named Louise in honor of King Louis. As one can imagine Ceaser did not stay faithful for long. 
    The Pope's most selfish move during his time was when he awared his son Ceaser the title Duke of Romagna. Declaring that Ceaser Borgia would be dukedom in his own name. Ceaser was openly establishing a Borgia dukedom all thanks to his father.
   Some suspected that Alexander IV had more than familiar love for his daughter Lucrezia. The two were quite close. They did share an unusual pastime of watching sex as a Spector sport.  She would go one and bereft of a husband with Pedro Calderon.  The pope was outraged at his daughter.  Six months later his body was found in a river stabbed repeatedly. Ceaser was also the hot gossip to be the murderer.  Alexander VI would use his daughter as a bribe to try and get successful marriage with families he deemed in power.  She would later become engaged and marry Alfonso Duke of Bisceglie. Alfonso would become involved in one of the darkest Borgia mysteries.  He would be gravely wounded by 4 men, he was able to fight off the men and make it back home where Lucrezia was so overcome she collapsed.  Ceaser Borgia seems to be behind the death of his sisters' husband. Although his dying played well with Pope Alexander IV's he was shocked by his son in law's death.
   The Pope loved but most importantly trusted his daughter. In 1498 the Pope appointed Lucrezia Governor of Spoleto and entrusted her with a letter calling the local authorities to obey her commands.  The Pope gave her authority to open all his letters and to seek out advice of cardinals if she  encounters any problems.
   Alexander VI was not pleased when his 17 year old son Jofre began to get into drunken bawls, and than his wife fled for home. He would eventually send him to Spoletto, some 80 miles away from Rome. 
   August 18th 1503 Pope Alexander IV would die ending a reign of 11 years. it would take the Pope 6 days to die, being in pain the whole time. Alexander would become a Pope that history would look at fondly. It was rumored that he was poison but he died of Malaria.
   Religion and the belief of God was a constant in the Borgia family. Alexander IV had been vice chancellor to 5 popes, which meant he was in regular attendance  at daily services and a host of other religious observances.  In fact once he became Pope  he was scrupulous in the outward observations of his religious duties. He also had a devotion to the cult of the Virgin Mary. Lucrezia  deeply held in the belief in God. It does not seem that Ceaser held the same beliefs.  His behavior  echoed his lack of Christian faith. The murders, outbursts and the unpredictable nature,  Ceaser seemed totally absent of spirituality. 

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Pope Paul II had a love of finery and expensive dressing and was evidently a homosexaul to those close to him. He arrived to the 1465 East Mas in a jeweled tiara that he designed himself.  He built himself a lavish palace in central Rome and abandoned the papal quarters in the Vatican. He was described as a monster of cruelty and sexual depravity. He had two weaknesses, good looking young men and melons. He would die at the age of 54 feasting on melons after he was sodomized by one if his favorite boys.

Leonardo De Vinci and Ceaser Borgia meet and Leonardo would eventually work for him when he was disillusioned with painting. He even sketched Borgia.