1x01/1x02 - The Poisoned Chalice/The Assassin » Zakończone Seriale » The Borgias • seriale forumtv.pl

After the death of pope Innocent VIII, Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, with the help of his sons, bribes and cajoles other cardinals to vote for him in the conclave to elect the new pontiff. He succeeds, and assumes the papal throne as Alexander VI. Two other ambitious cardinals, Orsini and Della Rovere, immediately begin plotting against him. When Orsini hosts a dinner for the pope and the cardinals, Rodrigo's son Cesare catches a servant, Micheletto, in the kitchen preparing to poison the Borgias' wine. Offering the assassin better pay if he works for his family, Cesare has Orsini poisoned instead.

Cesare enlists Michelotto to spy on Cardinal della Rovere, who seeks to find a legal way to depose Rodrigo as pope. He is advised by scholar Johannes Burchard that a pope who engages in "public and notorious lechery" could be deposed. Rodrigo begins an affair with Giulia Farnese, provoking the outrage of his former mistress, Vanozza, and threatening to provide della Rovere with just the evidence he needs. On Micheletto's information, Rodrigo corners Burchard and demands his support in expanding the College of Cardinals to shore up his position. Cesare sets Micheletto to work preventing della Rovere and a witness from presenting evidence against the pope.