Ebook: The Borgias: power and fortune

"The glorious and infamous history of the Borgia family--a world of saints, corrupt popes, and depraved princes and poisoners--set against the golden age of the Italian Renaissance."--Amazon.com;Prologue: The crowning moment -- Origins of a dynasty -- The young Rodrigo -- Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia emerges in his true colours -- The way to the top -- A new pope in a new era -- "The scourge of God' -- The best of plans ... -- A crucial realignment -- A royal connection -- IL Valentino's campaign -- Biding time -- The second Romagna campaign -- The Borgias in excelsis -- Cesare strikes out -- Changing fortunes -- Cesare survives -- Borgia's 'reconciliation' -- Lucrezia in Ferrara -- The unforeseen -- Desperate fortune.;Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice and vicious cruelty-- all have been associated with the name Borgia. But the family which produced corrupt popes, depraved princes and poisoners would also produce a saint. Strathern believes that, in order to understand the Borgias, one must understand the world which enabled them to flourish: the Renaissance. -- adapted from jacket