Recap
Cesare’s affair with Ursula crashes onto the rocks when she discovers that he killed her husband. Despite his heartfelt pleas that he was doing it for her, she resolves to join a nunnery.
Della Rovere has reached France and made an offer: invade Italy, depose Alexander, engineer my accession to Pope, and I’ll support your claim to Naples. France’s King Charles – a plain-speaking professional soldier – is poised to accept.
Alexander’s response to the French threat is to ally with Naples by marrying his youngest son Joffre to the older, sensual princess Sancia. Juan is increasingly out of control, having beaten Vanozza’s real husband to a pulp and when Alexander entrusts him with arranging in Naples the marriage between Joffre and Sancia, he jeopardizes the whole deal by having sex with her.
