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Season guide

The Borgias: Season 1

9 episodes Premiered Apr 3, 2011 Updated Jul 24, 2026

The Borgias season 1 is set in 15th century Italy at the height of the Renaissance. The series chronicles the rise of Pope Alexander VI, who wins election as Pope by bribing enough of the cardinals to vote for him in conclave. Alexander then packs the College of Cardinals with 13 new members, including his son Cesare. He attempts to form an alliance with the powerful family of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, but this fragil

Season overview

The Borgias season 1 is set in 15th century Italy at the height of the Renaissance. The series chronicles the rise of Pope Alexander VI, who wins election as Pope by bribing enough of the cardinals to vote for him in conclave. Alexander then packs the College of Cardinals with 13 new members, including his son Cesare. He attempts to form an alliance with the powerful family of Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, but this fragile alliance breaks after Alexander's rival, Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, contracts his own alliance with the King of France for an invasion of Italy. The series is a historical drama that explores the corrupt rise of the Borgias through murder, intrigue, war, and marriage.

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Episodes

S1·E1

The Poisoned Chalice

Apr 3, 2011 · 50 min

Rodrigo successfully bribes and intimidates his way into an election as Pope Alexander VI, making him the new leader of the Catholic Church; powerful Cardinals Della Rovere and Ors

S1·E2

The Assassin

Apr 3, 2011 · 52 min

The new Pope wastes no time consolidating power and balancing opposition to him in the College of Cardinals by elevating his children to high office, installing Juan as head of the

S1·E3

The Moor

Apr 10, 2011 · 53 min

His coffers depleted by his expensive rise to power, Rodrigo seeks funds through a profitable marriage for Lucrezia that will ally with him Milan, and charges a fee for safe haven

S1·E4

Lucrezia's Wedding

Apr 17, 2011 · 58 min

Lucrezia's financially and politically motivated wedding to Milanese nobleman Giovanni Sforza is a disaster thanks to Juan's inappropriately bawdy play in his sister's honor, Cesar

S1·E5

The Borgias in Love

Apr 24, 2011 · 53 min

Alternately neglected and abused by her cruel husband, Lucrezia has an affair with Paolo, a handsome stable boy; Cesare strikes a bargain with Machiavelli: deny French troops passa

S1·E6

The French King

May 1, 2011 · 53 min

Della Rovere reaches France and strikes a bargain with its ruler to invade Italy and install him on the Papal throne in exchange for control of Naples; Rodrigo attempts to thwart t

S1·E7

Death, on a Pale Horse

May 8, 2011 · 52 min

The invasion by King Charles of France and Della Rovere proceeds with victory seemingly inevitable as the French sack the city of Lucca and the Italian powers flee to their banner,

S1·E8

The Art of War

May 15, 2011 · 51 min

The invaders capture a fleeing and pregnant Lucrezia as they march on Rome, but she charms King Charles and is allowed to persuade her brother Juan to withdraw his hopelessly outma

S1·E9

Nessuno (Nobody)

May 22, 2011 · 48 min

Abandoned by even his cardinals, Alexander meets King Charles with humility and saves his throne, even eliciting a confession from the conqueror he crowns as the new "King of Franc