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Ljube
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Belgrade
May 2003
time: 06:35
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Chapter 1 - The rise of the Borgia
This morning Pope Innocent VIII died.
The cardinals were soon informed. Two principal candidates emerged: Rodrigo Borgia and Giuliano Della Rovere, who could also count on Medici votes and influence.
To counter this, Rodrigo met with Giovanni Sforza, a bitter enemy of Medici.
“Your Eminence, the cardinals I control won’t support Giuliano Della Rovere. However, in order to support you, we need an incentive.”
“But of course dear friend”, Rodrigo replied. “I think our two great families need to tie themselves more closely. We need a permanent political alliance. When I am elected, we shall arrange a marriage between you and my daughter Lucrezia.”
“Then my cardinals will vote for you. But my support only will not be enough.”
“Don’t worry about a thing. I have already bribed about a half of cardinals. With you on my side, I should be able to clinch the papal elections.”
Giovanni Sforza left.
Cesare entered the room.
“Dad, in spite of all bribery and simony, we are still one vote short of the required number of votes.”
“Have you included the votes provided by Sforza?”
“I have pa. Three cardinals are still undecided. Wolsey, Piccolomini and Farnese.”
“Piccolomini is a paradigm of sanctity. We can’t hope to influence him. Out of the other two, Farense is cheaper. We’ll bribe him. But I can’t be involved. You will approach him.”
****
Meanwhile in a tavern downtown Rome. Michelangelo and Leonardo, two good friends from Florence are having lunch together. They spot their two colleagues, Raffaello and Titian.
“Tiziano! Raffaello! Come and join us!” Leonardo invited them. They joined.
Titian was surprised to see the two famous Florentine artists in Rome.
“What are you two doing here? Medici are not paying you enough? So you have come here to take a piece of Roman cake. You greedy bastards!”
“While Lorenzo was alive, it was a hard time for us artists there. He didn’t pay much attention to the contemporary art. The only thing he was interested in were them stupid ancient Roman sculptures”, Michelangelo complained.
“We left Florence after his death and as soon as we came here Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere hired us to do some work for him. He’s paying us ten times the money Lorenzo was paying us”, Leonardo continued.
“That’s fine guys. There’s plenty of room for all of us here”, Raffaello said.
“Speaking of that, you’re a local Raffaello, but you Tiziano are from Venice. What are you looking for here?” asked Michelangelo.
“Same as you guys. Same as you. Work and money.”
****
The next morning the Sacred College of Cardinals was ready to convene. But Cardinal Giulio de Medici was missing. They went searching for him.
They found him in the chapel. He appeared to be praying before the statue of the Madonna, near the stairs. When they called his name, he didn’t reply. They came closer and noticed a trail of blood running from the altar to the cardinal. They rushed to him, but it was too late. FlameFalsh was already dead. They found one stab wound in his chest. There were no signs of struggle, so the killer must have approached him and stabbed him suddenly, which means that Giulio knew the killer.
“We must postpone the papal elections now”, Giuliano Della Rovere suggested.
“In spite of this murder, the elections must take place”, Alessandro Farnese insisted. “The papal state would be in chaos without its pontiff. It is essential to elect one.”
The cardinals concurred and the same day Rodrigo Borgia was elected new Pope with only one vote majority as Alexander VI.
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30-08-2004 04:11
ACK!
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