The 1492 Papal Conclave and the Borgia rise

The 1492 Papal Conclave was basically the messiest season finale of a reality show, where the prize wasn't a rose, but the keys to Heaven and a massive bank account. Rodrigo Borgia didn't win because he was the holiest candidate; he won because he was the best producer in the room.

He treated the sacred vote like a high-stakes auction. While other cardinals were busy praying, Rodrigo was handing out promises of palaces, silver, and lucrative side-hustles. He even sent mules loaded with gold to his rivals' doors just to seal the deal.

By the time the white smoke cleared, the Borgias had successfully hijacked the most powerful brand in Europe. It wasn't about faith; it was a masterclass in buying the lead role and turning the Papacy into a family business.

Hold on, how does a celibate Pope even have a 'family' to promote?

Back then, 'celibacy' was just a PR hurdle. Rodrigo didn't just have a family; he had a core cast of 'nephews,' which was code for biological kids he was moving into executive roles.

He treated his son Cesare like the lead in an action spin-off and his daughter Lucrezia like a recurring guest star for strategic crossovers with other powerful families.

It wasn’t about fatherly love; it was about securing the Borgia brand's future across multiple seasons of Italian power struggles.

Wait, so he just traded his daughter like a draft pick?

Exactly. Lucrezia was the ultimate utility player in Rodrigo’s quest for a dynasty. He married her off three times by the age of 21, each time to a different power player to secure a new territory or a vital military alliance.

When a husband’s 'ratings' dropped or the political landscape shifted, the Borgias didn’t just file for divorce. They’d force an annulment or, in the case of her second husband, have him 'written out' of the script permanently via a convenient assassination.

She was the human glue holding the Borgia expansion together, moved from one political merger to the next like a high-stakes corporate asset.

So who was the unlucky guy that got 'permanently cancelled'?

That would be Alfonso of Aragon. He was the charming love interest in season two, but when the Borgias pivoted toward a French alliance, Alfonso became a plot hole that needed filling.

First, they tried a standard hit on the church steps, but he survived. To fix the 'continuity error,' Cesare’s top enforcer eventually slipped into Alfonso’s room and strangled him while he was still recovering.

It was a brutal mid-season recast. With Alfonso gone, Lucrezia was immediately back on the market for a more profitable merger.

But who exactly was the 'fixer' doing this dirty work?

Meet Michelotto Corella, the Borgias' personal 'fixer.' He wasn't just a random thug; he was Cesare’s childhood friend and the most feared shadow in Italy.

If Cesare was the face of the franchise, Michelotto was the guy cleaning up the blood off-camera. He often used a signature silk cord, acting as the human 'delete' button for anyone blocking the family's path.

He was terrifyingly efficient because his only loyalty was to the Borgia brand. In a world of betrayals, he was the one constant—a cold-blooded professional who kept the script on track.