Table of Contents
   Family Treesp. xii
   Timelinep. xix
   The Borgia Problem: An Introductionp. xxvii
      Pope and King, Friends No Morep. 43
      Pius II: Troubles Rumored and Realp. 100
   Mapsp. xxiii
      Survivingp. 83
   Prologue: One Whom All Did Fearp. 3
   Alonso: From Out of Nowherep. 7
         Background: Il Regno-The Kingdomp. 38
         Background: The Men in the Red Hatsp. 65
      The End of the Beginningp. 71
      A Most Improbable Popep. 9
   Rodrigo: A Long Apprenticeshipp. 81
         Background: The Road to Romep. 20
      Surprises, Disappointments, Hopep. 29
         Background: Amazing Italyp. 52
      Family Mattersp. 57
         Background: The Eternal City, Eternally Rebornp. 97
      Paul II: The Poisoned Chalicep. 118
         Background: The Inextinguishable Evil-Headsp. 129
      Sixtus IV: Disturbing the Peacep. 134
         Background: War, Italian Stylep. 148
      Innocent VIII: Plumbing the Depthsp. 154
   Alexander: Pope at Lastp. 171
      The Best Man for the Jobp. 173
         Background: Madness and Milanp. 194
      The Coming of the Frenchp. 201
         Background: Florence: An Anti-Renaissancep. 220
      The French Departp. 224
         Background: The Paternity Question: An "Apology"p. 239
      A Shattering Lossp. 248
         Background: The Young Onesp. 265
      Valentinop. 270
   Cesare: Caesar or Nothingp. 293
      The Landscape Changesp. 295
         Background: Venice, Serene No Morep. 312
      Conquerorp. 316
         Background: The Angel's Castlep. 334
         Background: The Newest Professionp. 351
      Settling Scoresp. 354
      Man of Destinyp. 369
         Background: Superstitions: Another Side of the Renaissancep. 380
      Alonep. 384
   Aftermathp. 409
   Examining Old Assumptionsp. 419
   Notesp. 433
   Bibliographyp. 451
         Background: Il Papap. 114
      "Longing for Greatness and Renown"p. 337
         Background: The Great Discoveriesp. 365
   Indexp. 457
   About the Authorp. 479