· · A Daily Mail Book of the Week · · The fascinating story of the rise and fall of one of the most infamous families in history.

The Borgia family has become synonymous with evil. Corruption, incest, cruelty, selfishness, and intense brutality - all have been associated with their name. However, the story of this remarkable family is much more than a tale of sentiments - it also marks the golden age of the Italian Renaissance and a decisive turning point in European history. From the family's Spanish roots and the papal rule of Rodrigo Borgia, to the lives of his infamous descendants, Lucrezia and Cesare - the hero who impressed Machiavelli, but also the man who befriended Leonardo da Vinci - Paul Strathern narrates the gripping story of this great dynasty and the world in which they flourished.

'A vivid glimpse into the turbulent world of papal politics in the tumultuous years before the Reformation.' Daily Telegraph

'Authentic and well-written' Wall Street Journal

Pages: 400, Dimensions: 12.9x12.9cm