WSIM24B Ch. 12

- "That's good advice."

- "Damn straight. You can't afford to be honest, or faithful, or honourable - but it doesn't hurt to appear to be. Same thing with religion."

I remembered the famous words of a later French King, Henry IV, when he changed his religion to win the crown: "Paris is well worth a mass."

***

Federigo of Naples was proving to be stubborn. He knew the Borgia Pope and his endless ambitions. Sancia was already married to the Pope's youngest son. Federigo was prepared to sacrifice another member of the family: Sancia's brother Alfonso, the Duke of Bisceglie, would marry Lucrezia. But he was not prepared to transfer to me the three counties originally granted to Juan. Nor would he let me marry his legitimate daughter Carlotta.

The Neapolitan King had no sons; he recognized the Pope's plan for what it was - an attempt to take over Naples entirely for the Borgia dynasty. He was supported in his obstinacy by Ferdinand of Aragon, who had his own designs on Naples, and who also refused point-blank to transfer the Duchy of Gandia to me.

- "They don't value me as an ally." said Alexander. "And Ferdinand won't lend us troops."

Then my boss grinned at me.

"Time to look for other allies." he said.

*****

The ideal courtier: I used some quotations from Baldessar Castiglione's 'The Book of the Courtier', describing the court of Guidobaldo de Montefeltro at Urbino. The book was published in 1528. Castiglione may appear later in this story, as a minor character.

For those who are wondering... yes, I saw the TV series 'The Borgias'. I remember that Jeremy Irons played Pope Alexander VI, and that the writers fucked up a perfectly good story. Other than that, it was neither an inspiration nor a source for this story.

If some of the Pope's advice sounds at all familiar, that's probably because it's very similar to what Niccolo Machiavelli later wrote.

Marcus Licinius Crassus was a famous Roman. He made several fortunes in business (including his private fire brigade, which would put out the fire in your building - for a price). He crushed the slave rebellion led by Spartacus, and went on to be a member of the First Triumvirate with Julius Caesar and Pompey. Jealous of his partners' success, Crassus embarked on the invasion of Parthia. His soldiers knew of his legendary greed; he would probably keep all of the loot for himself. They were defeated at Carrhae. There is a legend that the Parthians captured Crassus, and put him to death by pouring molten gold down his throat.