The Siege at Forli

The Siege at Forli is the seventh episode of season two, and the sixteenth episode of the series. It was written by David Leland and directed by Kari Skogland.

Plot summary
Impressed by Juan's triumphant return from Spain with General Don Hernando at his side, Alexander sends his son to lay siege to the castle of Catherina Sforza's castle, but a surprising turn of events reveals Juan's cowardice; Lucrezia purposely scuttles a scheme to marry her off to a rich Genovese merchant; Savonarola's forces conduct the infamous "Bonfire of the Vanities."

Appearances
Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia

François Arnaud as Cesare Borgia

Holliday Grainger as Lucrezia Borgia

Joanne Whalley as Vanozza Cattaneo

David Oakes as Juan Borgia

Sean Harris as Micheletto Corella

Steven Berkoff as Girolamo Savonarola

Julian Bleach as Niccolo Machiavelli

Peter Sullivan as Cardinal Ascanio Sforza

Colm Feore as Giuliano Della Rovere

Gina McKee as Catherina Sforza

David Alpay as Calvino Pallavicini

Tom Austen as Raffaello Pallavicini

Jesse Bostick as Antonello

Roger Lloyd-Pack as Friar

Noah Silver as Benito Sforza

Robert Cavanah as Hernando De Caballos

Vernon Dobtcheff as Cardinal Julius Versucci

Bosco Hogan as Cardinal Alessandro Piccolomini

Ivan Kaye as Ludovico Sforza

Helen Bradbury as Nanny

Rory McMenamin as The Boy Lucio

Richard Durden as The Physician

Elliot Lang as The Boy Angelo

Selva Rasalingam as Tommaso Carracci

Béla Gados as Il Cerimoniere

Nathan O'Toole as Vincenzo

N/A as Giovanni Borgia

Poll
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Historical notes

 * The castle of Ravaldino was inside the city walls of Forli, not on the edge of the city as shown.
 * The incident of Caterina Sforza's eldest son being held hostage occurred in 1488 after the murder of her first husband, Giralomo Riario. Eye witness accounts differ as to whether or not she hiked her skirt, showing her genitals and saying she could always make more kids.
 * Juan Borgia never besieged Forli and Ravaldino castle. The city of Forli was taken and Ravaldino besieged by Cesare Borgia in December and January of 1499 (The new year of 1500 did not start until March prior to the adoption of the Gregorian calender many decades later).

Sneak peeks


Behind the scenes
