Season one

The first season was shot at Korda Studios, Budapest, Hungary, and premiered on April 3, 2011 on Showtime with a double episode, with the season finale airing May 22, 2011.

Rodrigo Borgia schemes and bribes his way to the Papacy and ascends to the throne as Pope Alexander VI, then uses his cunning son Cesare Borgia and the family's new assassin Micheletto Corella to secure his power; Rodrigo forges strategic alliances by offering the hands of his daughter Lucrezia Borgia and his son Joffre Borgia in marriage to rival aristocrats; the Borgias' mortal enemy Cardinal Giuliano Della Rovere wields his influence to persuade King Charles VIII of France to invade Italy and depose the corrupt Pope.

Main cast
Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia (9 episodes)

François Arnaud as Cesare Borgia (9 episodes)

Holliday Grainger as Lucrezia Borgia (9 episodes)

David Oakes as Juan Borgia (9 episodes)

Colm Feore as Giuliano Della Rovere (9 episodes)

Peter Sullivan as Ascanio Sforza (9 episodes)

Sean Harris as Micheletto Corella (9 episodes)

Joanne Whalley as Vanozza Cattaneo (8 episodes)

Lotte Verbeek as Giulia Farnese (8 episodes)

Recurring cast
Ronan Vibert as Giovanni Sforza (6 episodes)

Ruta Gedmintas as Ursula Bonadeo (6 episodes)

Simon McBurney as Johannes Burchart (5 episodes)

Aidan Alexander as Joffre Borgia (5 episodes)

Luke Pasqualino as Paolo (5 episodes)

Vernon Dobtcheff as Cardinal Julius Versucci (5 episodes)

László Konter as Cardinal Colonna (5 episodes)

Bosco Hogan as Cardinal Alessandro Piccolomini (5 episodes)

Recurring guest stars
Michel Muller as King Charles VIII (4 episodes)

Mickey Sumner as Francesca (4 episodes)

Augustus Prew as Prince Alfonso of Naples (3 episodes)

Joseph Kelly as King Ferrante of Naples (3 episodes)

Emmanuelle Chriqui as Sancia of Naples (3 episodes)

Nicholas Rowe as Baron Bonadeo (2 episodes)

Gina McKee as Catherina Sforza (2 episodes)

David Bamber as Theo (2 episodes)

Cesare Taurasi as Piero De Medici (2 episodes)

Poll
Which season one episode is your favorite? 1x01 The Poisoned Chalice 1x02 The Assassin 1x03 The Moor 1x04 Lucrezia's Wedding 1x05 Borgias in Love 1x06 The French King 1x07 Death, on a Pale Horse 1x08 The Art of War 1x09 Nessuno (Nobody)

Trivia

 * Originally, season 1 was going to have ten episodes, but according to Neil Jordan they ran out of money and had to adapt to nine.

Promos


Behind the scenes
