Chapter 1365: The Source of Rome's Troubles, Pope Borgia!

In the Sintra Palace, the image of the Virgin Mary smiles on the oil painting, revealing the "humanity" and "human beauty" of the Renaissance. However, in a casual manner, King Joao decided the life and death of a nobleman, and even some insignificant lower-class civilians, whose fate had been determined in advance.

In this era, the cruelty and ruthlessness of the medieval European continent cannot be associated with the impression of the Enlightenment more than two hundred years later. At this moment in Europe, it is the aristocratic ruling order that has lasted for thousands of years, the proportion of "people" is very small, it is the cruel religious inquisition, and there is no mercy and tolerance in faith!

"Your Majesty, King Fernando and Pope Alexander VI, you have not replied to the letter sent together half a month ago..."

Butler Nuno lowered his head and directed King Joao's attention from an unexpected letter from afar to two other expected letters.

No, it should be said that the letter from King Fernando of Aragon was expected by King Joao. The letter from the new Pope Alexander VI, like the Pope's ascension, surprised King João, and filled him with disdain and disgust!

"Ha! What a respected Borgia Pope! What a cardinal from Aragon! What a witness to Fernando and Isabella's marriage, and the godfather of Prince Juan!"

When mentioning the new Pope Alexander VI, King João's face showed a sneer of disgust. This strong hostility rarely appeared in this perfect monarch.

But Pope Alexander VI, the nephew of the former Aragonese Cardinal Alfonso Borgia, has been deeply imprinted with the background of the Kingdom of Aragon since he stepped into the path of power in the church, and has actually created countless troubles for the Kingdom of Portugal!

Twenty years ago, it was this Borgia Cardinal who, on behalf of the church, approved and witnessed Fernando's marriage to his eloped cousin Isabella. This marriage recognized by the church provided religious legitimacy for Fernando and Isabella's secret marriage, and also laid the foundation for the unification of Castile and Aragon! The most direct impact of this wedding was that it triggered the battle for the throne of Castile, which ultimately completely shattered Portugal's plan to unite Castile...

Not only that, in the battle for the throne of Castile, the Aragonese Cardinal Borgia also worked for King Fernando many times, winning over the neutral and wavering Castilian nobles to support Queen Isabella, whose legitimacy was not outstanding. He may even have used his position as a cardinal to widely spread rumors that "slandered" Juana's life experience. In return, King Fernando not only granted the Borgia family many privileges and benefits in the Kingdom of Aragon, but also made the Borgia Bishop the godfather of his eldest son Juan!

Later, the interests of the Aragonese royal family and the Borgia Bishop were more closely tied. Although many exchanges of interests were buried in the dark, they could not be hidden from King João's eyes!

Therefore, in last year's papal election, the Portuguese royal family paid close attention and chose to support another famous cardinal, Giuliano della Rovere (Julius II). Unfortunately, in the end, the "unconcealed and bribed" Bishop Borgia, who was supported by the Kingdom of Aragon, won the election and succeeded to the throne as Pope Alexander VI...

In this historical context, after Alexander VI inherited the papal throne, between the United Kingdom of Aragon and Castile, which was an alliance of interests, and the Kingdom of Portugal, which had an old grudge, which side would he lean towards? That is naturally obvious! Today's letter of accountability clearly reveals the Pope's position and brings real pressure to the Kingdom of Portugal...

"Bear witness to the merciful Lord! The new Pope Borgia is full of selfish desires for power and has no pious faith! He is a Byzantine conspirator, good at power and politics, but has no convincing religious morality at all, let alone the responsibility of leading the Catholic world as the Pope!..."

"Haha! This short-sighted Pope Borgia replaced 12 Roman cardinals in one go a few months ago, and even stuffed his 18-year-old son and his mistress's brother into the Lord's College of Cardinals... This is a humiliation to all cardinals in various countries, and it is trampling the prestige of the Roman Curia on the ground!..."

"This greedy Borgia also wrote a letter to King Charles VIII of France, arousing the young boy's desire for the Kingdom of Naples... Then, he used the threats of the French , changing his face to put pressure on the throne of Naples, and finally let the throne of Naples fall into his own hands... This practice without faith and foresight is playing with fire, and is the source of the Roman Catholic Church's troubles! ..."

"Watch it! The cardinals in France are already very dissatisfied with the Pope of Rome! The truly pious Bishop Della Rovere also publicly criticized the Pope's "sin of buying and selling priesthood." And in the current situation, the French will not be opposed by any French church forces if they march into the Italian peninsula, or even into Rome, but will be supported by bishops everywhere! ..."

"The Lord is a witness! This Italian war is destined to break out! The true flame of the Lord will inevitably descend on the Italian peninsula with the help of the young King Charles, and burn the greedy and despicable Pope Borgia to pieces, and completely burn his papal crown! ..."

King Joao's voice was loud, and his passionate and confident words had a persuasive power!

In the past eight or nine months, he has been keeping in touch with King Charles VIII of France. From the other party's reply, he has clearly judged that for the succession of the throne of the Kingdom of Naples and for the rich wealth of northern Italy...the war of the Kingdom of France to march into the Italian peninsula is already imminent!

This unprecedented Italian war is not just the Kingdom of France against the Italian states, not just the French offending the majesty of the Pope, but also the great schism and civil war within the Holy See! And this was all caused by Pope Borgia, at least he ignited the fuse of gunpowder. After the French army arrives, the cardinals on the Italian peninsula who oppose the current Pope will definitely stand back and try to use the power of the French army to change the status quo of the Holy See!

King Joao has an extremely clear judgment: this imminent war will start because of the greed of the King of France and the Pope, but it will never end because of the satisfaction of the two!

Both sides have allies who can be pulled into the battlefield, and for the sake of the majesty of the King of France and the Pope, they also have political reasons that they cannot retreat. Therefore, this war will inevitably be protracted, and the Kingdom of Aragon-Castile, which has a close relationship with the Pope and is a neighbor of France, will inevitably be involved!

"God bless! As long as the Italian war begins, as long as the Pope's majesty is swept away, the Kingdom of Castile will also be involved in the war... At that time, the threat and pressure brought to the Kingdom of Portugal by the alliance between the Pope of Rome and the Kingdom of Castile will suddenly ease!"

"However, at this moment when the war has not yet broken out, the majestic Pope of Rome is still the Pope of Rome, and the vicious Kingdom of Castile is still vicious... The Kingdom of Portugal must be patient temporarily. No matter how offensive these letters are, I still have to pretend to be acquiescent and respond to them! And Columbus's imprisonment may only end here..."

Complex thoughts flashed through King João's mind. The foggy situation in Europe was not too foggy in the vision of this rational king. At this moment, his ambition and wisdom were burning in his chest. He wanted to lead the Kingdom of Portugal to avoid possible risks and truly grasp the opportunities and future of the Age of Discovery! The only thing that hindered him was never a powerful opponent or enemy, but...

"Cough! Cough!..."

King Joao's face suddenly turned red and he suddenly coughed. His cough was heartbreaking, and his breathing was heavy and hoarse, which frightened his confidant Nuno, who was at a loss and hurriedly supported the king's back.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty!..."

"Cough! Cough! Cough..."

After coughing for a long time, King Joao finally caught his breath and swallowed a mouthful of bloody saliva with difficulty. He sat silently for a while, pressing his palms on his aching lungs, feeling his increasingly weak body... After a long time, he let out a faint sigh.

"Ah! The merciful Lord has already arranged everything, whether you like it or not... Nuno, give me those two letters!"