During the Renaissance, the papacy, back in Rome, becomes a leading temporal power, wielding fortune and a mighty Papal state in rich, fragmented Italy, rivaling especially the mercantile city state Firenze's Medici dynasty. Nepotism in the literal sense -nominating relatives as cardinals and temporal officials, culminating in the Borgia dynasty-, deals with condottieri (mercenary generals), as recently researched even political murder become essential parts of the papal power game, unsurpassed grand art in the Eternal City -especially the Sixtine chapel, later the St. Peter basilica- its prestige showcase, orgiastic hedonism is the stuff of major scandals but well documented. A French attack on Napels includes a siege of its ally Rome, papal son Cesare Borgia conquers a duchy for the 'dynasty' in Romagna, succeeding rival Julius II even leads battles in person.
—KGF Vissers