Rosa in Fiore
- "Welcome to the Rosa in Fiore; as you can see, the most popular brothel in Roma."
- ―Claudia Auditore da Firenze.[src]
The Villa Fiorentino, was one of the largest Villas in Rome.
History
Under the Solari
- "Filth can be hidden by shadows. Foul smells masked by stronger scents, mostly imported. Disease is... difficult."
- ―Fiora Cavazza, a courtesan of the Rosa.[src]
From as early as 1497, the Villa Fiorentino was owned by both Madonna Solari, her brother Santino and her seven girls. Though already visited by various foreign and local noblemen, the Villa was in poor shape; noting the filth and foul stenches hidden beneath the decorations and perfume.
Madonna Solari encouraged her girls to do whatever was necessary to gain money, and was always quick to dismiss jobs that showed sign of poverty and disease.
Some time later, Cesare Borgia visited the Villa, after finding out that the Solari were caught up in some shady business deals. In exchange for their lives, the Solari offered the Captain General one of their girls for his personal service. After Cesare selected Fiora Cavazza, the Villa Fiorentino was allowed to continue operation.
Fiorentino acquisition
In 1500, after their distant frelative Jusepe Fiorentino sought an alliance with the family, he discovered that their Madame was being held hostage by a group of slave traders, who had been hired by Cesare Borgia. Despite his attempts to rescue her, Madonna Solari was killed, as the bandits slit her throat when he attempted to bargain with them.
Left motherless, the Villa Fiorentino was taken over jointly by Emilia Fiorentino and her husband Jusepe, Jusepe funded the renovations necessary to re-establish the Villa with the ransom money for the former Madame, and over time, it played host to many more noblemen visiting it each week.
