The BorgiasThe name Borgia is synonymous with the political corruption, greed, incest, and murder that was rife in Renaissance Italy. Rodrigo Borgia-Pope Alexander VI-the first man to have clearly bought himself the papacy, and two of his infamous illegitimate children-Cesare and Lucrezia-were the three central figures of the Borgia dynasty, notorious for seizing power, wealth, land, and titles through bribery, marriage, and murder. Marion Johnson plots the dynasty's dramatic rise from its beginnings in Spain to its occupation of the highest position in Renaissance society, examining how far the myth of the Borgias is borne out by historical facts. Behind the gaudy horrors, she concludes, lie people of great talent and achievement, possessors, even, of moderate virtues. |
Contents
BORGIA BEGINNINGS THE ROAD TO ROME | 7 |
CALIXTUS III FOUNDER OF THE BORGIA FORTUNES | 27 |
CARDINAL RODRIGO THE BORGIA DYNAST | 57 |
Copyright | |
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Alfons de Borja alliance Aragon army Ascanio Sforza began Bembo Bisceglie Bishop Borgia Lanzol brother Calixtus Castel Sant'Angelo castle Caterina Cesare Borgia Cesare's Charles Church Colonna conclave condottiere Crusade d'Este daughter death died ducats duchy Duke Ercole Duke of Gandia election enemies envoy Eugenius Farnese father Federigo Ferdinand Ferrante Ferrara Florence Forlì France Francesco French Giovanni Sforza Giulia Giulia Farnese Giuliano della Rovere Gonzaga Gonzalo Holy husband Ippolito Isabella Italian Italy Jofré Juan Borgia Julius King Alfonso knew lands legate Lorenzo Louis XII Lucrezia Ludovico il Moro Machiavelli Mantua Maria marriage married Mila Milan murdered Naples Neapolitan nephew Nicholas Orsini palace papacy papal court passim Pedro Luis Penguin Pesaro Pietro Pius poison pontificate Pope Alexander pope's prince Riario Rodrigo Borgia Romagna Roman Rome Sacred College Sancia Siena Sixtus Spain Spaniards Spanish St Peter's Tiber took Urbino Valencia Vanozza Vatican Venetian Venice Vice-Chancellor wrote young