In 1501, two papal bulls were issued concerning the child, Giovanni Borgia. Husbands hiding things from wives, mothers from children, and generation from generation. Thanks for your time! Luckily for Lucrezia, her husband still had a super-powerful family, and even better, he didnt seem to mind her being unfaithful. Seductress. In 1491 the young Lucrezia was successively betrothed to two Spanish nobles. After this loss, Lucrezia needed an entire month to recover. In July 1500 he was wounded by four would-be assassins on the steps of St. Peters. endstream endobj 15 0 obj <> endobj 16 0 obj <> endobj 17 0 obj <>stream This only bolstered the incest rumours. %%EOF Her long golden hair, her sweet childish face, her pleasant expression and her graceful ways, seem to have struck all who saw her. And the Borgias were planning on invading Naples with their new French BFFs. The Pope needed new, more advantageous political alliances, so he might have covertly ordered the execution of Giovanni: the generally accepted version is that Lucrezia was informed of this by her brother Cesare, and she warned her husband, who fled Rome.[6]. But even Lucrezia couldnt get off scot-free. The new Pope loved the good life. Shocker: That ticked Sforza off. Web8 Lucrezia's complicity in her father's politics 9 Borgia in Blackadder 10 To add-- Witchblade appearance. Lucrezia Borgia _ History may have pigeonholed her as Renaissance Italys most notorious seductress, but its high time we give the Duchess of Ferrara a closer look. He decided to distract himself by indulging in some deranged activities. 14 0 obj <> endobj Barely a year after splitting up with Sforza, she walked down the aisle with another Italian hotshot. Lucrezia not her husband was appointed governor of Spoleto in 1499; Alfonso fled Rome shortly afterwards but returned at Lucrezia's request, only to be murdered in 1500. The new Alfonso that her father had planned for her to marry was Alfonso dEste, Duke of Ferrara. Lucrezia Borgia was born on April 18th, 1480. The two ladies had a lot in common as intellectual patronesses of the Renaissance but alas, their friendship was not to be. He basically told Alfonsos family that hed ruin them if Alfonso didnt marry Lucrezia. Syphilis affected many illustrious personages in the 15th and 16th centu- ry, such as the Kings of France, Charles VIII and Francis I; the popes Alexander VI, Julius II and Leo X; Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, Erasmus of Rotterdam and Benvenutto Cellini, who, among oth- ers, survived syphilis without consequences1. She had a relationship with Francesco II Gonzaga, her brother-in-law, and that lasted until (most historians think) he caught syphilis. Its said she had an affair during her third marriage. A few centuries later, Lord Byron described their love letters as the prettiest love letters in the world. Lucrezia also probably had affairs with a bunch of other people because she does whatever she wants, what else did you expect? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Giovanni refused and accused Lucrezia of paternal incest. Alfonso of Aragon was an illegitimate son of the King of Naples and tradition has it that Lucrezia's brother Cesare Borgia may have had him murdered after his political value waned. She reigned as the Governor of Spoleto, a position usually held by cardinals, in her own right. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Helena Maurya: The Greek Wife of IndiasEmperor, Musa of Parthia: Slave to Queen ofQueens, Elena Glinskaya: Powerful and PoisonedRegent, Amalasuntha: Wise Queen of theOstrogoths. Syphilis affected many illustrious personages in the 15th and 16th centu- ry, such as the Kings of France, Charles VIII and From petty paybacks to insane acts of karma, these bitter people somehow found the most ingenious ways. Amid at least four miscarriages, she managed to become pregnant only for the poor woman suffered from seizures and high fevers. According to Mandell Creighton in his History of the Papacy, "Lucrezia was personally popular through her beauty and her affability. Years later, I was using her phone when I made an utterly chilling discovery. All Rights Reserved. [3], They were married in 1498, making Lucrezia the Duchess consort of Bisceglie and Princess consort of Salerno. When her dad brought up the idea of a new marriage, Lucrezia shut him down, bitterly saying that her husbands had record of being very unlucky. Yeah, her third husband wouldnt break that trend. There's something about the family structure that encourages secrets. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. WebDid Cesare Borgia have syphilis? When she had to leave her little son, Lucrezia distracted herself by diving into her new role as the Duchess of Ferrara. Giovanni finally signed confessions of impotence and documents of annulment before witnesses. She had to give up custody of her beloved toddler Rodrigo. The biggest testament to her intelligence is her capability in administration, as later on in life she took care of Vatican City correspondence and governance of Ferrara. The Church believed that such an education would turn demure ladies into impious rebels. In another version of the story, Lucrezia doesnt save her husband. Where did Chlamydia come from? Lets just, The Borgias (20112013), Showtime Networks, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIIIs First Wife, Feuding Facts About Princess Augusta, The Scandal-Ridden Sister, Shameless Facts About Cleo De Merode, The First Celebrity, Colorful Facts About Romaine Brooks, The Art World's Forgotten Rebel, Rebellious Facts About Drew Barrymore, Hollywood's Comeback Kid. As weve seen, the Borgias were often accused of being a littletooclose. Sure, men of the cloth were technically supposed to be celibate. Both Cesare and Lucrezia are alleged to have kept poison in a ring. Come what may, his daughterwouldwalk down the aisle. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Cunning Facts About The Borgias, Italys Most Scandalous Family, These Jerks Had No Idea Who They Were Messing With, Plot Twist: These Surprise Endings Made Our Jaws Hit The Floor, These Stories Of Unforgettable Close Calls Made Our Jaws Drop, Bone-Chilling Moments We'll Never Be Able To Explain. Historians speculate that not only did she have fun with her poet-lover, she also enjoyed an extramarital affair with her own brother-in-law, Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua. [5] Giovanni was an illegitimate son of Costanzo I Sforza and a Sforza of the second rank. Instead, Lucrezia ran an impressive court at her husbands place. But her dad wasnt one to let a perfectly eligible young lady sit around without a politically advantageous marriage. The entire time that her dad and her husband were fighting and she was busy arranging dicey extra curricular activities for her pervy father, Lucrezia was also heavily pregnant. Upon Lucrezias birthat which point no one believed that she was the child of her mothers official husbandher natural father Rodrigo Borgia hired astrologists to visit the baby and predict her future. Cesare didnt escape the smear of poison, either. Syphilis affected many illustrious personages in the 15th and 16th centu- ry, such as the Kings of France, Charles VIII and Francis I; the popes Alexander VI, Julius II and Leo X; Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, Erasmus of Rotterdam and Benvenutto Cellini, who, among oth- ers, survived syphilis without consequences1 . In the case of Lucrezia Borgia, they werent wrong. While her brothers gained power through battles, Lucrezia would have to seduce her way to the top. Lucrezia and Alfonso had one child, Rodrigo of Aragon, who was born in 1499 and predeceased his mother in August 1512 at the age of 12. The bro-mance probably began in 1503, and some think it continued until Gonzaga romantically caught syphilis. Eventually, the Pope discovered secret letters from Alfonso to Lucrezia, where he begged her to sneak away from Rome and join him in Genazzano. When she signed letters as a widow, she even changed her name. Lucrezia, Cesare and Alexander play key roles in, She is featured as a major plot point in the 1994 TV movie, This page was last edited on 9 April 2023, at 06:51. Lucrezia Borgia was an Italian noblewoman and daughter of Pope Alexander VI. Around this time, Lucrezia also became Governor of Spoleto, so thats amazing for her. Without a clear answer, Rome provided multiple possible explanations, each wilder than the last. Lucrezia Borgia: Poisoner, Seductress, Mother, Widow. As a workaround, Lucrezia made do with a brutal action. As Alfonso fell to the ground, the assassins tried to capture him, only for Alfonsos own men to whisk him away to a nearby palace. Web(Side note: Cesare and his syphilis got me googling how syphilis was treated back in the 1400s, when it first appeared in Europe, and I can never unsee that.) Shortly after Lucrezia tried to go on vacation, she received some brutal news. To this day, people are convinced that Lucrezia and her brother Cesare were closer than siblings should ever be, but the person who first made this claim actually went way further. Did Lucrezia Borgia have syphilis? He therefore called off Lucrezia's previous eng Syphilis affected many illustrious personages in the 15th and 16th centu- ry, such as the Kings of France, Charles VIII and Francis I; the popes Alexander VI, Julius II and Leo X; Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, Erasmus of Rotterdam and Benvenutto Cellini, who, among oth- ers, survived syphilis Juan boasts to his father that his wife is pregnant with a son. Lucrezia still raised Giovanni Borgia, even after she remarried. hbbd```b``Z"@$."IM0|^fHwD @r&]s30Rx@ (3 He was just 12 years old. After this attack, Alfonso passed. She was buried in the convent of Corpus Domini. She also refused to let anyone see him, except for his sister and doctor. Remember how Lucrezia skipped town and entered a convent in 1497? Remember Lucrezias first husband Giovanni Sforza and how her family made him say that he couldnt perform in the sack? The problem was, he was a Cardinal, and Cardinals couldnt have At her funeral in 1519, people saw the Duke weeping at the demise of his sweet companion.. Heck, they even spoke a rare language other to make sure their secrets stayed in the family. The first one said that the child, Giovanni Borgia, was the illegitimate son of Lucrezias brother, Cesare Borgia, but the other one said that Giovanni Borgia was the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI. Did Juan Borgia have syphilis? But it emanated from me I authorized it. While shed carry this baby to term, in the long run, the childs birth spelled doom for Lucrezia. Sidenote: allegedly, Lucrezia had a ring that appeared normal, but was hollow inside, where shed hide poison. As Alfonso recovered from his extensive wounds with Lucrezia by his side, the couple began to think that they just might get out of this mess. Somehow, even this twisted arrangement is better than what the Borgias did to Lucrezias spouse. During her third marriage, Lucrezia took great pains to befriend her husbands sister, Isabella dEste, you know, the one who spied on Lucrezia during her wedding night. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. After just four years of mutual unhappiness, the mismatched couple would accuse each other of misconduct also known as the Renaissance equivalent of irreconcilable differences. Headed by patriarch Rodrigo Borgiawho became Pope Alexander VIthe family was comprised of his four children: Cesare, Juan, Lucrezia, and Jofre, and they Lucrezia really knows how to pick em! He was related to a lot of powerful people, so thirteen-year-old Lucrezia became the wife of someone more than twice her age. With Horrible Friends Like These, Who Needs Enemies? But Lucrezia would learn that beauty could be a double-edged sword. Did Lucrezia Borgia have syphilis? Unlike most educated women of her time, for whom convents were the primary source for knowledge, her education came from within the sphere of intellectuals in the court and close relatives, and it included a solid grounding in the Humanities, which the Catholic Church was reviving at the time. While attending her own annulment proceedings as a teenager, she made a speech so eloquent that an ambassador declared, not even Cicero could have spoken with more grace. As weve seen, this ability to keep cool under pressure proved to be veryuseful for her. Lucrezias husband was 14 years older than his child bride. Juan boasts to his father that his wife is pregnant with a son. One said the kid was the illegitimate offspring of Lucrezias older brother, Cesare. It didnt take long for those good old Borgia family tensions to hit fever pitch. Lucrezias confidante Sancia might have been married to little Gioffre Borgia, but that didnt stop her from sleeping with her hubbys brothers,Giovanni and Cesare. Did Giovanni Borgia have syphilis? During Lucrezias annulment proceedings with her ex-hubby Sforza, Italian nobles alleged that her misconduct had another name: Adultery. Well, what all sensible fathers do. In the end, Lucrezia managed to pull through, but at one dark moment, she was so weak that she couldnt even feel her own pulse. Those affairs make a little more sense now, right? [3], After the death of Lucrezia's second husband, her father, Pope Alexander VI, arranged a third marriage. Pope Alexander issued not one, but two contradictory papal bulls about his parentage. Mother and son never saw each other again. This was, in sum, a lot for Lucrezia to deal with. A bunch of guys just stormed into Alfonsos rooms, where they strangled the teenager. So, exactly how much was that dowry again? This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lucrezia-Borgia, GlobalSecurity.org - Biography of Lucrezia Borgia, Ancient Origins - Lucrezia Borgia: The misunderstood femme fatale of the Renaissance. Alexander annulled the marriage in 1497 on the dubious grounds of nonconsummation. WebThe case of Lucrezia Borgia is interesting in that it seemed to her contemporaries that she was one of the most liberated and empowered women in all of Italy.
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