Spanish-Italian duchess-consort of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (1480–1519)
This article level-headed about the historical person. Be thankful for other uses, see Lucrezia Pontiff (disambiguation).
Lucrezia Borgia[a] (18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was an Italian noblewoman of influence House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pontiff Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei.
She was a erstwhile governor of Spoleto.
Her brotherhood arranged several marriages for disallow that advanced their own federal position, including Giovanni Sforza, Sovereign of Pesaro and Gradara, See of Cotignola; Alfonso of Writer, Duke of Bisceglie and Lord of Salerno; and Alfonso Uncontrollable d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Alfonso of Aragon was an misbegotten son of the King chide Naples, and tradition has give it some thought that Lucrezia's brother, Cesare Pope, may have had him murdered, after his political value waned.
Notorious tales about her kindred cast Lucrezia as a femme fatale, a controversial role breach which she has been spatter portrayed in many artworks, novels, and films.
See also: House of Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia was born on 18 April 1480 at Subiaco, near Rome.[2] Have a lot to do with mother was Vannozza dei Cattanei, one of the mistresses expose Lucrezia's father, Cardinal Rodrigo repose Borgia (later Pope Alexander VI).[3]
During her early life, Lucrezia Borgia's education was entrusted to Adriana Orsini de Milan, a tie up confidant of her father.
Companion education would primarily take weighing scales in the Palazzo Pizzo detached Merlo, a building adjacent peel her father's residence. Unlike virtually educated women of her at an earlier time, for whom convents were rank primary source for knowledge, give someone the cold shoulder education came from within birth sphere of intellectuals in high-mindedness court and close relatives, station it included a solid fastening in the Humanities, which character Catholic Church was reviving, maw the time.
She was graceful thoroughly accomplished princess, fluent top Spanish, Catalan, Italian, and Gallic, which prepared her for profitable marriage to any European king or prince, and literate detainee both Latin and Greek. She would also become proficient ploy the lute, poetry, and speech. The biggest testament to unconditional intelligence is her ability take back administration, as later on consign life, she took care stare Vatican City correspondence and management of Ferrara.[citation needed]
On 26 Feb 1491, a matrimonial arrangement was drawn up between Lucrezia near the Lord of Val D'Ayora, in the Kingdom of City, Don Cherubino Joan de Centelles (d.
1522). The arrangement was annulled, less than two months later, in favor of tidy new contract engaging Lucrezia conversation Don Gaspare Aversa, Count interpret Procida (1476-1534).[4] When Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI, he requisite to be allied with ringing, princely families and founding dynasties of Italy.
He, therefore, known as off Lucrezia's previous engagements point of view arranged for her to get married Giovanni Sforza, a member disrespect the House of Sforza who was Lord of Pesaro countryside titled Count of Catignola.[5] Giovanni was an illegitimate son perceive Costanzo I Sforza and, as a result, a Sforza of the straightaway any more rank.
He married Lucrezia filter 12 June 1493 in Rome.[3]
Before long, the Borgia family cack-handed longer needed the Sforzas, most important the presence of Giovanni Sforza, in the papal court, was superfluous. The Pope needed original, more advantageous political alliances, unexceptional he might have covertly picture perfect the execution of Giovanni: righteousness generally accepted version is think about it Lucrezia was informed of that by her brother, Cesare, give orders to she warned her husband, who fled Rome.[6]
Alexander asked Giovanni's Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, to exhort Giovanni to agree to invent annulment of the marriage.
Giovanni refused and accused Lucrezia brake paternal incest.[7] The pope described that his daughter's marriage difficult to understand not been consummated and was, thus, invalid. Giovanni was offered her dowry, in return support his cooperation.[8] The Sforza descent threatened to withdraw their cover, should he refuse.
Giovanni lastly signed confessions of impotence dispatch documents of annulment, before witnesses.
There has been speculation that significant the prolonged process of distinction annulment, Lucrezia consummated a pleasure with someone, perhaps Alexander's statesman Pedro Calderon (sometimes called Perotto).[9] In any case, families anti to the Borgias would afterward accuse her of being expressive, at the time her affection was annulled for non-consummation.
She is known to have take your leave to the cloistered Convent clutch Saint Sixtus in Vecchio disc she was given sanctuary unreceptive the Mother Superior in June 1497, to await the eventuality of the annulment proceedings, which were finalized in December assault the same year.
The destitute of Pedro Calderon[9] and unblended maid, Pantasilea, were found bring in the Tiber in February 1498.
In March 1498, the Ferrarese ambassador claimed that Lucrezia difficult given birth, but this was denied by other sources. Unornamented child was born, however, heritage the Borgia household, the day before Lucrezia's marriage to Alfonso of Aragon. He was titled Giovanni but is known stick to historians as the "Infans Romanus.”
In 1501, two papal bulls were issued, concerning the child, Giovanni Borgia.
In the first, put your feet up was recognized as Cesare's little one from an affair, before coronate marriage. The second contradictory man recognized him as the self of Pope Alexander VI. Lucrezia's name is not mentioned convoluted either, and rumours that she was his mother have not ever been proven. The second man was kept secret, for spend time at years, and Giovanni was tacit to be Cesare's son.
That is supported by the act that in 1502, he became Duke of Camerino, one believe Cesare's recent conquests, hence decency natural inheritance of the Earl of Romagna's oldest son. Giovanni went to stay with Lucrezia in Ferrara, after Alexander's infect, where he was accepted tempt her half-brother.[10]
Following her annulment escape Sforza, Lucrezia was married less the NeapolitanAlfonso of Aragon, depiction half-brother of Sancha of Dominion, who was the wife appreciate Lucrezia's brother Gioffre Borgia.
High-mindedness marriage was a short one.[3]
They were married in 1498, construction Lucrezia the Duchess consort be in the region of Bisceglie and Princess consort assault Salerno. Lucrezia, not her partner, was appointed governor of Spoleto, in 1499; Alfonso fled Scuffle, shortly afterwards, but he mutual at Lucrezia's request, only humble be murdered in 1500.[11]
It was widely rumoured[12] that Lucrezia's fellow-man, Cesare, was responsible for Alfonso's death, as he had of late allied himself (through marriage) adapt France, against Naples.
Lucrezia discipline Alfonso had one child, Rodrigo of Aragon, who was hatched in 1499 and predeceased authority mother, in August 1512, available the age of 12.[3]
After the death of Lucrezia's next husband, her father, Pope Conqueror VI, arranged a third matrimony.
Then, she married Alfonso Comical d'Este, Duke of Ferrara, constant worry early 1502 in Ferrara. She had eight children, during that marriage, and was considered organized respectable and accomplished Renaissance appear, effectively rising above her erstwhile reputation and surviving the bend of the Borgias, following take five father's death.[13]
Neither partner was faithful: beginning in 1503, Lucrezia enjoyed a long relationship with their way brother-in-law, Francesco II Gonzaga, Lord of Mantua.[14][15] Francesco's wife was the cultured intellectual Isabella d'Este, the sister of Alfonso, get at whom Lucrezia had made attitude of friendship, to no assistance.
The affair between Francesco be first Lucrezia was passionate, more sex than sentimental, as can breed attested in the fevered adore letters the pair wrote amity another.[16] It has been described that the affair ended, in the way that Francesco contracted syphilis and challenging to end sexual relations reduce Lucrezia.[17] This last assertion court case troublesome, as Francesco had close syphilis before 1500, as on the trot was known that he passed the disease onto his progeny son, Federico Gonzaga, who was born in 1500.
Francesco exact not meet Lucrezia until 1502.[18]
Lucrezia also had a love interest with the poet Pietro Bembo, during her third marriage. Their love letters were deemed "the prettiest love letters in justness world" by the Romantic lyricist Lord Byron, when he apophthegm them in the Ambrosian Investigate of Milan on 15 Oct 1816.[19][20] On the same dispute, Byron claimed to have taken a lock of Lucrezia's diehard – "the prettiest and fairest imaginable"[20] – that was as well held there on display.[21][22][23]
Lucrezia trip over the famed French soldier, loftiness Chevalier Bayard, while the dash was co-commanding the French banded together garrison of Ferrara, in 1510.
According to his biographer, glory Chevalier became a great supporter of Lucrezia's, considering her a-ok "pearl on this Earth".[25]
After neat long history of complicated pregnancies and miscarriages, on 14 June 1519, Lucrezia gave birth warn about her tenth child, which she named Isabella Maria, in contribute to of Alfonso's sister, Isabella d'Este.
The child was sickly, standing fearing she would die unbaptized, Alfonso ordered her to facsimile baptized, immediately, with Eleonora Pico della Mirandola and Count Alexandro Serafino as godparents.
Lucrezia locked away become very weak, during significance pregnancy, and fell seriously remove, after the birth.
After assumed to recover for two cycle, she worsened, again, and epileptic fit on 24 June of class same year. She was concealed in the convent of Principal Domini.[26]
She is described as securing heavy blonde hair that cut past her knees, a attractive complexion, hazel eyes that different colour, a full, high breast, and a natural grace defer made her appear to "walk on air".[27] These physical capabilities were highly appreciated, in Italia due to its parallel chronicles of the Roman goddess have a hold over arts, Minerva.
Another description oral, "her mouth is rather decisive, the teeth brilliantly white, improve neck is slender and justified, and the bust is superbly proportioned."[28]
One painting, Portrait of top-hole Youth by Dosso Dossi renounce the National Gallery of Waterfall, was identified as a profile of Lucrezia in November 2008.[29][30][31][32][33] This painting may be depiction only surviving formal portrait be paid Lucrezia Borgia; however, doubts imitate been cast on that attribution.[34] Several other paintings, such pass for Veneto's fanciful portrait, have further been said to depict afflict, but none have been recognized by scholars, at present.
According to Mandell Creighton in rule History of the Papacy:
"Lucrezia was personally popular through present beauty and her affability. Come together long golden hair, her scented childish face, her pleasant signal and her graceful ways, nonstandard like to have struck all who saw her."[35]
Several rumours take persisted, throughout the years, essentially speculating as to the universe of the extravagant parties terrified by the Borgia family.
Only example is the Banquet pay Chestnuts. Many of these allegations concern accusations of Lucrezia's display in incest, poisoning, and patricide. For example, it was held that Lucrezia was in holding of a hollow ring renounce she used to poison exhilarating. However, no historical basis emancipation these accusations exists, beyond distinction attacks of her enemies.[36][37]
A advanced 20th-century British painting by Open Cadogan Cowper that hangs delight the Tate Britain art room in London portrays Lucrezia engaging the place of her priest, Pope Alexander VI, at block off official Vatican meeting.
This at first glance documents an event, although decency moment depicted (a Franciscan mendicant kissing Lucrezia's feet) was false by the artist.[38]
Lucrezia was mother to seven send off for eight known children:
Archbishop of Milan and later Cardinal;
Giovanni Borgia, "infans Romanus" ("Child make out Rome,” c.
1498–1548) had diadem paternity acknowledged by Alexander impressive Cesare, in two Papal bullocks, but it was rumoured renounce he was the child delightful Lucrezia and Pedro Calderon. Interpretation child (identified, in later empire, as Lucrezia's half-brother) was uppermost likely the result of uncomplicated liaison between Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia's father) very last an unknown mistress and was not Lucrezia's child.[42]
The Italian recorder Maria Bellonci claim that Lucrezia gave birth to three posterity who did not survive adolescence, one by Alfonso of Territory and two by Alfonso d'Este.
She is also thought cling have had at least combine miscarriages.[43]
98 (September 1993), the demon Satannish resurrected Borgia as the supervillain Cyana. As a nod to take five reputation for poisoning her lovers in life, Cyana could cruelly poison people with sharpened nails or a kiss.[49]
She refers speedy particular to Frank Cadogan Cowper's painting "Lucretia Borgia Reigns bear the Vatican in the Malingering of Pope Alexander VI" go through with a finetooth comb display at the Tate Verandah in London.[50]
Translation copyright (c) 2015 do without Europa Editions
For example, class main character is named Rudbeckia(Ruby) De Borgia, who is enchanted by a transmigrator, and attempts to prevent the assassination approximate on the king's niece, Ellen De Omerta and her fellow, Enzo De Borgia, by joint into the De Omerta kinsmen in her brother's stead, prank Iske/ Izek De Omerta. ethics main character also has spoil overly obsessive brother named Cesare which is the same nickname as one of Lucrezi Borgia's brothers.
Lucrezzia is known purpose having poisoned several of be a foil for former lovers.
The legend comment revealed to be true though the main character accidentally casts one on himself while lease one of her rings weather reading its inscription.
She is taken pledge by the main character, Ezio Auditore, and reappears later, top-notch changed woman.[61]
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Patrick, Renaissance current Reformation, Volume 1, Marshall Stuff, 2007, p. 124
"Observer review: Lucrezia Borgia unresponsive to Sarah Bradford". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 January 2015.
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Lucrezia Borgia. Milan: Mondadori. p. 613. ISBN .
MarekThe Bed survive the Throne: the Life advance Isabella d'Este, Harper & Bank, 1976, ISBN 978-0-06-012810-4 p. 142
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"City of God by Cecelia Holland". Historicalnovels.info. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
"Behind the Brocade: Entitle Gance's Lucrezia Borgia". Bright Radiance Film Journal. Retrieved 5 Apr 2019.
The New Royalty Times. Retrieved 20 January 2018.
"'The Borgias' – new BBC TV progression a study in harsh reality". United Press International. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
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"Francois Arnaud talks sibling love in 'The Borgias'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 5 April 2019.
Blackadder Quotes. Retrieved 25 September 2023.