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The Borgias
A Spanish "Family" from Valencia Link to Popes of the Renaissance
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Pope Alessandro VI (the Spaniard Rodrigo Borgia) (1431 - 1492 - 1503 (72))
One of the better known "Bad Popes" Detail from a fresco of the Resurrection, painted 1492 - 95 by Pinturicchio (1454 - 1513 (59)) in the Sala dei Misteri in the Borgia apartments of the Vatican (restored and reopened to the public - April 2006)
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Cesare Borgia 1475 - 1507 (32)
Son of Pope Alessandro and his mistress Vannozza (Giovanna) dei Cattani (b1442) A very nasty piece of work
Left: Painted posthumously in 1520 by Altobello Melone, though it may not actually be our man! Exhibited in Bergamo. Right: Anonymous - Palazzo Venezia Rome
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Lucrezia Borgia 1480 - 1519 (39)
Daughter of Alessandro and his mistress Vannozza (Giovanna) dei Cattani (b1442) Wife of Giovanni Sforza and later Alfonso d'Este History has been unjustly harsh (salacious?) towards her
Left: The salacious version painted by Bartolomeo Veneto, though it's not certain it is actually Lucrezia Right and below: Pinturicchio's portrait of Lucrezia (maybe) as Santa Catterina d'Alessandria disputing with the philosophers before Emperor Maximian, in the Sala dei Santi in the Borgia apartments of the Vatican
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The Beautiful Giulia Farnese
A later mistress of Alessandro VI was the reputedly drop dead gorgeous Giulia Farnese (1475 - ?), sister of the future Pope Paul III (Alessandro Farnese (1468–1549 (81)) and technically the wife of a member of the Orsini family. Sadly not one authentic image of her survives (see this web page). Cardinal Farnese received rapid advancement under Alessandro VI, leading to his nickname of "the Petticoat Cardinal". He had four children by his Roman mistress - Pier Luigi, Paolo, Ranuccio, and Costanza - and he later made sure that two of his grandchildren were appointed cardinals whilst still in their teens.
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Links to other Paradoxplace pages
All original material on this site © Adrian Fletcher 2000-08 - The contents may not be hotlinked, or reproduced without permission
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