Lucrezia and Cesare hot fragments. Lucretia Borgia - biography, information, personal life

Lermontov wrote, of course, not about, but about a certain mysterious Tamar. But if you read the biography of Lucretia and the memoirs of contemporaries, then you get exactly the same image that Lermontov contained in two lines.

However, there were and are writers and researchers who disagree with the image of Lucretia, which many descriptions have brought to us.

For example, in M. Lindau’s book “The Evil Genius of Cunning,” Lucretia is described as a creature with a weak will, which her father and brother used to achieve power and wealth, marrying her against her will to representatives of the most influential families and families of Renaissance Europe. According to the writer, Lucretia herself had a kind, warm heart, and at first she sincerely fell in love with her future third husband, Duke Alphonse...

We will most likely never be able to find out the whole truth about the golden-haired beauty of the Renaissance. It is not even certain that the portraits that have reached us depict Lucrezia Borgia. Just pure speculation.

Descriptive memoirs of contemporaries about Lucretia’s appearance have been preserved: “She is of medium height, with delicate features, a slightly elongated face, she has a slightly elongated nose, golden hair, a large mouth, sparkling white teeth; The chest is white and smooth, but quite full. Her whole being is imbued with good nature and gaiety.”

And the picturesque portraits that have come down to us, supposedly depicting Lucretia, depict a young girl or young woman with a pleasant complexion, light flowing hair, shimmering with gold, light brown eyes, with full, high breasts.

Lucretia was born on April 18, 1480 in Subiaco. The girl's mother was Rodrigo Vannozza de Cattanei, the official mistress of the cardinal, who was the girl's father.

In addition to Lucretia, Vannotsa and the cardinal had three more sons.

Rodrigo Borgia, as a cardinal, was not supposed to have a wife. Therefore, in order for Vannozza to maintain her status as a decent woman, she had to marry four times during her 15-year relationship with Rodrigo.

According to the recollections of contemporaries, Vannozza loved her daughter very much and cared for her touchingly. Moreover, Lucretia was born very weak and the doctors were not sure that the baby would survive. But the baby not only survived, but soon became physically stronger.

Lucretia received a very good education for those times. The girl was taught not only music, painting, poetry, but it is known that Lucretia knew several foreign languages ​​and was interested in history.

One of Vannozza's husbands, the humanist scientist Carlo Canale, instilled in Lucrezia a love of the humanities.

Probably, all this was useful to her at a time when her father, already Pope Alexander VI, left Lucretia in charge of the Vatican during his absence. Andalo writes: “Lucrezia was a talented statesman, she even led the Vatican in the absence of her father.”

And one day, Alexander VI appointed Lucrezia governor of the cities of Spoletto and Foligno, although according to the unwritten law, this high post could only be held by a man with the title of cardinal. However, Lucrezia not only coped with the governorship, but also prevented a bloody battle, into which the seemingly irreconcilable hostility between the cities of Terni and Spoletto threatened to result. Lucretia managed to reconcile her opponents and justify the confidence of Pope Alexander VI in her business and political qualities.

Unfortunately, Lucretia was separated from her mother early. In 1492, Rodrigo Borgia, as soon as he became Pope Alexander VI, took all the children to himself.

Lucretia's childhood is left behind. By the age of 13, she had been engaged twice, but both engagements were not consummated by marriage due to the decisions of Alexander VI.

But the wealthy widower Count Giovanni Sforza decided to get a new wife, and the father decided to profitably use Lucrezia’s beauty, with little interest in her consent. Alexander VI's goal was to create a strong political alliance with the strongest and wealthiest family in Milan.

A year later, Lucrezia’s wedding to Giovanni Sforza took place on a grand scale. But a week later, the husband disappeared somewhere, but Lucrezia remained.

Apparently, she was not at all upset and led a free and carefree life. Her father gave her her own palace in an expensive quarter of Rome, which amazed everyone who visited it with unprecedented luxury.

Lucretia gathered poets, musicians and artists in her secular salon. They say that Lucrezia herself warned Giovanni Sforza that they wanted to kill him, which is why he left Rome.

Alexander VI decided that Lucrezia’s marriage did not live up to his hopes and persuaded Giovanni’s uncle, Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, to convince his nephew to agree to a divorce. Giovanni initially refused the divorce and even accused Lucrezia of paternal and brotherly incest.

However, Alexander VI argued that there was no intimate relationship between the spouses, which, according to medieval law, was a sufficient reason for divorce. The Pope had the right to dissolve the marriage with his authority.

Giovanni Sforza had no choice but to sign documents stating his powerlessness in the presence of witnesses. And the marriage was officially dissolved.

Some scientists believe that it was Giovanni Sforza, in revenge, who was the first to spread rumors about incest, which began to acquire details and spread throughout the world. There are suggestions that during the period of a protracted divorce, Lucrezia became interested in Pedro Calderon, who was a messenger between father and daughter. At court they called him Perotto. Lucretia became pregnant.

And at this time she had to swear under oath to the papal commission that not a single man had touched her. The cardinals did not suspect anything and gave a conclusion - a virgin.

The child, who was born in 1498 before his marriage to Alfonso of Aragon, was named Giovanni. Interestingly, two papal bulls were issued regarding this child in 1501.

In the first, the father of the child was named Cesare, before his marriage. And in the second, Alexander VI himself was named the father. Although the bulls contradict each other, none of them mentioned Lucretia, and it was never proven that she was the mother of this child.

In 1502, the boy became Duke of Camerino - territories conquered by Cisano and passed on by inheritance, but after the death of Alexander VI he moved to Lucrezia in Ferrara, where he was accepted as her half-brother.

Lucrezia was married for the second time to the seventeen-year-old illegitimate son of Alfonso II, King of Naples - Alfonso, Duke of Bisceglie and Prince of Salerno. He was rich and handsome and, apparently, Lucretia was happy in this marriage.

But, alas, due to the fact that it was not possible to annex Naples to the Roman possessions, the political interests of the pope and elder brother changed.

On the night of January 2, 1500, during a visit to Rome, the Duke was attacked by four masked assassins and stabbed five times with a dagger. But Alfonso is saved by the guards who arrive in time, and Lucrezia does not leave her husband’s side for a whole month, not only caring for him, but also protecting him.

Alfonso's entourage, having learned that the assassins were sent by Cesare, decide to take revenge on him, but fail. And Alfonso of Aragon, alas, is strangled in his own bed, judging by the chronicles, Cesare himself did it..
He is buried in secret, without mass or funeral service.
Lucrezia had a son from Alfonso, Rodrigo of Aragon, who would die at the age of 13 in 1512.

After the death of Lucrezia's second husband, the interests of Pope Alexander VI moved to northern Italy. And for his third marriage, he chose Alfonso d’Este for the daughter of the Duke of Ferrara. A magnificent wedding took place in 1501.

Lucretia's third husband did not want to stay in Rome for long, and they soon left him. Lucretia will never see the Eternal City again. Having settled in Ferrara, she led a rather modest lifestyle.

Alas, her third marriage did not bring her happiness. Alfonso d'Este turned out to be jealous and constantly watched his wife. Lucretia was still beautiful. But she quickly lost interest in her husband.

And she turned all her attention to encouraging artists. She especially singled out painters who painted canvases on religious themes. The great Italian Renaissance painter Lorenzo Lotto, famous poets of that time Niccolo de Correggio, Ludovico Ariosto and Pietro Bembo visited Lucrezia's house. Ludovico Ariosto even dedicated an octave of praise to Lucrezia in Roland Furious.

Lucretia bore her third husband several children. Complications during her last birth proved fatal for Lucretia; she died of puerperal fever on June 24, 1519 at the age of 39, ten days after the birth of her daughter, who also did not survive.

In the last years of her life, Lucrezia became very devout. She even wore an expiatory hair shirt and spent a lot of time praying in the temple.

She compiled an inventory of her personal property, including only 3,770 pieces of jewelry alone, and wrote out large gifts to churches and. The funeral service for Lucrezia Borgia was conducted by the court cardinal of her husband, Duke Alfonso d'Este. There were rumors that he was Lucretia's last lover.

Duke Alfonso d’Este turned out to be, to put it mildly, ignoble and the following words are carved on Lucrezia’s tombstone: “Here lies Lucrezia Borgia, daughter, wife and daughter-in-law of Pope Alexander VI.”

Undoubtedly, the Borgia family left behind monstrous memories and became the personification of ruthless, treacherous politics and sexual promiscuity. Lucrezia is also blamed for all this.

They say that there is no smoke without fire, but at the same time, we should not forget that in those days girls and women did not have their own will. They were completely dependent on the will of their father, brother, husband... Moreover, there are no reliable sources confirming Lucretia’s participation in the crimes of Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia.

There are researchers who are trying to clear her name.

So one of the world's leading experts on the Borgia family, Learco Andalo, writes: “The Borgias became the victim of distorted ideas based on malicious rumors. Lucrezia did not poison a single person. She herself fell victim to the pen of historians.”

The authorities of the town of Ferrara, located in the north, where Lucrezia Borgia spent the last years of her life and where she was buried, every year on February 5th they organize celebrations in her honor, accompanied by colorful performances, a carnival procession and dancing. The organizers of the holiday and the city residents hope that the truth will prevail and Lucretia will be acquitted. It is possible that this will actually happen through the efforts of scientists and fans of Lucretia.

At the exhibition held in Padua, dedicated to the Italian humanist, cardinal, poet and scientist Pietro Bembo (1470 - 1547), one exhibit attracted special attention of the guests. A lock of golden hair, imprisoned in a crystal case.

Historians are sure that this curl belonged to Lucrezia Borgia - one of the most famous and controversial women in the history of Italy, according to rumors, she was Bembo’s lover.

Lucrezia Borgia is the illegitimate daughter of the courtesan Vannozzi dei Cattanei and Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, who became Pope Alexander VI in 1492 and became famous throughout the centuries for his depraved (even by the standards of the Vatican of that time) behavior. The sister (and rumored mistress) of Cesare Borgia, the tyrant and greatest political figure of the Renaissance, it was he who first decided to unite Italy and became the prototype of Machiavelli’s “The Prince.”

Pictured: Holliday Grainger as Lucrezia Borgia (The Borgia series)

They say that it was Lucrezia Borgia, famous for her exotic beauty for an Italian of Spanish origin (she was blonde with light eyes), who posed as Flora for Bartolomeo Veneto and Lorenzo Lotto (the latter’s portrait, unfortunately, was lost).

In the photo: the painting “Flora” by Bartolomeo Veneto, presumably a portrait of Lucrezia Borgia

The personal life of this extraordinary woman, as it should be, was extraordinary. Officially, Lucrezia married three times, the first time she went down the aisle at a very young age for Giovanni Sforza. In the process of marriage, the girl managed not only to cheat on her husband with a proto-human, but also to become pregnant by another, the union of Lucrezia and Giovanni was dissolved by her father, Pope Alexander the Sixth, on the grounds that the marriage was not consummated: Lucrezia, who was already pregnant at that time, in an official document she was called a virgin, and her ex-husband was called impotent.

In the photo: a still from the film “Immoral Tales”, Lucrezia Borgia with her family

Lucrezia’s second marriage with Duke of Bisceglie Alfonso of Aragon was more successful from a love point of view (the couple had tender feelings for each other), but also short-lived; soon Lucrezia’s young husband was killed, and the crowd blamed her brother, Cesare Borgia, for the death of the blonde beauty’s husband. For the third and last time, Lucrezia married Alfonso D'Este, Prince of Ferrara, at that time the richest province of Italy.

In the photo: the central square of Ferrara and the Este Castle

Today, guides proudly show all guests of this city the staircase in the ancestral castle of Este, saying: “Yes, it was here that Lucrezia Borgia was sad for her dead men.”

In the photo: the staircase in the municipality of Ferrara, on which Lucrezia Borgia was sad

Este Castle is the main attraction of Ferrara. It is so large and multi-level that within its walls there was a place for a museum, a gallery where thematic exhibitions are held, and even a local municipality.

Large carps are still found in the moat that surrounds the castle, lovers like to while away their evenings on the rising bridges of the castle and in cafes near the fortress walls, and local rock bands sometimes give concerts in the courtyard of the Este castle.

By the way, the same staircase on which Lucrezia Borgia was sad no longer belongs to the territory of the castle museums, but to the local municipality; today, couples who have decided to enter into a civil, rather than a church, marriage climb up it - something that she loved to spend here In her days, one of the main “black brides” of Renaissance Europe does not seem to bother anyone.

In the photo: Municipality of Ferrara

Ferrara flourished during the Renaissance. At that time, the city, ruled by the Este dynasty, stood on the banks of a tributary of the deep Po River, by the way, to this day the largest in Italy. The river brought both joy and sorrow in a percentage ratio of approximately fifty to fifty.

On the one hand, it was the proximity of the river that allowed the city to conduct active trade and, as a result, grow rich; on the other hand, the floods that happened here led to very sad consequences. In the end, the disadvantages outweighed the advantages, and after the next flood, the inflow of the river was moved from Ferrara to a considerable distance, the city was no longer flooded, but from an economic point of view, Ferrara lost too much, and as a result, the city gradually lost its power.

In the photo: the central square of Ferrara

But that happened later. During the time of Lucrezia Borgia, her husband, Prince of Ferrara Alfonso D'Este, was absorbed in one idea: how to save the richest city of Emilia-Romagna from papal claims. By the way, he married the pope’s daughter solely for political reasons; Lucretia was never particularly interested in him as a woman.

In the photo: facade of the Duomo San Giorgio cathedral

The facade of the Duomo San Giorgio located near the castle, by the way, one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Italy, literally tells how Catholic principles invaded the life of Ferrara. The cathedral began to be built in the twelfth century and the bas-reliefs decorating the lower part of its façade clearly indicate that at that time the influence of the Vatican on the life of Ferrarese was relative. Take a closer look at this photo.

In the photo: the ancient facade of the Duomo San Giorgio

All the bas-reliefs are very peaceful and even positive: Mary and Joseph hugging each other, the birth of the baby Jesus, the gifts of the Magi and St. George defeating the serpent. There are no scenes of the crucifixion, the Last Judgment or the horrors of hell here.

In the photo: a fragment of an ancient bas-relief on the facade of the Duomo, symbolizing the birth of Christ and the worship of the Magi.

And here is the upper part of the facade decoration, created several centuries later, when the influence of the Vatican in Ferrara intensified.

In the photo: facade of St. George's Cathedral

We see a sculptural composition in the center of which is the Madonna, above her is an image of the Last Judgment. On the left hand of Madonna are the righteous who have gone to heaven; the composition is quite standard and not very interesting. On the left are sinners in hell, here the sculptors have already done their best: terrible devils boil the souls of the unfortunate in a cauldron and feed the sinners to Cerberus.

In the photo: devils with sinners, a fragment of the sculptural composition on the facade of the Cathedral of San Giorgio.

It is worth noting that at that time only a small percentage of the inhabitants of Ferrara could read, therefore these “illustrations” at the entrance to the cathedral were supposed to explain to the townspeople in a very clear way what would happen to them after death if they did not obey the Pope. Also notable are the columns of the Duomo San Giorgio; on the right, a young man holds the column on his shoulders, and on the left, an old man.

The old man supports the column with one hand, while the young guy uses two hands - this is a symbolic image of the fact that old age brings not only weakness, but also wisdom, and wisdom is the strength of the mind, which sometimes exceeds physical strength many times over.

In the photo: a column at the entrance to the cathedral, a sculpture of an old man holding the column with one hand.

In general, Duomo San Giorgio is a very interesting cathedral. The local bell tower is made of pink marble, and the wall facing the square consists of small cells-rooms. In the old days, there were shops here, and at the same time the homes of merchants, now someone still lives here (this is evidenced by the air conditioners on the windows), and below there are shops selling tourist nonsense.

In the photo: the bell tower and benches on the wall of St. George's Cathedral

In one of these shops you will certainly come across a magnet with a picture of Lucretia’s profile. It is quite understandable why Lucrezia Borgia (a lady, frankly, not with the best reputation) became one of the living legends of Ferrara.

Pictured: silver engraving of Lucrezia Borgia and her son

It was through her mediation that the Este Castle became one of the most brilliant courts in Europe at that time; the most famous sculptors, poets and political figures of the Renaissance came to meet the amazing beauty, including Pietro Bembo - a humanist, poet, one of the founders of archeology as a science and inventor of pocket books (before him, books were published only in large format and could only be read in a library).

By the way, he dedicated some of his poems to Lucretia, and in one sonnet Bembo even admitted that he was ready to “pray to the balcony on which she stood.” The greatness of Ferrara at that time is today evidenced by the numerous palaces built in the sixteenth century. The most famous of them is Palazzo dei Diamante or Diamond Palace. Its walls are lined with marble squares (more than 12 thousand squares were spent on finishing), and each of them repeats the cut of a diamond in its shape.

But today there is little left of the fortress walls that used to surround the city; now in their place are bicycle paths, which are actively used by the residents of Ferrara. In general, a bicycle in Ferrara is the main means of transportation; both young and old ride them, and the number of bicycles per capita is so high that even Amsterdam can envy.

On the Street of the Vaults, another famous place in the city, there is usually nowhere to park, so cyclists sometimes attach their bicycles directly to the walls of the basilicas. In general, Vault Street is an unusually beautiful place: all the houses of this narrow street are connected to each other by a kind of arches. The fact is that before this was not a street, but a canal, on one side of which there were residential buildings of merchants, on the other - shopping arcades. Merchants walked from home to store along bridges, then the canal was drained, and now it is just a street with lovely arches.

By the way, about channels. Ferrara, like many surrounding cities, belonged to the Venetians for some time; as a legacy from that period, the Ferrara people inherited bas-reliefs depicting a winged lion, with which, as you know, representatives of the Most Serene Republic marked all the places they conquered, photo below.

However, it is much more interesting to look at the bas-reliefs of local churches in Ferrara. For example, this quite Russian knight adorns the Museo della Cattedrale, located on the main square of the city.

In the photo: bas-relief at the entrance to the Museo della Cattedrale

Or a mosaic image of the Virgin Mary and Child on the street leading from the center towards the fortress walls, with Madonna and Jesus wearing crowns, evoking associations with Byzantine art.

In the photo: Madonna on the wall of one of the houses in Ferrara

Another historical character and symbol of Ferrara is the great and terrible preacher Girolamo Savonarola. He became famous for denouncing the depraved morals of the Vatican, preaching strict asceticism and predicting the imminent end of the world.

In the photo: statue of Girolamo Savonarola

Although Savonarola preached mainly in Florence, where at first everyone listened to him, and then he was burned there, a monument to this odious personality was erected in his homeland, in Ferrara, and, in a place of honor, near the Este Castle, and, by the way, in Ferrara Savonarola is still considered a saint to this day.

50 famous riddles of the Middle Ages Zgurskaya Maria Pavlovna

Bloody secrets of the Borgia family, or “Holy Family”

Perhaps no surname has left such a mark in the consciousness of mankind and has not acquired so many legends, myths, rumors and assumptions as this one. Neither historians nor contemporaries fully understood what these Borgias were, one representative of which was the pope and forced even sovereigns to grovel before him, the other seemed so ferocious and dangerous that Louis XII, just from his name, was thrown into a fever like even now throws into heat those who read the story of the atrocities he committed, and the name of the third - their daughter-wife-daughter-in-law - has become a household name to designate a femme fatale, combining external perfection with sophisticated deceit.

Reading the description of the life of the Borgia, at every step you come across a corpse, mystery, intrigue, incest and the most odious debauchery and satisfaction of personal selfish ambitions... These cynical and cruel minds, cold and passionate at the same time, aroused curiosity and interest at all times. The amazing story of the Borgia family is interesting primarily because it reveals the dark sides of human life. All kinds of sins, sacrilege, incest, and murder were attributed to them. Many of these sins were probably invented by political opponents of the all-powerful clan. But, as you know, there is no smoke without fire...

In general, it just so happens that the name Borgia itself is now associated only with murderers and poisoners. Let's remember the famous Borgia rings - the object of desire and passion of collectors. These Renaissance jewelry masterpieces are as notorious as their owners. The son of Pope Alexander VI, famous for his courage and cruelty, Cesare Borgia, wore a ring with a huge ruby ​​called the “Flame of Borgia” and claimed that this stone saved his life more than once - apparently because under the stone there was a secret reservoir with poison, which he poured it into the glass of wine for those who dared to encroach on the life of the owner of the ring. Rings, rings, pendants, aigrettes from the Borgia era are not just outstanding jewelry, they are often containers for deadly poisons, stimulants or intoxicants. However, it would be unfair to consider only Pope Alexander VI Borgia and his son Cesare as the customer of these deadly decorations. The sinister poisoner Catherine de Medici, the Dukes d’Este, the Sforza clan, and many other tyrants, popes, condottieres, and princes loved such toys. By the way, many of the historical successors of the Borgias tried by any means to obtain their rings “with a secret.” Well, apparently, brand awareness was important even then. These precious toys were rare and aroused not only fear, but also interest, the desire to own a “useful” decoration.

The American writer Chase even wrote a novel, “The Borgia Ring,” in which the plot is built around an ancient ring that belonged to this family, a ring from which, if necessary, a tiny needle with poison would jump out...

The family coat of arms of the Borgia (Borho) - the red bull - could not have been more suitable for them: it is not so easy to curb this powerful, ferocious and lustful animal. According to historical chronicles, the Borgia family came from Spain, but was not crowned with any laurels in this country. But having moved to Italy in the 15th century, he gained loud, albeit controversial fame: there this family “gave” two popes to Catholics - Calixtus III and Alexander VI.

According to one version, the first of them, called Alonso in the world, had a scandalous reputation, since for many years he was the common-law husband of his sister Joanna Borgia, and allegedly owes this connection to the birth of Rodrigo Borgia - the future Pope Alexander VI, who was born in the town Xativa, near Valencia, January 1, 1431. Therefore, when Rodrigo was born, Joanna’s husband, Gottfried Lensuoli, simply did not recognize him as his legitimate son, for he had long noticed how

Joanna treated her brother Alonso. This led to the couple separating, and Rodrigo, who was denied the surname Lensuoli, began to be called Borgia.

The history of the Borgia family is closely connected with the struggle for the papal throne, when there were several popes in the world at once, one of whom was declared true, and all the rest - false, antipopes. Alonso's spiritual career began in 1416, when he was already 36 years old. At that time, as a delegate to the Council of Constance, where the election of the pope took place, he quickly sensed what was happening and voted for the overthrow of his benefactor Benedict XIII. Alonso acted this way on the secret order of King Alfonso V of Aragon. King Alfonso, as a reward for betrayal, achieved the appointment of Borgia as bishop of the rich Valencian diocese.

For seven years Alonso faithfully served his king, fighting against Benedict XIII, and finally what he sought happened: Benedict was deposed, and Borgia, valiant and faithful, received a new reward from Alfonso - the post of Chancellor of His Majesty.

After some time, Alfonso found it necessary to make friends with another antipope, Felix V, hoping with his help to place his natural son Ferrante on the throne of Naples. But Borgia, who had already realized his own importance, dreamed of giving this warm place to his nephew (and evil tongues claimed that his son) Pedro Luis. And as soon as the opportunity presented itself, the chancellor betrayed his king, for which Pope Eugene IV elevated him to cardinal.

The new cardinal moved to Rome, where two nephews came to visit him. One of them is Pedro Luis, the second, a year older than him, is the already mentioned above Rodrigo. So, two young Spaniards arrived in the magnificent Eternal City, noisy, freer and more democratic in morals than Madrid. The nephews quickly acquired a taste for Roman life.

Rodrigo studied law in Italy and successfully practiced law. At first, he decided to specialize in this area and, it must be said, he immediately succeeded in this field, becoming a recognized authority in the defense of all sorts of dubious persons and acts. However, the legal profession forced him to lead a more strict lifestyle than he would like. For a lawyer who constantly deals with the law, his own reputation meant a lot. Therefore, after not very painful thoughts, the brave and handsome Rodrigo Borgia changed his lawyer’s robe to a military uniform.

So, in his youth he fought, robbed, sought dangerous adventures, but then he realized that only the Church could give him the position that his insatiable ambition required. He gives up his military career and joins a monastic order, causing discord everywhere and becoming a celebrity solely thanks to scandals. Soon, with the help of his uncle, Rodrigo was elevated to the rank of Archbishop of Valencia, where Alonso once served. Later, Rodrigo gave the Valencian diocese to his son Cesare, so we can say that Valencia literally nurtured this famous family.

While still a young man, Rodrigo became involved with a young widow, Elena Vanozzi, suspected of murdering her husband, who caught her in the arms of her lover. In those days, such murders happened often and were considered commonplace. Moreover, Elena Vanozzi's crime elevated rather than humiliated her in the eyes of Rodrigo, for whom the end always justified the means. Elena raised two daughters: the eldest, very ugly, whose name is unknown, and the youngest - Rosa (according to some sources - Rosa-Vanessa, according to others - Rosa Vanozzi dei Cattani, or Giovanna, and maybe also Elena), a real beauty. She knew well about her mother’s crime, but for the time being she kept the secret, waiting for the moment to avenge the death of her beloved father...

We didn't have to wait too long. As Elena Vanozzi grew old and lost her charm, Rose became more beautiful every day. And the voluptuous Rodrigo, comparing the two women, of course, preferred the latter. Not used to curbing his desires, he once demanded that Rose become his mistress. The nineteen-year-old beauty, not at all offended by the demands of the lover of matter, answered mysteriously: “As long as my mother lives, I cannot give myself to you.” Rodrigo understood the answer in the sense Rosa desired and, without hesitation, hastened to destroy the obstacle. The next day, Elena Vanozzi died suddenly, poisoned by her lover. The eldest daughter was immediately forcibly tonsured into one of the monasteries, and the youngest gave herself to the poisoner as a reward for killing her mother.

For the next seven years, the lovers connected by the crime enjoyed serene happiness, not disturbed by the slightest reproaches of conscience. It would be difficult to find a more suitable pair. When Rodrigo made the daughter of Elena Vanozzi his mistress, he was already a cardinal, bishop of Porto.

But in 1455, Cardinal Alonso Borgia, uncle (and according to rumors, father) of Rodrigo, sat on the papal throne under the name Calixtus III and demanded his nephew to his court. A wide road opened before Rodrigo to achieve all earthly blessings - in the sense as he understood them. He immediately went to Rome, leaving Rosa in Valencia, as he feared that the pontiff would react negatively to such a connection. However, sensing solid ground beneath him, the papal nephew, having received the title of cardinal, transported his mistress from Valencia to Venice and spent all his free time with her, carefully hiding his adventures from his uncle.

Young Rodrigo, having arrived in Rome, showed everyone that he was an energetic, ambitious, cruel and power-hungry person. Thanks to his intrigues, he became a rich and very influential cardinal. This was also helped by his numerous mistresses - the cardinal enjoyed great success with women. Popes came and went, but Cardinal Borgia became stronger, richer and more loving.

He did not forget about his illegitimate children, especially from Rosa Vanozzi, who had four children with Rodrigo: Giovanni, Cesare, Lucrezia and Gifredo. The first, born in 1474, became Duke of Gandia. The second, born in 1476, was the cardinal's favorite, and ten years later his father secured for him the post of treasurer of the Cartagena Cathedral. In 1480, Lucretia was born, a golden-haired girl who later acquired a terrible reputation, perhaps undeserved. Two years later Gifredo was born. And in 1492, an event occurred that raised the Borgia family to unprecedented heights: Innocent VIII died, and Rodrigo ascended the papal throne - under the name of Alexander VI.

Alexander VI and Cesare Borgia hatched brilliant plans for the unification of Italy. The treasury was exhausted by continuous wars in Italy and orgies within the walls of the Vatican, so Alexander VI, in the last two years of his life, decided to expand the circle of profitable trade in indulgences, ranks and cardinal's hats. The last article was especially profitable; here the pope, as they say, killed two birds with one stone: he received money from the new cardinal and legally inherited the estate of his late predecessor.

His Holiness invited the cardinal to his place for breakfast or dinner, shook his hand or ordered him to unlock the door, locked with a key, and after two or three days the cardinal went to eternal life... The pope had a gold ring, on the inside of which, if the pope shook someone's hand, a tiny steel spike appeared. This thorn slightly damaged the skin of the unfortunate person and released a drop of poison. Keys on doors or cabinets were equipped with exactly the same mechanism.

No matter what enchanting sins Alexander VI is accused of, we must not forget that this libertine, intriguer and criminal was gifted with a clear mind. We can repeat the quite fair saying of the famous French writer Joseph de Maistre, who said about him: “The content of the bulls of this monster is completely infallible.”

Was Alexander VI such a monster as he is described? Guilty of incest, an unprincipled sinner, a libertine, a murderer? If this man was like that, then he skillfully covered up the traces of his crimes. But one of his sins is certain, since Padre Rodrigo loved to brag about it: he had children from his many mistresses. This might not be so unnatural if the person in question were not a Catholic priest, a cardinal and, finally, a pope. However, at that time there would hardly have been any duke, count, baron or church leader who did not have concubines and children from them. Another thing is that Borgia did not know a sense of proportion. He differed from his contemporaries only in the quantity, not the quality, of his sins.

The children of His Holiness turned out to be quite worthy of their parent.

Cesare Borgia - Duke of Valencia and Romaglia, Prince of Andria and Venafra, ruler of Piombino, Camerino and Urbino, gonfalonier (i.e. commander-in-chief of the troops of the Papal States) and captain general of the Holy Church. He can be called one of the most controversial personalities in history. In him, Alexander VI found a faithful assistant and accomplice in affairs of state and love. Cesare, his favorite, became famous throughout Europe for his orgies, robbery and terror against those he disliked.

Cesare Borgia received an excellent education and was preparing for a church career. In 1492, his father, having ascended the papal throne, made him bishop of Pamplona, ​​and in 1493 - cardinal and archbishop of Valencia. At the age of 17, contrary to all church traditions, he became a cardinal. Cesare hated his older brother Giovanni, who had more land holdings. In 1497, the Duke of Gandia disappeared. He was found with his throat cut in the Tiber. Rumor considered Cesare, who was jealous of his brother and sister, to be the killer. Cesare became the most powerful and feared man in Rome. When he needed money, he simply extorted it from some cardinal or aristocrat, using his father's name. Cesare left bloody trails all over Italy.

In August 1498, Cesare Borgia resigned, in October he went to France as the pope's ambassador and successfully mediated between Alexander VI and King Louis XII on the issue of the king's divorce, for which he granted him the title of Duke of Valentinois. In 1499, Cesare married the sister of the King of Navarre.

Cesare Borgia recruited an army of 2,000 horsemen and 6,000 infantry in France and Navarre and with these forces began to realize his dream - the creation of his own state in Central Italy. By the end of 1499, he quickly took Imola, Forli, Cesena and a number of other cities in Romagna. In 1500, Alexander VI made his son Gonfaloniere of the Church, and in 1501 - Duke of Romagna. Cesare brought terror to the conquered territories. He was able to invite the enemy to negotiations, and then kill him with a dagger or poison.

In 1503, the pope and Cesare, at a feast at Cardinal Orsini's, intended to give the owner of the house poisoned wine, but either by mistake or because of the bribery of the cupbearer, the wine went to the pope himself and his son. The pope died a few days later, and Cesare was painfully ill for a long time. Having come to his senses, he hid with people loyal to him in the impregnable Castle of St. Angel in Rome and was then able to flee to Naples, which belonged to Spain, having lost all his wealth and conquests.

In 1504, the governor of the Kingdom of Naples arrested Cesare and sent him to Spain, where King Ferdinand VI imprisoned him. However, in 1506, Cesare fled to Navarre, where he entered military service with his wife's brother. In Navarre, he quickly and brutally suppressed the uprising against the king.

In 1507 he was persecuted by the Inquisition. But his death, which occurred in the same year, puts an end to this process (he died during the siege of Viana Castle).

Machiavelli dedicated his book “The Prince” to Cesare, hoping that it would be Cesare (even with blood, cruelty, violence) who would fulfill the centuries-old dream of many Italians - to create a strong, free, united Italian state.

Lucrezia Borgia... Who was she really? A legendary intriguer who decided the destinies of Europe, a “Whore of Babylon” who was accused of murder and incest, and a poisoner? Or an extraordinary person who dared to invade territory where women were prohibited from entering - and paid for it? This golden-haired Italian was a contemporary of Leonardo da Vinci, Francois Rabelais and Christopher Columbus. She did not own a brush, did not write novels and did not discover new lands. And yet it remained in history for centuries. Historians still cannot say what this woman really was like. What about historians, even if Lucretia’s contemporaries did not have a clear opinion on this matter, vying with each other to contradict each other?

As for the facts, they are quite contradictory.

Lucretia was born in 1480. They talked a lot about her. For example, there were persistent rumors about her incestuous relationship with her own father and brother. They even suspected that she, like Cleopatra, set a terrible condition for her lovers, and for one night spent with her, they paid with their lives the next morning... However, in addition to these gossips, which may have had no basis in reality, Lucrezia Borgia is also known about the fact that she helped the poor, was a compassionate and religious woman. Several times she even pawned family jewelry, donating the money to charity, for which in Ferrara she was respectfully nicknamed “Mother of the People.”

There is little reliable information about Lucretia’s childhood. Obviously, she received a good education, understood music, painting and poetry, which, in fact, was required by her social position. As for hobbies in history and alchemy, then it was a fashionable fad and almost everyone was involved in it. Well, knowledge of several foreign languages ​​(except Italian and Latin) testified not so much to broad erudition as to the objective state of affairs - in that era, Italy, France, Portugal, Spain, fragmented into separate principalities, existed in a mixed linguistic space.

The main “universities” of Lucretia were court intrigues and palace life, rich in Rabelaisian flavor. And her bright beauty, hot Spanish blood and early awakened sensuality made her desirable to many by the age of 11.

Morals in those days were simple and cruel. Apparently, that’s why no one was surprised when Lucretia’s first two gentlemen, one after another, went to the next world. The names of the killers were not a secret, since it was obvious to almost everyone that both Giovanni and Cesare had not entirely brotherly feelings for their sister. Perhaps that is why Cardinal Rodrigo hastily sent his sons to study away from their sister and from each other - one to the University of Pisa, the other to the University of Padua. But it did not help…

In 1492, Lucrezia Borgia gave birth to a girl from Giovanni, who was immediately given to be raised by a peasant family. And the young sinner was immediately married to the titled but not rich Aragonese nobleman Don Esteban. This “event” was also intended to put an end to conversations about Lucretia’s incestuous relationship with her own father, who, even in his sixties, managed to exude irrepressible vital energy and maintain a lively mind. When a more profitable marriage option was found, the Borgias simply paid off the fake husband who played his role.

On the occasion of the transformation of Cardinal Rodrigo into Pope Alexander VI in the same 1492, the family first strengthened the position of their illegitimate children: Giovanni received the Duchy of Gandia, Cesare - Valencia and Romagna, and Lucrezia - a new groom, much more suitable for her position, marriage with which provided the Borgia clan with the necessary political alliance with the powerful family of the Dukes of Milan. While the wealthy widower Giovanni Sforza decided to marry again, Lucrezia was not yet thirteen. However, this circumstance was not so important: even if she were older, no one would have been interested in her desire anyway. In addition, there were persistent rumors that the father took advantage of his daughter’s beauty and, apparently, was not always guided by her consent. The wedding with Giovanni Sforza took place a year later on a grand scale befitting the event. But after a week there was no trace of the illustrious husband, and Lucrezia, contrary to custom, did not follow him. Whether the newlywed herself dealt with her better half, or whether her relatives showed him the proper place is unknown. But Sforza rarely reminded Borgia of his existence, apparently not wanting to have anything to do with the family, which even then had a trail of bad fame behind it. While in such a marriage, Lucretia led a completely free and carefree life. The father provided his beloved daughter with a huge fortune and gave her a palace in an expensive quarter of Rome. Lucrezia's house was striking in its luxury. There was also a secular salon with a whole host of poets, artists and musicians - patronage of the arts was considered good form at all times.

When the father of the family reigned in the Vatican, taking the name of Alexander VI, Lucretia actually settled in the pope’s chambers, because living in the Vatican palace promised the greatest temptation - the opportunity to rule. Since then, the holy monastery has turned into the epicenter of sophisticated revelry, in which, according to contemporaries, Lucretia also played a significant role. It is not difficult to imagine how irritated the pontiff’s subjects must have felt when, among other things, his daughter began to manage the affairs of the holy father: reading papal correspondence, convening cardinals to collegiums, deciding who to reward and who to punish. The behavior of Lucrezia, as well as the pope who condoned her, could not but shock: what was it like, say, for an ambassador of a foreign state or a provincial bishop, who had achieved a reception with the head of the Church, to see, instead of a venerable old man, a young coquette in provocative dresses? I wonder if Lucretia really was like this? Why did her father trust her so much that he allowed her to solve the most difficult issues on his behalf? It is known that Alexander VI appointed Lucretia governor of the cities of Spoletto and Foligno, violating the hitherto immutable rule that only a man with the title of cardinal could hold such a high post. However, if you believe historical evidence, Lucretia showed very remarkable abilities in this path. For example, when the feud between the cities of Terni and Spoletto threatened to escalate into a bloody confrontation, she, as a “goodwill ambassador,” found a way to reconcile the opponents. Obviously, Alexander VI sent his daughter to the rebellious cities not by chance - he was confident in the intelligence and exceptional business and organizational qualities of Lucretia...

However, these qualities were inherent in the entire Borgia family. Alexander VI's own plans - to subjugate not only all the lands of Italy, but also of neighboring Europe - required gold. And in this matter his imagination was inexhaustible. At first, the pontiff habitually used the experience of his predecessors: he declared a new crusade against Muslims in order to finally win the Holy Sepulcher. This made it possible to send monks throughout the Christian world, whose duties were charged with facilitating donations in every possible way for the holy cause - it is clear that the collected gold ended up in the storerooms of the Borgia family. And then dad invented his own know-how: noble nobles and rich priests were invited to the holidays, for whom this feast was supposed to be the last: they were simply killed, and the property of the victims was confiscated. In addition, Cesare, who masterfully wielded a dagger, was always at hand. However, in fairness it must be said that the Borgias still preferred “bloodless methods of murder.”

Borgia poison has become the talk of the town - legends have been made about it for hundreds of years. Papal chemists produced an entire arsenal of extremely powerful poisons for Alexander VI. Here the discovery of America could not have come at a better time: many formulations used plants and roots unknown in Europe, specially brought from the New World. The famous Borgia wine, thanks to different “dosages”, exerted its effect after different times - from a month to several years. The consequences of poisoning with such a drink were similar in symptoms to radiation sickness: the doomed person’s hair and teeth fell out, the skin peeled off, and death occurred as a result of paralysis of the respiratory center. In case of special need, as a fast-acting and surest remedy, the Borgia clan used its favorite poison - colorless and odorless and without an antidote. It was said that Cesare and Lucretius especially excelled in the sophistication of handling poison. Cesare wore a deadly ring, from the inside of which two lion claws protruded; It was they who, if necessary, were smeared with poison. At the moment of the handshake, Cesare lightly scratched the interlocutor’s hand with the inside of the ring and immediately took it off. They claimed that in addition to the ring, Cesare mastered the art of cutting a peach with a poisoned knife so that, having eaten one half, he himself would remain unharmed, while the one who tasted the other part of the fruit would die in terrible agony.

One could only sympathize with Count Giovanni Sforza, for whom the union with the young beauty brought complete disappointment and universal ridicule. Although fate protected him - he still continued to live, while many other chosen ones of Lucretia were much less lucky. And five years later, certain higher considerations again prompted Pope Alexander VI to marry off his beloved daughter - now for the sake of strengthening ties with the Kingdom of Naples. True, this time Lucrezia quite unexpectedly announced that she did not intend to return to her father in her previous capacity. Then he used force: Vatican guards arrested the shrew and imprisoned her in the monastery of St. Sixtus.

The completely humiliated Count Sforza was treated even more unsightly by declaring him ill and, as a result, marital insolvent - a more than obvious reason for divorce.

Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Lucretia, who was awaiting the official dissolution of her marital ties within the monastery walls, became acquainted with the chamberlain Pedro Caldes, who was assigned to her for supervision. The lovers managed to hide their relationship for quite a long time. Their relationship was revealed only by Lucretia’s obvious pregnancy. When Cesare noticed her, he furiously attacked the seducer with a knife right in front of the pope. But, spattering blood on both the Vatican throne and the parent sitting on it, he only wounded Caldes. And yet, the guilty chamberlain still had no chance of survival: a few days later his corpse was caught in the Tiber along with the body of his beloved chamberlain Lucrezia, who had paid for not informing.

In May 1498, Lucrezia gave birth to a boy named Giovanni. At the family council, it was decided that the mother would never be able to look at the son born from the despicable Pedro Caldes. But nevertheless, they decided to legitimize the baby. Thus, two papal bulls were born at once: in one, Alexander VI stated that Giovanni was Cesare’s son from a relationship with a certain unmarried woman. The second bull - secret - recognized that in reality the “Roman infante” was none other than the child of the pope himself. Alexander ordered this document to be drawn up, allegedly for the purpose of legitimizing the transfer to his grandson of the duchy, which was claimed by the irrepressible Cesare. When news of the bulls became known, the Borgia family was once again subjected to universal censure. And a year after her divorce from Count Sforza, Lucrezia was married to Alfonso of Aragon, Duke of Bisaglia, from the reigning Neapolitan house. In addition to the political prospect of becoming related to the Aragonese dynasty, her marriage to the 17-year-old natural son of King Alfonso II made Lucrezia the mistress of a fortune that any European princess could envy. It is known that Lucrezia lived in peace and harmony with Prince Alfonso and seemed to be very attached to him.

However, just as in previous times, Duke Bisaglia went to his home in Naples, and his wife... again remained with the pope, continuing to lead her usual way of life.

It turned out that the pope was unable to fulfill his plan - to annex Naples to the Roman possessions through another marriage of his daughter. Then he declared his son-in-law a traitor. Regarding the deplorable fate of the next official spouse of Lucrezia, reports from historical chronicles vary. According to one version, Alfonso was wounded by someone and, suspecting Lucrezia’s brother Cesare in the assassination attempt, in turn tried to get rid of his dangerous relative. But nothing worked out for him. But Cesare, for some insignificant reason, found fault with Alfonso at a family reception and immediately stabbed him with a dagger. According to another, the elder Borgia sent hired killers to him, but the assassination attempt failed: Lucrezia carefully nursed her husband for several months. And Alfonso was already completely recovered, but he did not manage to recover completely. The same Cesare, having scattered the guards, burst into his chambers and strangled the unfortunate prince with his own hands.

After the failure with Naples, Alexander VI's interests focused on northern Italy. In connection with this, he once again selected a new marriage option for his widowed daughter - now her husband was to be the Duke of Ferrara Alfonso d'Este.

Lucretia's next wedding took place in 1501. The action was organized entirely in the traditions of the then Vatican, as eyewitnesses testified, “with such pomp and debauchery that even pagan antiquity did not know.” After a short time, Lucrezia, together with her husband Alfonso d’Este, left the Eternal City and, as it turned out, forever.

After leaving Rome, Lucretia led a more than modest lifestyle in provincial Ferrara. As if as a punishment, the last husband turned out to be terribly jealous and constantly conducted open surveillance of his wife: in the ducal palace she lived constantly, as if in honorable captivity. And although rumor continues to attribute cruel acts to “bloody Lucretia” (for example, the death of six representatives of noble Ferrara families), this is not confirmed by facts.

It is reliably known that she was indifferent to her new husband and retained her former beauty. “She is of medium height, with delicate features, a slightly elongated face, she has a slightly elongated nose, golden hair, a large mouth, sparkling white teeth; The chest is white and smooth, but quite full. Her whole being is imbued with good nature and gaiety,” wrote one of the eyewitnesses of Lucretia’s arrival in Ferrara.

It is also known that Lucretia did not lose interest in life - the ducal castle quickly became one of the most brilliant courts in Europe. She continued to generously encourage artists, especially artists, giving preference to those who painted paintings on religious themes. And it seems that the terrible glory that hovered over the Borgia clan and Lucrezia herself frightened few - the great Italian painter of the Renaissance Titian and the famous Lorenzo Lotto (by the way, who created a beautiful portrait of the hostess), famous poets of that time Niccolo de Correggio, Pietro Bembo and Ludovico Ariosto. The latter, in his “Furious Roland,” dedicated an octave of praise to Lucretia.

A few years before her death, Lucretia became very devout and joined the association of laity under the Order of St. Francis. She stopped receiving guests, instead of luxurious outfits she wore a redemptive hair shirt. And she disappeared almost for days in the city temple - perhaps she had a presentiment of her imminent death.

In the spring of 1519, she almost did not get out of bed: another pregnancy took away her last strength. Doctors decided to induce early labor, but the woman in labor suddenly went into labor and a premature baby girl was born, who died the same day. Due to childbed fever, the mother could not be saved either: on June 24, 1519, Lucrezia Borgia died at the age of 39, the last of the notorious House of Borgia. The funeral service for the deceased was said to have been carried out by Lucrezia’s last lover, a cardinal who lived at the court of her husband, Duke Alfonso d’Este.

Lucretia is the biggest mystery of the Borgia family. We will never know whether she really was the organizer of the murder of unwanted people, while remaining a brilliant woman.

The following words were carved on her tombstone: “Here lies Lucrezia Borgia, daughter, wife and daughter-in-law of Pope Alexander VI.”

And now the authorities of the town of Ferrara, located in northern Italy, where Lucrezia Borgia spent the remaining years of her life and where her resting place is located, every year on February 5th they organize celebrations in her honor, accompanied by colorful performances, a carnival procession and dancing. This fact may seem strange, given all of the above. In addition, in the fall of 2004, an exhibition opened in the Roman Palazzo Rospoli, to which the funds of 54 museums presented 234 exhibits dedicated to the Borgia dynasty. The organizers of the action recognized that the history of this family is connected with various conspiracies, murders and incest, but at the same time, Lucrezia herself, in their opinion, should be rehabilitated. For most likely she did not poison anyone and did not have incestuous relations with her closest relatives. Several versions have been put forward to restore the beautiful Italian woman’s good name. According to one of them, Lucretia - in retaliation for being accused of marital insolvency - was slandered by her ex-husband Giovanni Sforza, who repeated everywhere: the Pope dissolved the marriage of his beautiful daughter because he intended to keep her for himself. After which rumors about this began to spread around the world, acquiring unimaginable details. According to another, it was argued that Lucretia had several unsuccessful pregnancies and generally remained childless...

One way or another, but even now, after five centuries, hardly anyone will argue with the fact that Lucrezia was undoubtedly part and instrument of the political intrigues of Pope Alexander VI and her brother Cesare, who spread the influence of the Borgia family throughout Italy. There is not much genuine documentary evidence left that can shed light on this story. And yet, the inhabitants of Ferrara do not give up hope that one fine day they will still be able to prove to the world that the beautiful Lucrezia became a victim of slander, envy, as well as exorbitant ambition and inhuman pride of her father and brother.

The holy command of King Chinggis is a command to the leaders of all places: “What kind of monasteries and houses of asceticism do Qiu Shen Xian (Chang Chun) have, in them those who read sacred books daily and pray to the Heavenly Lord, let them pray for the long life of the King for many years; yes they will