Which pope had a child with his daughter?

And the old man licking his lips at the antics of the call-girls was none other than the Pope himself, Alexander VI, formerly known as Rodrigo Borgia. It is said that his daughter Lucrezia and his son Cesare were also there, enjoying the spectacle.

Is the Borgias a true story?

“This is a suspenseful crime drama based on real characters and events. I have a rapacious thirst for historical material and if something sets off my imagination, I use it.” The trick in both “The Borgias” and “The Tudors” is to have the essential true-life story completely nailed to the ground for structure.

Did Pope Alexander VI have a child with Lucrezia?

Lucrezia Borgia (Italian pronunciation: [luˈkrɛttsja ˈbɔrdʒa]; Valencian: Lucrècia Borja [luˈkrɛsia ˈbɔɾdʒa]; 18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was a Spanish-Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei.

Who is the father of Lucrezia Borgia's baby?

Lucrezia retired to Nepi, and during this period the mysterious Infans Romanus (Roman Infant) was first seen, the three-year-old boy named Giovanni, with whom Lucrezia appeared in 1501. Two papal bulls recognized the child as the illegitimate son first of Cesare, then of Alexander, who was probably the true father.

Which pope had an illegitimate son?

Alexander fathered at least seven and possibly as many as ten illegitimate children, doing much to promote his family's interests – using his offspring to build alliances with a number of important dynasties.

Lucrezia Borgia: The infamous Daughter of Pope Alexander VI - Great Personalities of History

Was there a 12 year old pope?

Benedict IX was pope on 3 separate occasions during his lifetime, with the first being when he was just 12 years old. He grew to be a wicked boy and ran from the position to hide within the city when political opponents tried to murder him.

Did the Borgia siblings sleep together?

Many people believed Rodrigo was indeed sleeping with his daughter, and that Lucrezia and her brother Cesare were also lovers. Strathern says there is no way of being sure, but comments that 'the Borgias seem to have enjoyed sex as a spectator sport' and were frequently seen fondling each other in public.

What happened to Pope Alexander Borgia?

Alexander's cause of death remains a mystery. Contemporary chroniclers suggested that he may have been poisoned, either intentionally or accidentally. After Alexander's death, Cesare dispatched a gang of dagger-wielding henchmen to loot the papal residence.

Did Cesare and Lucrezia sleep together?

She just couldn't resist me anymore." After fighting with Alfonso (Sebastian De Souza) at their wedding reception, Lucrezia (Holliday Grainger) crawled into bed with Cesare, who was shocked but didn't exactly protest his sister's boldness. "Only a Borgia it seems, can truly love a Borgia," Lucrezia said.

Are the Medici and The Borgias related?

Their name has become a byword for murder and incest, making the Borgia the most notorious family in Renaissance Italy. They were not friends of the Medici.

Why was Pope Alexander VI so infamous?

Although he enjoyed many successes, Pope Alexander VI is most well-known for the rumors of corruption and licentiousness that plagued his papacy. He used his position as the supreme leader of the Catholic Church to ensure that his children with Vanozza dei Cattani would be well provided for.

What happened to The Borgias after the pope died?

Later Years. In 1503, Borgia's father, Pope Alexander, died, and with him many of Cesare's remaining plots died as well. Borgia's life became more stable, and when Alfonso's father died in 1505, Borgia and Alfonso became the reigning duke and duchess of Ferrara.

What were The Borgias infamous for?

The Borgia Legend

Alexander and the Borgias have become infamous for corruption, cruelty, and murder. Yet what Alexander did as pope was rarely original, he just took things to a new extreme.

Did Cesare Borgia have syphilis?

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.

Why was the Borgia series Cancelled?

Showtime has canceled its original series "The Borgias" saying the period drama was too expensive. "The Borgias" creator Neil Jordan spoke with Deadline saying, "When they looked at what it could cost it was just too expensive."

Was Cesare Borgia a Templar?

Cesare Borgia (Valencian: Cèsar Borja; Spanish: César Borja; 1475 – 1507) was an Italian condottiero (military leader), nobleman, and politician. He was an illegitimate son of Rodrigo Borgia and a nemesis of the Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Like his father, he was a member of the Templar Order.

What poison did The Borgias use?

The Borgias specialized in disposing of cardinals, bishops, and nobles by using several kinds of poisons including arsenic, strychnine, cantharidin, and aconite incorporated in drinks, clothes, gloves, book pages, flowers, and drugs.

What episode of The Borgias does Lucrezia sleep with her brother?

In the third episode of season three of "The Borgias," after having a fight with her new husband Alfonso, an upset Lucrezia seeks comfort in the arms and bed of her older brother.

Was there a woman pope?

Pope Joan, legendary female pontiff who supposedly reigned, under the title of John VIII, for slightly more than 25 months, from 855 to 858, between the pontificates of St. Leo IV (847–855) and Benedict III (855–858).

Who is the shortest serving pope?

Pope Urban VII (Latin: Urbanus VII; Italian: Urbano VII; 4 August 1521 – 27 September 1590), born Giovanni Battista Castagna, was head of the Catholic Church, and ruler of the Papal States from 15 to 27 September 1590. His thirteen-day papacy was the shortest in history.

Is pope Benedict still alive?

Benedict, now 94, has been living in the Vatican since resigning as pontiff in 2013. The lawyers were tasked with finding out who knew what and what actions they took. Attention has focused on Benedict's time as the archbishop, between 1977 and 1982, when he was called Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

Has any pope ever been assassinated?

Pope John VIII

John VIII was the first pope to be assassinated during a particularly turbulent century that would see multiple claimants to the papacy and a succession of violent papal deaths.