Biography of Pope Alexander VI Borgia

Papacies Machiavellian

1 January 1431 
18 August 1503 
Roderic Borja Lanzol y Borya, Italianized Rodrigo Borgia was born in Xativa near Valencia day 1 January 1431. Rooms on the papal throne with the name of Alexander VI in 1492 and is the 214° Pope of the Church of Rome. Probably this is the most controversial Pope of Catholic history, controversial figures he's had several in the past. Very young he moved to Italy and studied law at the University of Bologna. Rodrigo Borgia was fortunate enough to be grandson of Alonso Borgia or pope Callixtus III, brother of his mother Isabella. Rodrigo is the protégé of his uncle who appointed him Cardinal at aged just 25 years. From a young age has a supply of dissolute life, in fact when he arrives in Rome already has at least one illegitimate child; Since 1957 is Chancellor of the Holy See, a position which allows him to become the second richest cardinal in Rome. Although his uncle, Callistus III died in 1458, retaining his important post with four Popes to come, before becoming Pope himself. Continuing its wanton life having many mistresses; from 1460 you grant a fixed lover, the Roman noblewoman Juana Cattanei called Vannozza, with whom he had four children, of course, John, Caesar, Lucrezia and Godfrey. Alexander VI will also have another daughter, Laura, this one from a lady (Giulia Farnese) and numerous other children by unknown women. Rodrigo plot to become Pope until succeeding in 1492, year of the discovery of America, by bribing a disproportionate number of Cardinals and promising promotions and favors. Once elected Pope, Alexander VI makes fast to honour the commitments they had taken during the conclave with the Cardinals who had contributed to his appointment; for example, Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, who had lavished on his election, gives the mansion of the Borgia family, as well as appoint him Vice Chancellor. To the many other Cardinals allies spares no gifts in quantity. The Borgia Pope finds himself at the beginning of its mandate to deal with the chaos in which Rome had fallen during the period after the death of innocent VIII and accomplishes major reforms. Rodrigo does not disdain the Simony and nepotism as he can do even better than his uncle Alonso had done with him, in fact appointed Cardinal at the age of eighteen years his son Caesar, who after five years though retires the Cardinal and married the King's cousin of France becoming the Duke of Valentinois. Already in 1493, after only one year of his pontificate, Pope Alexander VI faces considerable political crisis in Italy: Charles VIII, King of France, further rights to the Kingdom of Naples and this worries the Pope who doesn't want an enemy so powerful on the border with the Papal States, therefore forms an alliance with the Aragonese, legitimate rulers of Naples. The French King is annoyed by the behavior of the Pontiff and descends into Italy at the head of his army; the Pope is forced to come to terms and grants the French step in Exchange for an oath of obedience. It's on 22 February 1495 when the French army enters in Naples. This easy conquest unleash anti-French reaction of the Holy League, a coalition that includes Spain, the Pope, the Habsburgs, Milan and Venice. On 6 July at Fornovo is the battle between Coalition forces and the French: Charles VIII came out defeated but manages to replicate in France; the Aragonese take again the Kingdom of Naples. The Pontiff Spanish is also responsible for the Papal Bull Inter Caetera to adjust the territorial dispute between Spain and Portugal on the territories of the new world. This docket establishes that all lands in 100 leagues from the island of Cape Verde is Spanish, excluding de facto Portugal from America; This decision in favour of Spain is easily understandable since the Pope Spanish. The bubble, too detrimental to the Portuguese, is changed later by the Treaty of Tordesillas which move much further west the boundary, allowing the Portugal dominion over Brazil. Another grain for Alexander VI is represented by his ambitious son Cesare (masterfully described by Niccolò Machiavelli), that after marrying his cousin of the new King of France (Louis XII) he puts his mind to create its own Duchy in Romagna. To achieve this feat need much money and Valentino (nickname of Caesar after the investiture to Duke of Valentinois) turns to his powerful father, who does not hesitate to sell twelve titles of Cardinal from a very large amount of money with which to finance the projects of the son. Caesar is able to capture several cities of Romagna including Pesaro, Urbino, Forli, Rimini and is actually invested as Duke of Romagna. Cesare Borgia's power projects include Tuscany, but the sudden death of the father stops irretrievably the ascent. Pope Alexander VI Borgia died on 18 August 1503 at Rome, probably due to malaria, but another plausible version would speak of poisoning by mistake; the Borgias are historically known to be very accustomed to the use of poison to eliminate political opponents. It is thought that the poison was destined to Cardinal Adriano Castellesi during a banquet, but by mistake would have been drunk by Pope Borgia; in confirmation of this fact there are testimonies that speak of obvious signs of poisoning on the corpse of the Pontiff.
Article contributed by the team of collaborators.