did lucrezia borgia have syphilis

On a hot summer night in July of 1500, Alfonso climbed the steps that led to the Vatican. The Borgia babys parentage stoked a huge debate in Rome, with the main possibilities playing out as follows. [19], Lucrezia also had a love affair with the poet Pietro Bembo during her third marriage. In 1519, Lucrezia gave birth to her final childbut the happy day doomed her. Her education would primarily take place in the Piazza Pizzo de Merlo, a building adjacent to her father's residence. The least weird idea is that Lucrezias son, Giovanni Borgia, was the son of Lucrezia and her fathers chamberlain, Perotto Calderon (who was found dead soon after, so this definitely seems probable: killing Lucrezias lover seems like something the Borgias would do). Instead, he sat back while Alfonso and Lucrezia welcomed their first and only child, a son named Rodrigo. In the case of Lucrezia Borgia, they werent wrong. [20][21] On the same occasion Byron claimed to have stolen a lock of Lucrezia's hair "the prettiest and fairest imaginable"[21] that was also held there on display. Unfortunately, they were very wrong. But when Papa Borgia became Pope Alexander VI, they ghosted that guy too. Following the murder of his brother in 1497, Cesare Borgia became the sole Borgia heir. Little did they know, there would soon be a way bigger scandal to occupy them. As weve seen, Lucrezia Borgia is famous for playing the field. Eventually, though, the Pope issued two papal bulls. Four of those five children (Lucrezia and her brothers, Giovanni, Cesare, and Gioffre) were the children of Vannoza, Lucrezias mother. Even thought their courtship wasnt too lovey dovey, the marriage between Lucrezia and Alfonso dEste was very successful. 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 Some think that it was Lucrezias ex-husband, Giovanni Sforza, who did it. After Alexander implied that the dEste family just might lose their lands, he sweetened the deal with a large dowry and cushy church job for his new son-in-law. Amid at least four miscarriages, she managed to become pregnant only for the poor woman suffered from seizures and high fevers. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. WebDid Cesare Borgia have syphilis? Before walking down the aisle with Alfonso dEste, Lucrezia had to declare herself to be a virgin. ; 14801519), a daughter of Rodrigo and a patron of the arts, became famous for her skill at political intrigue. What can we say? Cesare didnt escape the smear of poison, either. Ironically for a woman of such reputation, there is no definite surviving portrait of Lucrezia Borgia. The groom was Giovanni Sforza, himself an out-of-wedlock son of Costanzo I Sforza. After her marriage ended, she booked it to a convent and tried to enjoy some peace and quiet. Even though she and her third husband, Alfonso dEste, were very unfaithful to each other, Alfonso was still very saddened by Lucrezias death. After saying goodbye to her son Rodrigo in 1502, Lucrezia was distraught. And Cesare Mother and son never saw each other again. By all accounts, Lucrezia seemed to really love her third husband. At some time after Alfonso returned to Rome, Lucrezias brother Cesare accused Alfonso of trying to kill him with a cross bow. After this attack, Alfonso passed. Lucrezia gave birth to a boy, allegedly, in 1498. She also refused to let anyone see him, except for his sister and doctor. The second, contradictory, bull recognized him as the son of Pope Alexander VI. Forget about an annulmentthis kid was going down. Many of these concern allegations of incest, poisoning, and murder on her part; however, no historical basis for these rumours has ever been brought forward beyond allegations made by rival parties. Her grief and upset against them irritated her She was betrothed to tons of different weird old men before she was even in her teens, but she was never married to either of them. hVmoH+TE"PH&Vd0Y` $w]>* ( )Pd,qy *%iBzZ6 Yeah, back in the day, people seemed determined to create the most confusing family trees possible. WebDid Lucrezia Borgia have syphilis? But why was it called the banquet of the chestnuts? Then when she went into a difficult labor, her daughter was stillborn. Cesare accused Alfonso of trying to kill him, and while Alfonso was on the steps of the Vatican, he was stabbed (I dont think I have to say that Cesare did it). The Pope needed new, more advantageous political alliances, so he might have covertly ordered the execution of Giovanni: the generally accepted version is that Lucrezia was informed of this by her brother Cesare, and she warned her husband, who fled Rome.[6]. See, Durant, Will. WebLucrezias mother, Vannozza dei Cattanei, may not have been Rodrigo Borgias only mistress, but she was definitely his longest-lasting affair. For other uses, see, Possible Lucrezia portrait painted from life (attributed to, First marriage: Giovanni Sforza (Lord of Pesaro and Gradara), Second marriage: Alfonso d'Aragon (Duke of Bisceglie and Prince of Salerno), Third marriage: Alfonso d'Este (Duke of Ferrara). Youve gotta hand it to them: No one did family drama quite like the Borgias. Lucrezia wasnt exactly undeserving of her reputation, but her story is crazier than we think. Seeking to strengthen his ties with Naples, the pope in 1498 arranged a marriage between Lucrezia and the 17-year-old Alfonso, duke of Bisceglie, an illegitimate son of Alfonso II of Naples. Corrections? You know, just in case someone was getting on her nerves at dinner. According to the gossip mill, while Lucrezia was trying to cope with her crumbling marraige, Pope Alexander tasked her with the daughterly duty of managing his orgies. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. . When Alexander allied himself with Naples, and Milan with the French, Giovanni, fearing for his life, fled from Rome and became an enemy of the Borgias, later charging incestuous relations between Lucrezia and Alexander. She got wind of her familys plot and warned Sforza to get out of Rome. The couple got married in 1502. Awkwardly, Alfonso already knew Lucrezia a little too well. The Borgias were a close-knit family, despite what we might think of them. Case in Alfonso was her brother. [3], They were married in 1498, making Lucrezia the Duchess consort of Bisceglie and Princess consort of Salerno. Even after the Borgias were gone, a living embodiment of a small scandal stuck around. Shocker: That ticked Sforza off. The Borgias would kill their useless son-in-lawor at least, they would have if it hadnt been for that meddling Lucrezia. Two papal bulls recognized the child as the illegitimate son first of Cesare, then of Alexander, who was probably the true father. Instead, Lucrezia felt certain that the attempt on Alfonsos life would be repeated. After Alfonsos violent end, Lucrezia was devastated by grief. One night, he and Alexander VI dined at Cardinal Adriano Castellesis villa, and everyone at the feast fell sick. Web(Side note: Cesare and his syphilis got me googling how syphilis was treated back in the 1400s, when it first appeared in Europe, and I can never unsee that.) endstream endobj 15 0 obj <> endobj 16 0 obj <> endobj 17 0 obj <>stream It looked like a typical accessory, until you realized that it contained a hollow cavity. As though thats not bad enough, Lucrezia was also the last Borgia standing. Your suggestions can be as general or specific as you like, from Life to Compact Cars and Trucks to A Subspecies of Capybara Called Hydrochoerus Isthmius. Well get our writers on it because we want to create articles on the topics youre interested in. If the Borgias hadnt humiliated him with that Im impotent clause, would Lucrezias brother still be alive? Copyright 2023 by Factinate.com. Lucrezia bled so much during the birth that everyone believed she might die, leading her husband and brother to rush to her side to bid adieu. Amidst all the drama with Lucrezias runaway husband, she did manage to enjoy one good thing. But this idyllic period was short-lived. Remember Sancia, who was married to Lucrezias younger brother, but banging her two older brothers? Alfonso survived and was taken to Lucrezia, who tried to protect him, but that did not happen at all. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Oh, and he also made the literal King of France write to the Duke and tell him to do what the Pope said. Syphilis affected many illustrious personages in the 15th and 16th centu- ry, such as the Kings of France, Charles VIII and Francis I; the They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Lucrezia Borgia was born on April 18th, 1480. When Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI, he sought to be allied with powerful princely families and founding dynasties of Italy. She was fluent in Spanish and French as well as a handful of other languages. [14], Neither partner was faithful: beginning in 1503, Lucrezia enjoyed a long relationship with her brother-in-law, Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua. She turned to religion and even began wearing a hairshirt under her dresses. While attending her own annulment proceedings as a teenager, she made a speech so eloquent that an ambassador declared, not even Cicero could have spoken with more grace. As weve seen, this ability to keep cool under pressure proved to be veryuseful for her. WebSo far I have been accused of merely having received this document. Some people suit their name perfectly. According to lore, Lucrezias favorite piece of jewelry was a special ring. Did Lucrezia Borgia have syphilis? Lucrezia Borgia and the entire Borgia family are quite infamous. The child (identified in later life as Lucrezia's half-brother) was most likely the result of a liaison between Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia's father) and an unknown mistress and was not Lucrezia's child. Without a clear answer, Rome provided multiple possible explanations, each wilder than the last. [5] Giovanni was an illegitimate son of Costanzo I Sforza and a Sforza of the second rank. Along with Lucrezias endless parade of difficult pregnancies, miscarriages, and stillbirths, only four of her children managed to make it to adulthood. Lucrezia Borgia and the entire Borgia family are quite infamous. Thanks for your help! Somehow, even this twisted arrangement is better than what the Borgias did to Lucrezias spouse. At first, it seemed like her brother Giovanni had just gone missingbut after a week or two, it turned out that he was never coming home. Before she breathed her last, things would manage to get much, much worse. When she signed letters as a widow, she even changed her name. The problem was, he was a Cardinal, and Cardinals couldnt have She invested in marshland so that it could be drained and farmed on. Gross sexual indecency continued to follow Lucrezia, even after the death of her second husband, Alfonso of Aragon. Accordingly, Lucrezia was in 1493 married to Giovanni Sforza, lord of Pesaro. Updates? When Alexander VI died in 1503, Lucrezia ceased to play a political role and led a more normal life at the brilliant court of Ferrara, which became a centre for the arts and letters of the Italian Renaissance. But heres the worst part: According to some, Giovannis demise could have been prevented. This girl knew how to play the game. 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. Lucrezia had plenty of reasons to hope for the sweet release of death. The Borgias were scary, and they all wanted to get rid of Giovanni, so he couldnt expect to live much longer. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIIIs first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. The affair between Francesco and Lucrezia was passionate, more sexual than sentimental as can be attested in the fevered love letters the pair wrote one another. Certainly, her mobility, from place to place and husband to husband, was WebLucrezias mother, Vannozza dei Cattanei, may not have been Rodrigo Borgias only mistress, but she was definitely his longest-lasting affair. He married Lucrezia on 12 June 1493 in Rome. 0 Factinate is a fact website that is dedicated to finding and sharing fun facts about science, history, animals, films, people, and much more. He basically told Alfonsos family that hed ruin them if Alfonso didnt marry Lucrezia. 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 However, despite our best efforts, we sometimes miss the mark. Terrified of his violent father-in-law, the 17-year-old Alfonso decided to skip town and lay low. Even so, she is reported to have had one particularly beautiful feature: Her thick locks of strawberry blonde hair were so long that they reached passed her knees. Yup. Change). In 1498, a mysterious baby entered the Borgia family, but heres the thing: No one would say which Borgia it belonged to. At the time, her father was just Cardinal Rodrigo Borgianot yet Pope Alexander VI. Did Lucrezia Borgia have syphilis? Apparently, after the first attempt on the steps of the Vatican failed, Cesare came up to Alfonso and whispered threateningly, What didnt happen at lunch could still happen at dinner.. [15][16] Francesco's wife was the cultured intellectual Isabella d'Este, the sister of Alfonso, to whom Lucrezia had made overtures of friendship to no avail. She was married off to Giovanni Sforza, an illegitimate son of Costanzo I Sforza. Of course, her hasty retreat only fuelled more rumors. That couldnt be further from the truth. The poet Lord Byron himself described them as the prettiest love letters in the world.. The birth of this daughter was a hard one just like Lucrezias other ones, and, ten days after the birth, Lucrezia died on June 24th, 1519, at the age of 39. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window), Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window), Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window), Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Helena Maurya: The Greek Wife of IndiasEmperor, Musa of Parthia: Slave to Queen ofQueens, Elena Glinskaya: Powerful and PoisonedRegent, Amalasuntha: Wise Queen of theOstrogoths.

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