Alexander VI, (Rodrigo Borgia) (January 1, 1431 – August 18, 1503) pope (1492-1503), is the most memorable of the secular popes of the Renaissance. He was born at Xàtiva, València, Spain, and his father's surname was Lanzol or Llançol; that of his mother's family, Borgia or Borja, was assumed by him on the elevation of his maternal uncle to the papacy as Callixtus III (April 8, 1455). Pope Alexander VI - Education and election. He studied law at Bologna and after his uncle's election he w ...

Including:

• Pope Alexander VI - Education and election
• Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition
• Pope Alexander VI - French involvement
• Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat
• Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola
• Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North
• Pope Alexander VI - Last years
• Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation
• Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family
• Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture
• Pope Alexander VI - Books
• Pope Alexander VI - Television

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He studied law at Bologna and after his uncle's election he was created successively bishop, cardinal and vice-chancellor of the church, an act of nepotism characteristic of the age. He served in the Curia under five popes and acquired much administrative experience, influence and wealth, although no great power; he was economical in his habits; on occasion he displayed great splendour and lived in a fine palace. His manners were agreeable and his appearance fascinating, but, like many other prelates of the day, his morals were far from blameless, his two dominant passions being greed of gold and love of women, ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Education and election

Borgia's elevation did not at the time excite much alarm, and at first his reign was marked by a strict administration of justice and an orderly method of government in satisfactory contrast with the anarchy of the previous pontificate, as well as by great outward splendour. But it was not long before his unbridled passion for endowing his relatives at the expense of the Church and of his neighbours became manifest. For this object he was ready to commit any crime and to plunge all Italy into war. Alexander had four children by his mistress ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition

Borgia's elevation did not at the time excite much alarm, and at first his reign was marked by a strict administration of justice and an orderly method of government in satisfactory contrast with the anarchy of the previous pontificate, as well as by great outward splendour. But it was not long before his unbridled passion for endowing his relatives at the expense of the Church and of his neighbours became manifest. For this object he was ready to commit any crime and to plunge all Italy into war. Cesare, then a youth of seventeen and a stud ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition

Pope Alexander VI - Books. Alexander VI and his family are the subjects of Mario Puzo's final novel The Family. Pope Alexander VI - Television. The papacy of Alexander VI was dramatized in the 1981 BBC series The Borgias, starring the veteran Italian actor Adolfo Celi as Pope Alexander. The Canadian sketch comedy History Bites ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture

On the 18th of August Alexander died at the age of 72. His death was followed by scenes of wild disorder, and Cesare, being himself ill, could not attend to business, but sent Don Michelotto, his chief bravo, to seize the pope's treasures before the demise was publicly announced. When the body was exhibited to the people the next day it was in a shocking state of decomposition, which of course strengthened the suspicion of poison. At the funeral a brawl occurred between the soldiers and the priests, and the coffin having been made too ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation

This year was a jubilee year, and crowds of pilgrims flocked to the city from all parts of the world bringing money for the purchase of indulgences, so that Alexander was able to furnish Cesare with funds for his enterprise. In the north the pendulum swung back once more and the French reoccupied Milan in April, causing the downfall of the Sforzas, much to Alexander's gratification. But there was no end to the Vatican tragedies, and in July the duke of Bisceglie, whose existence was no longer advantageous, was murdered by Cesare's orders; th ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North

Alexander made many alliances to secure his position, but fearing himself isolated he sought help from Charles VIII of France. As the king of Naples threatened to come to the aid of Gian Galeazzo, who had married the Pope's granddaughter, Alexander encouraged the French king in his schemes for the conquest of Naples. Alexander carried on a double policy, always ready to seize opportunities to aggrandize his family. But through the intervention of the Spanish ambassador he made peace with Naples in July 1493 and also with the Orsini; the peac ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - French involvement

But a reaction against Charles soon set in, for all the powers were alarmed at his success, and on the 31st of March a league between the pope, the emperor, Venice, Lodovico il Moro and Ferdinand of Spain was formed, ostensibly against the Turks, but in reality to expel the French from Italy. Charles had himself crowned king of Naples on the 12th of May, but a few days later began his retreat northward. He encountered the allies at the Battle of Fornovo, and after a drawn fight cut his way through them and was back in France by November; Fer ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat

Violent and revengeful, he now became the most powerful man in Rome, and even his father quailed before him. As he needed funds to carry out his various schemes, the pope began a series of confiscations, of which one of the victims was his own secretary, in order to enrich him. The process was a simple one: any cardinal, nobleman or official who was known to be rich would be accused of some offence; imprisonment and perhaps murder followed at once, and then the confiscation of his property. The disorganization of the Curia was appalling, the ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola

But a promise of French help at once forced the confederates to come to terms, and Cesare by an act of treachery seized the ringleaders at Senigallia, and put Oliverotto da Fermo and Vitellozzo Vitelli to death (December 31, 1502). As soon as Alexander heard the news he decoyed Cardinal Orsini to the Vatican and cast him into a dungeon, where he died. His goods were confiscated, his aged mother turned into the street and numbers of other members of the clan in Rome were arrested, while Giuffre Borgia led an expedition into the Campagna and s ...

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Pope Alexander VI, Pope Alexander VI - Education and election, Pope Alexander VI - Nepotism and opposition, Pope Alexander VI - French involvement, Pope Alexander VI - The French in retreat, Pope Alexander VI - Confiscations and Savonarola, Pope Alexander VI - Cesare in the North, Pope Alexander VI - Last years, Pope Alexander VI - Death and reputation, Pope Alexander VI - Mistresses and family, Pope Alexander VI - Representations in popular culture, Pope Alexander VI - Books, Pope Alexander VI - Television

Read more here: » Pope Alexander VI: Encyclopedia II - Pope Alexander VI - Last years