Tag: Pope Alexander VI

Book Review: “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519” by Christopher Hibbert

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For centuries, Italy has been a powerhouse of a nation, but it has been shaped by powerful families. There were the de Medicis, the Estes, the Sforzas, and the Orsinis. However, there is one family that lives in a bit of infamy. The father became a pope, and his illegitimate children would create their own legacies. They were the Borgias, mainly Lucrezia, Pope Alexander VI ( Rodrigo Borgia), and Cesare, and they have fascinated novices and history nerds alike for centuries. Christopher Hibbert tells their story in his nonfiction book, “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519.”

I found this book at a used book store. I have been interested in the Borgia family ever since I read “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother and Sister of History’s Most Vilified Family” by Samantha Morris. I have wanted to read more about this family and see how other historians approach their lives.

Hibbert begins this joint biography of the Borgias with a quick overview of how the papacy moved from Avignon back to Rome and the countless popes who came before Rodrigo Borgia. Rodrigo was the nephew of Calixtus III and was a man known as a scholar, which came in handy as he climbed the ranks of the church, mostly thanks to his connections to the pope. Nepotism would be a common theme when it came to the Borgias. Rodrigo would eventually become a cardinal, but he enjoyed the finer things in life, including mistresses such as Vannozza dei Cattenei, the mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. 

Rodrigo Borgia would eventually become Pope Alexander VI, and his children would benefit greatly. Yet again, a case of nepotism. Cesare would become a strong military leader who depended on his Spanish allies and his father, but gained numerous enemies. Lucrezia would marry three times. Her first marriage was to Giovanni Sforza, but it was annulled. Her second husband, Alfonso of Aragon, was assassinated. And finally, she married Alfonso d’Este and was able to provide him with several children. The Borgias had to deal with assassinations and war while their legacies were dragged through the mud. Their rise was as quick as their fall after the death of Pope Alexander VI.

I thought this was an okay book. The pacing seemed rushed in places and slower in other while the information presented wasn’t really new to me. If you want a decent introduction to this infamous family, I recommend you give “The Borgias and Their Enemies: 1431-1519” by Christopher Hibbert a try.

Book Review: “The Lost Diary of Lucrezia Borgia” by Johnny Teague

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Have you ever wondered what it might be like to discover a long-lost diary of a historical figure by accident? Archaeologist Giuseppe Campise has already found a diary of Mary Magdalene. Now, the Vatican wants Giuseppe to uncover the tomb of Alexander the Great. However, while on the search for the tomb, Giuseppe finds something even more precious, the diary of Lucrezia Borgia. What secrets does the diary hold? Johnny Teague tells the tale of Lucrezia Borgia through her diary in his latest novel, “The Lost Diary of Lucrezia Borgia.”

I would like to thank Histria Fiction and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this novel. I have been interested in Lucrezia Borgia’s story since reading “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia” by Samantha Morris, so I wanted to see how her story would translate into a historical fiction novel.

Since this book is actually a novella, I will try to keep this review short. We begin with Giuseppe Campise as he begins his search for the tomb of Alexander the Great. Along the way, he gets lost and finds the tomb of Pope Leo X. By the tomb, he finds a diary that was written by Lucrezia Borgia, so he begins to read.

Lucrezia’s diary begins with her reflecting on her life as she is ill with her final pregnancy. This diary is really her autobiography, beginning in her childhood, when her father was Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, before he became Pope Alexander VI. We also get to see how close Lucrezia was to her brother Cesare and how it changes over time. Since they are the illegitimate children of a Pope, they are expected to make alliances through marriages and military might. Lucrezia was married three times. Her first marriage was to Giovanni Sforza, but it was quickly dissolved by her father, Pope Alexander VI. Her second marriage, to Alfonso of Aragon, resulted in a son, Rodrigo, before Alfonso died young. Lucrezia’s final husband was Alfonso d’Este, Duke of Ferrara. We get to see how Lucrezia’s life was changed through the chaotic politics of the Italian states, the constant wars, and the schemes of her father and her brother Cesare. Lucrezia was not just a one-dimensional character, but is well developed, and you feel sympathy for what she is going through.

Personally, I think this was a decent novella, but the subplot with Giuseppe did not feel necessary for me. The story of Lucrezia Borgia could stand on its own without the modern bits cutting in. Overall, I enjoyed this novella. If you enjoy reading about Lucrezia Borgia, her life and times, you might enjoy “The Lost Diary of Lucrezia Borgia” by Johnny Teague.

Book Review: “The Pope’s Greatest Adversary: Girolamo Savonarola” by Samantha Morris

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57165112When we think about men who challenged the Church and are known as Reformers, we tend to think of Martin Luther, Jan Hus, and John Calvin. However, a man fought against corruption in his beloved Florence who should be included in the list of great reformers. He was a Dominican monk who was not afraid to preach against sin and took aim at the most powerful men in all of Italy, including Pope Alexander VII. His sermons were so scandalous that they would lead to his demise upon a pyre in the middle of Florence. His name was Girolamo Savonarola, and his story is told in Samantha Morris’s latest biography, “The Pope’s Greatest Adversary: Girolamo Savonarola.”

I want to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this biography. I read Samantha Morris’s previous joint biography of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia and thoroughly enjoyed it. When I heard that she was writing a new biography about a famous figure in Italian history, I was intrigued.

Girolamo Savonarola was a scholar, like his father and grandfather before him, destined to be a doctor like his grandfather. His plan for his life took a drastic turn when the girl he was fell for rejected his advances, so he decided to join the Dominican order as a friar. Talk about not taking a break-up well. Savonarola studied the Humanist teachings and incorporated them into the way he understood his faith. Of course, as a friar, he couldn’t keep his opinions to himself, so he began preaching against corruption and the vices that he saw during his travel.

Savonarola’s preaching was appealing to the people of Florence, yet it did not sit well with the leader of Florence, Lorenzo de ’Medici. Lorenzo tried to silence the troublesome friar, but his son Piero de Medici took on the challenge when he passed away. Piero was nothing like his father and was overthrown as ruler of Florence by Savonarola. Of course, Savonarola was not satisfied with reforming Florence, and he decided to take on the Catholic Church itself and attack another powerful family.

Charles VII of France wanted to conquer Italy, which to the Dominican friar was a good idea, so Savonarola helped the king. This incident drew the ire of Rodrigo Borgia, also known as Pope Alexander VI, and Ludovico “Il Moro” Sforza of Milan, who just wanted the friar to shut up. Even with numerous ex-communications, Savonarola kept preaching against corruption and vices, leading to the Bonfires of the Vanities in 1497. He took artwork and writings deemed inappropriate and burned them in a humongous bonfire. A year later, on May 22, 1498, Girolamo Savonarola lost his life because of his heretic teachings.

This book has so many scandals and dynamic characters that you will forget you are reading a biography. Morris has done it yet again, and this was a brilliantly engaging and extremely well-researched biography. The way she can capture the thrilling world of 15th and 16th century Italy is astounding, and I hope she will write more about Italian history in the future. If you want a fun biography about a man who fought to reform the Catholic Church, I highly recommend you read “The Pope’s Greatest Adversary: Girolamo Savonarola” by Samantha Morris.

Book Review: “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother and Sister of History’s Most Vilified Family” by Samantha Morris

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51351927A family mired in myths and rumors of incest, murder, and intrigue for centuries. A brother and sister caught in the middle, attracting the attention of gossips and historians alike. No, I am not referring to a royal family in England. In fact, this story starts in Spain with Alonso de Borja, who moved to Italy and helped create the infamous Borgia family. Caught in the middle were the son and daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, Alonso’s nephew, and his mistress Vanozza Cattanei; Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. How close were these famous siblings? What were their lives really like? In Samantha Morris’ latest biography, “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother and Sister of History’s Vilified Family”, she dives deep into the archives to find out the truth about the legendary Borgia family.

I would like to thank Pen and Sword Books and Net Galley for sending me a copy of this book. I will be honest and say that I did not know much about this family before I started reading this book. I knew about the rumors and that they had to do with the papacy, but that was it. I was excited to learn more about them and to understand why so many people are so fascinated with the Borgia siblings.

To understand how the Borgias rose to power, Morris takes her readers on a journey through papal history and the many different councils that occurred in the 14th and 15th centuries. This was familiar to me as I took a class in college on Church History, in which we did discuss these councils, but for those who are not familiar with them, Morris takes the time to explain the significance of each event. We see how Alonso de Borja rose through the ranks to become Pope Calixtus III and how his nephew, Rodrigo Borgia, was the complete opposite of his uncle. Rodrigo, later Pope Alexander VI, was a ladies man, and his children by his mistress, Vanozza Cattanei, were all illegitimate, including Cesare and Lucrezia.

It is the lives of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia that historians, including Morris, tend to focus on. These siblings created so many enemies that rumors were bound to be associated with them. From incest between them to murder using poison, and numerous affairs, Cesare and Lucrezia endured scandals that made the Tudors look like a normal family. Morris takes on each myth and rumor head on to explore the truth about these siblings, which is of course more complex than the fictional tales of their lives.

I found myself enthralled in the true-life tales of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. Like most historical tales, the truth is much more compelling than the fictitious tales. The trials, triumphs, and tribulations of the siblings are so compelling and to realize that they lived when the Renaissance in Italy and the Tudor dynasty was still new in England is remarkable.

This book made me fall in love with the Borgia family. The story of their rise to greatness and what Cesare and Lucrezia had to endure to protect their family and its name was nothing short of extraordinary. Samantha Morris’s writing style is easy to understand but you can tell how much care she took in researching these simply sensational siblings. I want to study the Borgia family even more because of this book. If you want an engrossing nonfiction book about the Borgia family, I would highly suggest you read, “Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother and Sister of History’s Most Vilified Family” by Samantha Morris. A fabulous introduction to the Borgias and their tumultuous times.