Lucrezia Borgia
Most people do not view Lucrezia Borgia as a remarkable woman in a positive sense. Instead, they recall her as a poisoner, and for her mooted incestuous affairs, but this reputation is unjust. Little evidence exists of Lucrezia’s life of crime, save in the smear campaigns of Borgia’s enemies. Plenty of evidence exists, however, to suggest that Lucrezia Borgia was the most politically able of Pope Alexander VI’s children.
Lucrezia Borgia was born on April 18, 1480, the daughter Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and his mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. Adriana Orsini de Milan, a close confidant of the Cardinal, educated Lucrezia. Lucrezia became fluent in Italian, Spanish, Catalan, French, Latin and Greek. Orsini designed her education practically: “Above all be sure you have something to say, and then express yourself with simplicity and frankness, avoiding affected words, “ she told Lucrezia. “I want you to learn how to think, not how to produce brilliant sentences.”
Once Cardinal Borgia became Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia became a highly marriageable political pawn. She was first married to Giovanni Sforza until her father annulled the marriage on the basis of its non-consummation. In reality, the Sforza’s had lost their use as allies. She then married Alfonso of Aragon, an illegitimate son of the king of Naples in a bid to extend Borgia interests into the great Kingdom. Finally, she became Duchess of Ferrara when she married Alfonso D’Este.
Lucrezia Borgia was not simply a wife. During her second marriage, she helped her father with the governance of the Vatican. The Pope even left her in charge of official duties when he was away. He also appointed Lucrezia as governor of Spoleto. Once she was Duchess of Ferrara, Lucrezia gathered about her a Court of Culture consisting of some of the most prestigious talents of the Renaissance. The people of Ferrara held their Duchess in high esteem. As well as managing her husband’s business affairs and her own, Lucrezia drained marsh for farmland and built hospitals and convents for the people of Ferrara.
Lucrezia had a long history of miscarriages, and her pregnancies were frequently complicated. On 14 June 1519, aged 39, she gave birth to her tenth child, a sickly baby girl immediately baptized as Isabella. The birth had weakened Lucrezia, and she became ill. Although she seemed to improve after two days, she then began to decline and died on June 24, 1519. Her husband Alfonso, although not always faithful was said to have wept and mourned the loss of his ‘sweet companion.”