lucrezia borgia

The daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, aka Pope Alexander VI, Lucrezia was a famed beauty. Known to be well educated and graceful, she was in many respects a prime example of a Renaissance noblewoman. But because she was a Borgia she was tarred with the same brush as her scheming father and brother, Cesare.

Enemies of the Borgias portrayed her as a femme fatale, a poisoner, and an equal parter in the conspiracies of her clan. This reputation was made even more lurid in various artistic depictions of Lucrezia in later centuries, such as a play by Victor Hugo that depicts her as a crazed sexpot assassin.

Was this the real Lucrezia, though?

From childhood she was used in the dynastic schemes of Rodrigo, who contracted her to be married to two Spanish nobles, then married her to a Sforza nobleman before having that marriage annulled, then marrying her to an Aragonese prince who was then murdered, before finally having her wed to the Duke of Ferrara. Phew!

Despite being a pawn in the intrigues of the Italian Wars, Lucrezia proved to be a woman of substance. She loved her family, though she was glad to get away from them when she went to Ferrara. There she became a well-respected duchess, who was a patron of the arts and religious institutions.

This episode is the second and final part of our collaboration with A History of Italy Podcast. Hosted by Mike Corradi, this brilliant show traces the history of the Italian Peninsula from the end of the Western Roman Empire through to the present day.

Attribution for music used in this episode:

Assassinations Podcast Theme Music (Intro, Outro, and Transitions) written and performed by Graeme Ronald