The crimes of the church were blamed on Lucretia
The three faithful followers of Pope Alexander VI:
A corrupt Pope, Alexander VI
Alexander VI (Papa Alessandro VI, born Roderic Llançol de Borja, Catalan: Roderic Llançol de Borja, 1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503) was Pope from 11 August 1492 until his death.
Cruelty, Simony and Lust.” This is what Machiavelli wrote when Pope Alexander VI, pontiff from 1492 to 1503, died.
He bought his election by bribing cardinals while appointing relatives and friends to positions of power. Through his policies, he did not hesitate to exterminate his opponents to seize their property, and to use violence and military force to consolidate his position. He was responsible for the death of the political and religious leader of Florence, Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola, who was sentenced to death on charges of heresy in 1498, and burned at the stake in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.
The corruption that accompanied Alexander VI's tenure contributed to creating a climate of unrest within the Catholic Church, which ultimately led to reform movements, such as the 16th-century Reformation, which established Protestantism.
In the history of humanity, women represent the forgotten portion.
In the Middle Ages, famous women are either saints or martyrs, who were celebrated in religious texts, such as the Golden Synaxarion of James of Borayin; elsewhere they are women of the salons, whose stories are told by Brandom in the Lives of Secular Ladies, in the 16th century.
So the woman is either a saint or a prostitute· it is the warrior's rest or the salvation of his soul. There are few references to her role in the governance of nations, in the sciences, the arts, literature and history: it seems that in these fields there is no reason for women to have a place.
Now let's talk about Lucretia Borgia.
A slandered and moving form
On September 4, 1501, the daughter of Pope Alexander VI, Alfonso Borgia, married the heir to the Duchy of Ferrara. With the help of a huge dowry, she was joining one of the first families in Italy. She was 21 years old and Alfonso was her third husband.
Alexander VI was still only Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia when, in 1480, his favorite Vanozza Cattanei gave birth to Lucretia. A very sensual cleric, he had already had children from other mistresses, and Vanozza also gave him three boys: Caesar, Giovanni, and Joffre. Before the Counter-Reformation, hierarchs behaved more like great lords than like clergy., and Rodrigo's life was nothing unusual.
In 1492, Rodrigo became pope under the name Alexander VI. He settled his family in a palace next to the Vatican, where, in addition to Lucretia and Vanozza, Giulia Farnese, the Holy Father's new concubine, and her mother Adriana of Milan lived. The highest officials, cardinals or ambassadors, went to submit their requests to the "pope's women", as the pope called them. preacher Savonarola, who, at the same time, was launching barbs from Florence against the sinful leader of the Church.
The fate of the generation
At the age of thirteen, Lucretia was an attractive bride: she was already famous for her beauty – paintings depict her with a slender body, very long hair and deep blue eyes – and she had, moreover, a considerable dowry. The husband chosen was Giovanni, Count of Pesaro, a member of the powerful house of the Sforza, rulers of the Duchy of Milan. But the Pope later considered his choice a bad one, because the Count had no chance of inheriting the duchy one day. But there was also a political reason: the wars in Italy had begun – the King of France, an ally of the Sforzas, had set out to conquer the Kingdom of Naples, which was subject to Aragon. The pope, who could not accept that the territories he controlled, in central Italy, would be surrounded by two allied powers, defended the Aragonese.The Sforzas, aware of the situation, spread rumors that the pope was about to assassinate Pesaro with the complicity of Lucretia. The young woman then acquired a reputation as a poisoner. In reality, Alexander had a simpler means than poison to free his daughter from her bonds: the dissolution of her marriage. When asked to acknowledge that he had not consummated the union, Giovanni Sforza hinted that the pope wanted to take his daughter back for his own use. This time, the father's very tenderness towards his daughter was being judged: the rumor that they were maintaining incestuous relations spread throughout Italy. (And for Lucretia's two children, priest issued two identification stamps that were kept in its archives Modena. In one of them the pope recognized the infant as the child of Caesar Borgia, in the other as his own child!)
These terrible slanders did not prevent numerous suitors from asking for the young woman's hand again, in order to gain the Pope's favor. Caesar Borgia, Lucretia's brother and temporary agent of his father - he led Alexander's army - pressed for a union with the Kingdom of Naples, that is, for Lucretia's marriage to Alfonso of Biselli, the illegitimate son of the ruler of that kingdom. The marriages were indeed celebrated in 1497. However, just three years later, in 1500, Caesar himself, who had meanwhile concluded a treaty with the French, murdered her new husband in cold blood. Lucretia was not involved in this crime at all, but all of Italy still considered her guilty. The young woman, whose opinion no one asked, was forced to remarry after a year.
The Lady of Ferrara
The newly elected husband was the Duke of Ferrara. But from now on, Lucretia was no longer a child, and her father decided to entrust her with immediate responsibilities. Thus, at the age of 19, he named her governor of Spoleto, a high office reserved until then for hierarchs. And Lucretia actually ruled, organizing a police force or imposing truces with the neighboring city.In 1561, for a few weeks, Lucretia even took over the direction of the Church, while the pope was visiting his lands.
Lucretia demonstrated exceptional abilities in the role of Duchess of Ferrara, winning the acceptance of her subjects thanks to her stable rule. Lucretia attracted poets such as Pietro Aretino and Pietro Bembo to her circle. With the death of the Pope in 1503, the Duchess returned to the great Borgia dream of creating a real state in central Italy and helped her brother, Caesar, by recruiting forces on his behalf. The new Pope Julius II, extremely hostile to the Borgias, declared war in 1509 against the Duke of Ferrara, who remained loyal to the King of France. As before in the Vatican, Lucretia took charge of the affairs of state herself in the absence of her husband who was busy with the war, animating the local resistance until the death of Julius II in 1513.. This resistance may have had a religious meaning: in 1519, the very year of her death, the duchess – daughter of the head of the Roman Catholic Church – converted to the Reformation that the former monk Martin Luther had proclaimed just two years earlier. This woman, who knew the morals of the Roman Catholic Church better than anyone, chose the camp of those who wanted to reform it. Roman Catholic historiography was not going to forgive her: the slanders hurled against her by her contemporaries were repeated by many later writers.
The Italy of the Borgias
Home of the Renaissance, Italy was the school of Europe, which it fertilized with its arts and the wealth of its merchants and bankers. But "abandoned to the whims of each" (Dante), the country was fragmented into warring principalities, which made it the focus of the appetites of foreign powers: France from the time of Charles VII, and Spain.
The Holy See was then a major power, fiercely defending its territorial interests. Pope Alexander VI, a Borgia, was treated as an equal with the rulers of Europe, while the armies of his son Caesar were overthrowing secular Italian dynasties. The young Lucretia was for the pope an instrument for promoting this hegemonic policy.
Victor Hugo's Theatrical Tragedy "Lucretia Borgia". In Greek
"Lucrezia Borgia" by Victor Hugo (1833), Lucrezia Borgia – Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo’s “Lucrezia Borgia” is not an opera, but a theatrical tragedy in prose. However, Hugo’s work is very important because it inspired an extremely well-known opera by a great Italian composer. Let’s get this straight:
- The Theatrical Work of Victor Hugo
Title: Lucrèce Borgia (French)
Premiere: February 2, 1833 at the Théâtre de Porte Saint-Martin in Paris.
Genre: Romantic drama/tragedy.
Case: The play focuses on the dominant figure of the Italian Renaissance, Lucretia Borgia, daughter of Pope Alexander VI. Hugo presents a complex image: on the one hand, she is a fatal and dangerous woman, and a mother, who is ready to murder to protect her greatest secret: her illegitimate son, Gennaro. On the other, she is herself a victim of her oppressive family situation.
Main Themes: The dual nature (the mother and the murderer), the cursed family, the search for forgiveness and motherhood, the spying mechanism of politics.
Significance: It was a huge theatrical success and a characteristic example of French Romanticism, with Hugo using a historical setting to explore dynamics of psychological and moral interest.
- The Opera of Gaetano Donizetti
https://youtu.be/AFrgN6USqlw?si=cUQCCMOTT0xCIxpX
with English subtitles
The confusion arises because the great Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti translated Hugo's play into an opera.
Title: Lucrezia Borgia (Italian)
Premiere: December 26, 1833, at La Scala in Milan (just 11 months after the play's premiere!).
Libretto: Felice Romani dramatically adapted Hugo's text for the needs of the opera, somewhat simplifying the plot and emphasizing the lyrical and dramatic points.
Music: It is a Grand Opera (Bel canto) with wonderful arias, strong concentrated ensembles (quartet, sextet) and an impressive prologue (overture) that sets the dark tone.
Basic Differences from Theatrical:
Hugo had created a complex plot with many secondary characters. Donizetti and his librettist focus on the trio Lucretia – Gennaro – Her husband Duke Alfonso of Ferrara.
The opera's finale is extremely dramatic and tragic: Lucretia unwittingly poisons her own son, Gennaro. After slowly realizing her terrible mistake, Gennaro dies in her arms and she publicly reveals their affair before collapsing dead over his body.
The opera emphasizes more the tragic element and the musical expression of despair and motherhood.
Important Musical Pieces from the Opera:
“How beautiful!” (Gennaro's Aria)
“V'ho in core, avvampo” (Duet of Lucretia and Gennaro)
The Great Sextet (Act A Finale)
“Era desso il figlio mio” (The final tragic scene of Lucretia)
Conclusion:
Victor Hugo wrote a romantic tragedy about Lucretia Borgia.
Gaetano Donizetti he transformed it into a famous bel canto opera, which is what is performed today by opera houses all over the world.
Historians and writers who tried to restore the name of Lucretia Borgia.
Translation from English by
Dimitris Symeonidis JP
Lucretia Borgia: From Myth to History – The Authors of Her Restoration
For five centuries, the name Lucretia Borgia was associated with a dark legendary figure: the poisoner of the Renaissance, the immoral daughter of the Pope, the woman who symbolized the criminal politics of the Borgias. Today, however, this image has been radically overturned. This transition from myth to history is due to a series of researchers and writers of the 20th and 21st centuries, who re-examined the evidence and revealed a much more complex and human figure.
These are the main "defenders" and reviewers of her biography:
- William Roscoe (William Roscoe):A British historian of 18th century, Roscoe was one of the first modern writers to challenge the negative perception of the Borgias in his work.The Life and Pontificate of Leo the Tenth.
William Roscoe (William Roscoe) defends Lucretia Borgia in his important work:
"The Life and Pontificate of Leo the Tenth” (The Life and Papacy of Leo the Tenth)
Version: First edition 1805 (in 4 volumes).
Content: Although the main theme of the book is the life of the Pope Leo X (Giovanni de' Medici), Roscoe devotes significant space and analysis to the previous era of Borgia, including Lucretia.
How and why does he defend her:
Roscoe, one historian, politician and philanthropist of the Age of Enlightenment, brought a new, logical and critical approach in the sources for the Borgias. Unlike the writers who had simply repeated the scandalous legends, Roscoe:
Deconstructs the “Black Legend”: He systematically disputed the most extreme accusations (especially of poisoning and adultery) against Lucretia and her family, considering them as product of propaganda and prejudice of their political enemies.
It places the story in its context: He tried to understand the Borgias' actions in the context of violent and corrupt political reality of 15th century Italy, without selectively demonizing them.
Recognizes the positive elements: In the case of Lucretia, it highlighted the her culture, her role as a patron of the arts in Ferrara, and her ability as an administrator, presenting her as a gifted and educated individual, rather than a victim of her circumstances.
Conclusion: William Roscoe did not write a separate biography of Lucretia. However, within his larger historical work on Leo X, presented her first serious and well-documented defense, laying the foundation for all subsequent writers who tried to overcome the legend and discover the historical woman.
2.William Gilbert (William Gilbert)
and the Pioneering Defense of Lucretia Borgia
In his two-volume biographical work, 1869 William Gilbert
Title: "Lucretia Borgia, Duchess of Ferrara: A Biography" (Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of Ferrara: A Biography).
Eacted in defense of Lucretia Borgia by presenting research that rejected historical accusations of gross immorality against her, including murders and poisoning. His goal was to provide a more multidimensional and balanced depiction of her life, questioning the myths and legends that had been created around her name.
Gilbert drew from historical documents and contemporary testimonies, many of which he characterized as "rare and unpublished documents", to construct a detailed narrative of her life. His approach was careful and source-based, an unprecedented characteristic for his time.
After extensive research, Gilbert concluded that there was no evidence to support the slanderous accusations against adultery, murder and poisoning which had seriously undermined her reputation.
Gilbert's work was a important, "pioneering" effort for his time to purify the name of one of the most controversial figures of the Renaissance. In contrast to the illustrated scenarios, he focused on her life as Duchess of Ferrara and in its efforts to maintain and strengthen its position in a male-dominated society, highlighting its political, cultural and personal dimensions.
3.Ferdinand Gregorius (Ferdinand Gregorovius): His work in 1874, Lucrezia Borgia, is considered a turning point in the application of a scientific, historical approach to her life, using original sources to refute the dirty rumors spread by earlier writers such as Victor Hugo.
- Maria Belonki (Maria Bellonci) – The Pioneer
Work: Lucretia Borgia: Her Life and Times (1939)
The Italian historian and biographer wrote the first modern, in-depth biography. She systematically divided the slanderous legend from the documented facts. He presented Lucretia not as a perpetrator, but as pawn in the power games of her father, Pope Alexander VI, and her brother, Cesare Borgia. He emphasized her intelligence, education, and resilience.
- Rachel Erlanger (Rachel Erlanger)
Work: Lucretia Borgia: A Biography (1978)
Building on Belonki's work, Erlanger conducted in-depth archival research. Her book is considered the academically rigorous biography. He demolished the most nightmarish novels (like the "Chestnut Symposium" or the "proofs" of adultery) by showing the full lack of reliable sources. He highlighted Lucretia as capable administrator and patron of the arts in Ferrara, where her life was characterized by piety and respect.
- Sarah Bradford (Sarah Bradford)
Work: Lucretia Borgia: Life, Love and Death in the Italian Renaissance (2004)
He explicitly described Lucretia as "the first victim of fake news"She emphasized how her reputation was ruined by the hostile propaganda (mainly the Venetian ambassadors and the poet Pietro Bembo, who later wrote her love letters!) She sought her action and initiative in a world that limited her.
- G. JMayer (G. J. Meyer)
Work: The Borgias: The Hidden History (2013)
Contribution: In a history of the entire family, Mayer strongly defends Lucretia. He argues that the entire "black legend" of the Borgias was created by enemies and dramatists. He presents Lucretia as perhaps the most wronged person in history, a woman who was a tool and a scapegoat. It directly questions the credibility of the legend's main sources, such as the infamous Johann Burchard.
- Mary Σ. Lavelle (Mary S. Lovell)
He argues that Lucretia was condemned by history for crimes without evidence, mainly because stories about a devilish, seductive woman served political enemies and writers (like Victor Hugo) more than the reality of a capable commander. It places her in a pattern of strong women who are slandered.
- Ludovico Ariosto (Ludovico Ariosto:The renowned Renaissance poet praised her "beauty and honesty" in his epic poemOrgasmic Orlando (Orlando Furious), an important testimony to the respect she was held in Ferrara.
- 10. Nicolò Cagnolo da Parma & Bernardino Zambotto:These chroniclers described her as refined, prudent, intelligent, and in a constant good mood upon her arrival in Ferrara.
- Maria Belonki (Maria Bellonci):Her 1939 biography was prominent in the 20th century for further restoring the image of Lucretia, offering historical explanations for the accusations of poison and adultery and presenting her as a more tragic figure.
- 12Ivan Kloulas (Ivan Cloulas):In his 1989 book,The Borgias, treats Lucretia favorably, stating that the negative portrayal of the family is a "caricature" resulting from centuries of hostile writings.
- Christopher Hibbert (Christopher hibbert):InThe Borgias and Their Enemies (2008) Hibbert also defended Lucretia, presenting her as a puppet of her family's powers of authority.
- 14. Dario Fo (Dario Fo):The Nobel Prize-winning author wrote the novelThe Pope's Daughter (2014) which offers a vivid and sympathetic fictional account of the life of Lucretia.
- Samantha Morris (Samantha Morris):In her 2020 book,Caesar and Lucrezia Borgia, Morris draws on primary sources to bring to light the "true story" of the brothers, arguing that their reputation was tarnished by enemies and later writers seeking publicity.
Common Points in Its Restoration:
Translated from English by Dimitris Symeonidis JP
All these authors do not present her as a saint, but reconstruct her image based on:
Criticism of Sources: They separate rumors from neutral documents (Ferrara archives, financial accounting books, personal correspondence).
Political Framework: They emphasize that it was a valuable alliance toolHer separation from her first husband, Giovanni Sforza, led to the vengeful (and probably not true) his accusations of adultery.
Double Criterion: They point out that while her father and brother were organizing wars and intrigues, the worst accusations against Lucretia concern her morality and sexuality – the classic way of defaming powerful women of that era.
Her Maturity in Ferrara: They highlight the 15-year period as Duchess of Ferrara, where she emerged as respected patroness of the arts (she supported Ariosto and Bembo) and a capable administrator. This image is incompatible with the legend of the grain-grower.
A shift towards a more sympathetic and well-documented view of Lucretia began in the 19th century and continues to this day, led by the following authors:
Victor Hugo accused Lucretia without having done any research
Analysis by Dimitris Symeonidis JP
The reason is simple and fundamental: Hugo was not a historian. He was a writer, and specifically a great actor of Romanticism.
Ο Hugo never went to archivesPowered by already established "Black Legend" of the Borgias, as it was formed by:
Hostile chroniclers (Burkhard).
Satirical and political opponents of the time.
Previous literature and popular tradition that had transformed the Borgias into archetypal villains of the Renaissance.
The play "Lucretia Borgia" (1833) His goal was to create a strong dramatic conflict and one symbol of corruption and dark motherhood.
Hugo did not have a consistent “theory” about women, but the women in his works are often symbolic forms, projections of his own ideas and the conflicts of his time. We can distinguish two main patterns:
Angeliki/Innocent: The virgin, the pure and good female who often suffers and dies (e.g., Esmeralda )
The Demonic: The seductive, powerful and often dangerous woman, who embodies a destructive eroticism and is often associated with darkness and crime.
For the Romantic Hugo, The legend was often more "true" and richer than historical reality, because it addresses directly the emotion, the imagination and the moral dilemma.
The 19th century had a charming, but dual relationship with the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. On the one hand, it idealized it (Romanticism), on the other, it depicted it as an era of barbarity, corruption and religious intolerance.
The Borgia family, with the Pope-warlord, the son-herald of Machiavellianism and the daughter-poison, was the perfect symbol of this corruptionBy accusing them, Hugo and others indirectly criticism of political power and religious hypocrisy in general. Lucretia was the female face which symbolized the corruption of her time..
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Thalassinos D., Female Forms – Lucretia Borgia, Athens 2009.
Hugh, Victor. Lucrece Borgia (1833). A play.
Bellonci, Maria. Lucrezia Borgia: La Sua Vita e I Suoi Tempi (1939). Milan: Mondadori.
Bradford, Sarah. Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love and Death in Renaissance Italy (2004). London: Viking/Penguin.
Gregorovius, Ferdinand. Lucrezia Borgia: According to Original Documents and Correspondence of Her Day (1874). Translated by John Leslie Garner.
Meyer, G.J. The Borgias: The Hidden History (2013). New York: Bantam.
photo Greek Radio FL
