The House of Borgia ( , ; Spanish and an, Borja ; ca-valencia, Borja ) was an Italian-Aragonese Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the

Italian Renaissance The Italian Renaissance ( it, Rinascimento ) was a period in Italian history covering the 15th and 16th centuries. The period is known for the initial development of the broader Renaissance culture that spread across Europe and marked the trans ...

. They were from Valencia, the surname being a

toponymic Toponymy, toponymics, or toponomastics is the study of ''wikt:toponym, toponyms'' (proper names of places, also known as place names and geographic names), including their origins, meanings, usage and types. Toponym is the general term for a p ...

from the town of Borja, then in the

Crown of Aragon The Crown of Aragon ( , ) an, Corona d'Aragón ; ca, Corona d'Aragó, , , ; es, Corona de Aragón ; la, Corona Aragonum . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of B ...

, in

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

. The Borgias became prominent in ecclesiastical and political affairs in the 15th and 16th centuries, producing two popes: Alfons de Borja, who ruled as Pope Callixtus III during 1455–1458, and Rodrigo Lanzol Borgia, as

Pope Alexander VI Pope Alexander VI ( it, Alessandro VI, va, Alexandre VI, es, Alejandro VI; born Rodrigo de Borja; ca-valencia, Roderic Llançol i de Borja ; es, Rodrigo Lanzol y de Borja, lang ; 1431 – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Churc ...

, during 1492–1503. Especially during the reign of Alexander VI, they were suspected of many crimes, including

adultery Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...

incest Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...

simony Simony () is the act of selling church offices and roles or sacred things. It is named after Simon Magus, who is described in the Acts of the Apostles as having offered two disciples of Jesus payment in exchange for their empowering him to imp ...

, theft,

bribery Bribery is the Offer and acceptance, offering, Gift, giving, Offer and acceptance, receiving, or Solicitation, soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official, or other person, in charge of a public or legal duty. With reg ...

, and

murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...

(especially murder by

arsenic poisoning Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As and atomic number 33. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in combination with sulfur and metals, but also as a pure elemental crystal. Arsenic is a metalloid. It has various allotropes, but o ...

). Because of their grasping for power, they made enemies of the

Medici The House of Medici ( , ) was an Italian banking family and political dynasty that first began to gather prominence under Cosimo de' Medici, in the Republic of Florence during the first half of the 15th century. The family originated in the Muge ...

, the

Sforza The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. They acquired the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century, Sforza rule ending in Milan with the death of the last mem ...

, and the Dominican friar Girolamo Savonarola, among others. They were also

patrons of the arts Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

who contributed to the development of

Renaissance art Renaissance art (1350 – 1620 AD) is the painting, sculpture, and decorative arts of the period of European history known as the Renaissance, which emerged as a distinct style in Italy in about AD 1400, in parallel with developments which occ ...

. The Borgia family stands out in history as being infamously steeped in sin and immorality, yet there is evidence to suggest that this one-dimensional characterization is a result of undeserved contemporary critiques.

History

Early history

The Borja was a noble house with origin in the town of Borja (Zaragoza) in the then

. There were numerous unsubstantiated claims that the family was of

Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

origin. These underground rumours were propagated by, among others,

Giuliano della Rovere Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or the ...

, and the family was frequently described as marranos by political opponents. The rumours have persisted in popular culture for centuries, listed in the ''Semi-Gotha'' of 1912. The family themselves propagated a spurious genealogical descent from a 12th-century claimant to the crown of the

Kingdom of Aragon The Kingdom of Aragon ( an, Reino d'Aragón, ca, Regne d'Aragó, la, Regnum Aragoniae, es, Reino de Aragón) was a medieval and early modern kingdom on the Iberian Peninsula, corresponding to the modern-day autonomous community of Aragon, ...

Pedro de Atarés Pedro de Atarés ( in Borja – 21 February 1151) was a Spanish noble and member of the House of Aragón. He founded the Veruela Abbey, the oldest Cistercian monastery in Aragon. Biography Family Pedro de Atarés was the son of García Sánch ...

, Lord of Borja, who actually died childless.

Alfons

Alfons de Borja (1378–1458) was born to Francina Llançol and Domingo de Borja in La Torreta, Canals, which was then situated in the

Kingdom of Valencia Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...

. Alfons de Borja was a professor of law at the

University of Lleida The University of Lleida (officially in Catalan: ''Universitat de Lleida'') is a university based in Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. It was the first university founded in Catalonia and in the ancient Crown of Aragon. It was founded in 1300, using the ...

, then a diplomat for the

Kings of Aragon This is a list of the kings and queens of Aragon. The Kingdom of Aragon was created sometime between 950 and 1035 when the County of Aragon, which had been acquired by the Kingdom of Navarre in the tenth century, was separated from Navarre in ...

before becoming a cardinal. At an advanced age, he was elected Pope Callixtus III in 1455 as a compromise candidate and reigned as Pope for just 3 years, until his death in 1458.

Rodrigo

Rodrigo Borgia Pope Alexander VI ( it, Alessandro VI, va, Alexandre VI, es, Alejandro VI; born Rodrigo de Borja; ca-valencia, Roderic Llançol i de Borja ; es, Rodrigo Lanzol y de Borja, lang ; 1431 – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Churc ...

(1431–1503) was born in

Xàtiva Xàtiva (, es, Játiva ) is a town in eastern Spain, in the province of Valencia, on the right (western) bank of the river Albaida and at the junction of the Valencia–Murcia and Valencia Albacete railways. It is located 25 km west ...

, also in the Kingdom of Valencia, to Isabel de Borja i Cavanilles and Jofré Llançol i Escrivà. He studied law at Bologna and was appointed as cardinal by his uncle, Alfons Borgia, Pope Callixtus III. He was elected Pope in 1492, taking the regnal name Alexander VI. While a cardinal, he maintained a long-term illicit relationship with

Vannozza dei Cattanei Giovanna Cattanei (13 July 1442 – 24 November 1518), commonly known as Vannozza Cattanei, was an Italian woman who was the chief mistress of Cardinal Rodrigo de Borgia, later to become Pope Alexander VI. Early life Born in 1442, most likel ...

, with whom he had four children:

Giovanni Giovanni may refer to: * Giovanni (name), an Italian male given name and surname * Giovanni (meteorology), a Web interface for users to analyze NASA's gridded data * ''Don Giovanni'', a 1787 opera by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, based on the legend of ...

;

Cesare Cesare, the Italian version of the given name Caesar, may refer to: Given name * Cesare, Marquis of Beccaria (1738–1794), an Italian philosopher and politician * Cesare Airaghi (1840–1896), Italian colonel * Cesare Arzelà (1847–1912), I ...

; Lucrezia; and

Gioffre Gioffre is a given name and surname. Notable people with the name include: * Anthony B. Gioffre (1907–1996), American lawyer and politician * Gioffre Borgia Gioffre Borgia (1481/82–1516/17), also known as Goffredo (Italian), or Jofré Borj ...

. Rodrigo also had children by other women, including one daughter with his mistress,

Giulia Farnese Giulia Farnese (1474 – 23 March 1524) was an Italian noblewoman, a mistress to Pope Alexander VI, and the sister of Pope Paul III. Known as ''Giulia la bella'', meaning "Julia the beautiful" in Italian, Giulia was a member of the noble Farnese ...

. As Alexander VI, Rodrigo was recognized as a skilled politician and diplomat. However, he was widely criticized during his reign for his over-spending, sale of Church offices, lasciviousness, and

nepotism Nepotism is an advantage, privilege, or position that is granted to relatives and friends in an occupation or field. These fields may include but are not limited to, business, politics, academia, entertainment, sports, fitness, religion, an ...

. As Pope, he sought to acquire more personal and papal power and wealth, often ennobling and enriching the Borgia family directly. He appointed his son, Giovanni, as captain-general of the papal army, his foremost military representative, and established another son, Cesare, as a cardinal. Alexander used the marriages of his children to build alliances with powerful families in Italy and Spain. At the time, the

Sforza family The House of Sforza () was a ruling family of Renaissance Italy, based in Milan. They acquired the Duchy of Milan following the extinction of the Visconti family in the mid-15th century, Sforza rule ending in Milan with the death of the last me ...

, which comprised the Milanese faction, was one of the most powerful in Europe, so Alexander united the two families by marrying Lucrezia to

Giovanni Sforza Giovanni Sforza d'Aragona (5 July 1466 – 27 July 1510) was an Italian condottiero, lord of Pesaro and Gradara from 1483 until his death. He is best known as the first husband of Lucrezia Borgia. Their marriage was annulled on claims of his impoten ...

. He also married Gioffre, his youngest son from Vannozza, to

Sancha of Aragon Sancha of Aragon (1478 in Gaeta – 1506 in Naples), or Sancia of Aragon, was an illegitimate daughter of King Alfonso II of Naples and his mistress Trogia Gazzela. In 1494, she was married to Gioffre Borgia, youngest son of Pope Alexander VI. U ...

of the Crown of Aragon and Naples. He established a second familial link to the Spanish royal house through Giovanni's marriage during what was a period of on-again/off-again conflict between France and Spain over the Kingdom of Naples. It is reported that under Alexander VI's rule the Borgia hosted

orgies In modern usage, an orgy is a sex party consisting of at least five members where guests freely engage in open and unrestrained sexual activity or group sex. Swingers' parties do not always conform to this designation, because at many swin ...

in the Vatican palace. The "

Banquet of Chestnuts The Banquet of Chestnuts (sometimes Ballet of Chestnuts, Festival of Chestnuts, or Joust of Whores) was a supper purportedly held at the Papal Palace in Rome and hosted by former Cardinal Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI on 31 October 1501. ...

" is considered one of the most disreputable balls of this kind.

Johann Burchard Johann Burchard, also spelled Johannes Burchart or Burkhart (c.1450–1506) was an Alsatian-born priest and chronicler during the Italian Renaissance. He spent his entire career at the papal Courts of Sixtus IV, Innocent VIII, Alexander VI, Pius ...

reports that fifty

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress (lover), mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the Royal cour ...

s were in attendance for the entertainment of the banquet guests. It is alleged not only was the Pope present, but also two of his children, Lucrezia and Cesare. Other researchers however, such as Monsignor Peter de Roo (1839–1926), have rejected the rumors of the "fifty courtesans" as being at odds with Alexander VI's essentially decent but much maligned character. Pope Alexander VI died in Rome in 1503 after contracting a disease, generally believed to have been

malaria Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease that affects humans and other animals. Malaria causes symptoms that typically include fever, tiredness, vomiting, and headaches. In severe cases, it can cause jaundice, seizures, coma, or death. S ...

. Two of Alexander's successors, Sixtus V and Urban VIII, described him as one of the most outstanding popes since

St. Peter ) (Simeon, Simon) , birth_date = , birth_place = Bethsaida, Gaulanitis, Syria, Roman Empire , death_date = Between AD 64–68 , death_place = probably Vatican Hill, Rome, Italia, Roman Empire , parents = John (or Jonah; Jona) , occupation ...

Cesare

A Glass of Wine with Caesar Borgia - John Collier

Cesare was Rodrigo Borgia's second son with Vannozza dei Cattanei. Cesare's education was precisely planned by his father: he was educated by tutors in Rome until his 12th birthday. He grew up to become a charming man skilled at war and politics. He studied law and the humanities at the University of Perugia, then went to the University of Pisa to study theology. As soon as he graduated from the university, his father made him a cardinal. Cesare was suspected of murdering his brother Giovanni, but there is no clear evidence to confirm this. However, Giovanni's death cleared the path for Cesare to become a layman and gain the honors his brother received from their father, Pope Alexander VI. Although Cesare had been a cardinal, he left the holy orders to gain power and take over the position Giovanni once held: a

condottiero ''Condottieri'' (; singular ''condottiero'' or ''condottiere'') were Italian captains in command of mercenary companies during the Middle Ages and of multinational armies during the early modern period. They notably served popes and other Europe ...

. He was finally married to French princess

Charlotte d'Albret Charlotte of Albret (1480 – 11 March 1514), Dame de Châlus, was a wealthy French noblewoman of the Albret family. She was the sister of King John III of Navarre and the wife of the widely notorious Cesare Borgia, whom she married in 1499. She wa ...

. After Alexander's death in 1503, Cesare affected the choice of a next Pope. He needed a candidate who would not threaten his plans to create his own principality in Central Italy. Cesare's candidate (

Pius III Pius ( , ) Latin for "pious", is a masculine given name. Its feminine form is Pia. It may refer to: People Popes * Pope Pius (disambiguation) * Antipope Pius XIII (1918-2009), who led the breakaway True Catholic Church sect Given name * Pius ...

) did become Pope, but he died a month after the selection. Cesare was then forced to support

. The cardinal promised Cesare that he could keep all of his titles and honors. Later, della Rovere betrayed him and became his fiercest enemy. Cesare died in 1507, at Viana Castle in

Navarre Navarre (; es, Navarra ; eu, Nafarroa ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre ( es, Comunidad Foral de Navarra, links=no ; eu, Nafarroako Foru Komunitatea, links=no ), is a foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, ...

, Spain, while besieging the rebellious army of Count de

Lerín View of Lerín Lerín is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. External links LERIN in the Bernardo Estornés Lasa - Auñamendi Encyclopedia Euskomedia Fundazioa The Euskomedia Fund ...

. The castle was held by Louis de Beaumont at the time it was besieged by Cesare Borgia and

King John King John may refer to: Rulers * John, King of England (1166–1216) * John I of Jerusalem (c. 1170–1237) * John Balliol, King of Scotland (c. 1249–1314) * John I of France (15–20 November 1316) * John II of France (1319–1364) * John I o ...

's army of 10,000 men in 1507. In order to attempt to breach the extremely strong, natural fortification of the castle, Cesare counted on a desperate surprise attack. He was killed during the battle, in which his army failed to take the castle.

Lucrezia

Lucrezia was born in Subiaco, Italy to Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and Roman mistress Vannozza dei Catanei. Before the age of 13, she was engaged to two Spanish princes. After her father became Pope she was married to Giovanni Sforza in 1493 at the age of 13. It was a typical political marriage to improve Alexander's power; however, when Pope Alexander VI no longer needed the Sforzas, the marriage was annulled in 1497 on the dubious grounds that it had never been consummated. Shortly afterwards she was involved in a scandal involving her alleged relationship with Pedro Calderón, a Spaniard generally known as Perotto. His body was found in the Tiber on February 14, 1498, along with the body of one of Lucrezia's ladies. It is likely that Cesare had them killed as an affair would have damaged the negotiations being conducted for another marriage. During this time rumors were also spread suggesting that a child born at this time, Giovanni Borgia, also known as the ''Infans Romanus'' (child of Rome) was Lucrezia's. Lucrezia's second marriage, to wealthy young Prince Alfonso of Aragon, allowed the Borgias to form an alliance with another powerful family. However, this relationship did not last long either. Cesare wished to strengthen his relations with France and completely break with the

Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...

. As Alfonso's father was the ruler of the Kingdom of Naples, the young husband was in great danger. Although the first attempt at murder did not succeed, Alfonso was eventually strangled in his own quarters. Lucrezia's third and final husband was Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. After her father died in 1503, she lived a life of freedom in Ferrara with her husband and children. Unfortunately, her pregnancies were difficult and she lost several babies after birth. She died in 1519, 10 days after the birth and death of her last child, Isabella Maria. She was buried in a tomb with Isabella and Alfonso. Lucrezia was rumored to be a notorious poisoner and she became famous for her skill at political intrigue. However, some recent revisionists have looked at her in a more sympathetic light, claiming her to be a victim of her family's deceptions.

Family tree

Borgias of Velletri

One branch of the family established ifself in the city of Velletri where for many years they served in the administration of the

Papal States The Papal States ( ; it, Stato Pontificio, ), officially the State of the Church ( it, Stato della Chiesa, ; la, Status Ecclesiasticus;), were a series of territories in the Italian Peninsula under the direct sovereign rule of the pope fro ...

. Pietro Borgia, married Madonna Filomena :* Ettore Borgia, married Porzia Landi ::* Camillo Borgia, Governor of Velletri :::* Clemente Erminio Borgia, Governor of Velletri, married Cecilia Carboni ::::* Stefano Camillo Borgia (1681–1763), married Madalena Gagliardi :::::* Giovanni Paolo Borgia, General in the Pontifical Army, married Alcmena Baglioni-Malatesta ::::::* Camillo Borgia (1777–1817), Adjutant-General and Field Marshall in Murat's army, married Adelaide Quainson :::::::*

Ettore Borgia Ettore Borgia (Velletri, 1802 – Gioiosa Marea, 11 July 1892) was an politics of Italy, Italian politician and patriot. Biography Ettore Borgia, son of Don Camillo Borgia di Velletri and Adelaide Quainson (or Quenson), belonged to the noble H ...

(1802–1892), Italian politician ::::::*

Alessandro Borgia Alessandro Borgia (1682, Velletri – 1764, Fermo) was an Italian bishop and archbishop. Life From a collateral patrician branch of Borgia family, he was the son of Don Clemente Erminio Borgia of Velletri (1640-1711) and Cecilia Carboni (1663-1 ...

(1783–1871), Lieutenant of the Grand Master of the

Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...

:::::* Stefano Borgia (1731–1804),

cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

::::*

(1682–1764),

Archbishop of Fermo The Archdiocese of Fermo ( la, Archidioecesis Firmana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in northern Italy, with its seat in the city of Fermo, Marche. It was established as the Diocese of Fermo in the 3rd century, and elevated to a ...

::::* Fabrizio Borgia (1689–1754),

Bishop of Ferentino The Roman Catholic diocese of Ferentino existed until 1986, when it was united into the new diocese of Frosinone-Veroli-Ferentino. History It is said, by Ferdinand Ughelli, that in the time of Emperor Constantine, in the 1st third of the fourt ...

::::* Angela Caterina Borgia (1694–1743), a nun and

Servant of God "Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in th ...

Other notable members of the house of Borja

Rodrigo de Borja Pope Alexander VI ( it, Alessandro VI, va, Alexandre VI, es, Alejandro VI; born Rodrigo de Borja; ca-valencia, Roderic Llançol i de Borja ; es, Rodrigo Lanzol y de Borja, lang ; 1431 – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Churc ...

(b. 1349), Head of the Borja family, great-grandfather of Rodrigo (Pope Alexander VI). * Rodrigo Gil de Borja y Fennolet (lived late 14th century), Rodrigo's son, jurat of Xativa. * Jofré Llançol i Escrivà (b. circa 1390 – d. 1436 or 1437), Rodrigo Gil's son; father of Rodrigo (Pope Alexander VI) and Pedro Luis. *

Pedro Luis de Borja Pedro Luis de Borja, Duke of Spoleto and Marquess of Civitavecchia (1432 – 26 September 1458) was the younger brother of Rodrigo Borgia and nephew of Cardinal Alonso de Borja, who in 1455 became Pope Callixtus III. He was called Don Pedro Luis. ...

(1432–1458), Duke of Spoleto and Marquess of Civitavecchia. * Roderic de Borja i Escrivà (? – 1478) *

Pier Luigi de Borgia, 1st duke of Gandía Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.">England.html" ;"title="Brighton, England">Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th ...

(1458 or 1460 – 1488 or 1491). * Giovanni Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandia (1474 or 1476 – 1497) *

Gioffre Borgia Gioffre Borgia (1481/82–1516/17), also known as Goffredo (Italian), or Jofré Borja (Valencian), was the youngest son of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei, and a member of the House of Borgia. He was the youngest brother of Cesare, G ...

(1482–1516), son of Pope Alexander VI and younger brother of Cesare Borgia and Lucrezia Borgia. He married Sancha of Aragon, daughter of Alfonso II of Naples, obtaining as her dowry both the Principality of Squillace (1494) and the Duchy of Alvito (1497). He later married Maria de Mila y Aragón, with whom he had a son,

Francesco Borgia Francis Borgia ( ca-valencia, Francesc de Borja; es, Francisco de Borja; 28 October 1510 – 30 September 1572) was a Spanish Jesuit priest. The great-grandson of Pope Alexander VI, he was Duke of Gandía and a grandee of Spain. After th ...

. * Angela Borgia or Angela de Borja (c. 1486 – c. 1520–1522), lady of

Sassuolo Sassuolo (; egl, label=Modenese dialect, Modenese, Sasól ) is an Italian town, ''comune'', and industrial centre of the Province of Modena in Emilia-Romagna. Standing on the right bank of the river Secchia some southwest of Modena, the town ...

. *

Enrique de Borja y Aragón Enrique de Borja y Aragón (December 19, 1518, Gandía – September 16, 1540, Viterbo), was a Spanish noble of the House of Borgia. He was the Bishop of Squillace in Italy, and went on to become a Cardinal. Family origins Enrique was a mem ...

(1518–1540) *

Francis Borgia, 4th Duke of Gandía Francis Borgia ( ca-valencia, Francesc de Borja; es, Francisco de Borja; 28 October 1510 – 30 September 1572) was a Spanish Jesuit priest. The great-grandson of Pope Alexander VI, he was Duke of Gandía and a grandee of Spain. After th ...

(1510–1572), great-grandson of Pope Alexander VI. Became an effective organizer of the

Society of Jesus , image = Ihs-logo.svg , image_size = 175px , caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits , abbreviation = SJ , nickname = Jesuits , formation = , founders ...

. Canonized by

Clement X Pope Clement X ( la, Clemens X; it, Clemente X; 13 July 1590 – 22 July 1676), born Emilio Bonaventura Altieri, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 29 April 1670 to his death in July 1676. Elected pope at ag ...

as "Saint Francis Borgia" on 20 June 1670. *

Juan de Borja y Castro Juan de Borja y Castro (1533, Bellpuig – 3 September 1606, El Escorial) was a Spanish noble of the House of Borja and the House of Castro. Juan was a soldier, diplomat and a worker for the Spanish state. He is best known for being the first Coun ...

(1533–1606) *

Tomás de Borja y Castro Tomás de Borja y Castro ( – September 13, 1610]) was a Spanish noble from the House of Borgia, House of Borja who became Bishop of Málaga and Archbishop of Zaragoza. Biography Tomás studied in the Colegio Mayor de San Ildefonso at A ...

(1551–1610) *

Juan Buenaventura de Borja y Armendia Juan Buenaventura de Borja y Armendia (b. 1564*, Gandía, Valencia d. 1628, Santafé de Bogotá) was a Spanish noble of the House of Borja who served in multiple positions of power throughout the New Kingdom of Granada. He is perhaps best known ...

(1564* – 1628) * Íñigo de Borja (1575–1622), great-grandson of Francis and elder brother of Gaspar. *

Gaspar de Borja y Velasco Gaspar de Borja y Velasco (26 June 1580 – 28 December 1645) was a Spanish cardinal, ecclesiastic and politician. He belonged to the house of Borgia (though he always used the Spanish spelling of ''Borja'') and served as Primate of Spain, Archbis ...

(1580–1645), born at

Villalpando Villalpando is a municipality located in the province of Zamora, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census (INE), the municipality has a population of 1,624 inhabitants. Formerly the town was reputed for its saltpans, the Salinas ...

in Spain who unlike many of his relatives preferred to use the Spanish spelling "Borja". He served as Primate of Spain,

Archbishop of Seville The Archdiocese of Seville is part of the Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's ol ...

, and Archbishop and Viceroy of Naples. *

Francisco de Borja y Aragón Francisco de Borja y Aragón, conde de Rebolledo, prince of Squillace (1581 – September 26, 1658) was a Spanish writer, official in the court of King Philip III of Spain, and, from December 18, 1615 to December 31, 1621, viceroy of Peru. Biograp ...

(1581–1658) *

Fernando de Borja y Aragón Don Fernando de Borja y Aragón or Ferran de Borja y d'Aragón (1583, in Lisboa – 28 November 1665, in Madrid) was a Spanish noble from the House of Borja and the House of Castro. He was the third Count of Mayalde, Viceroy of the royal house, and ...

(1583–1665) * Arturo Borja Pérez (1892–1912), Ecuadorian poet who was part of a group known as the "

Generación decapitada The ''Generación decapitada'' (Spanish for "Beheaded/Decapitated Generation") was a literary group formed by four young Ecuadorian poets in the first decades of the 20th century. The group comprised two men from the city of Guayaquil, Medardo Áng ...

" (Decapitated Generation). * Rosa Borja de Ycaza (1889–1964), Ecuadorian writer, essayist, playwright, sociologist, poetess, novelist, feminist and activist. *

Luz Elisa Borja Martínez Luz Elisa Borja Martínez (15 May 1903 – 10 July 1927) was an Ecuadorians, Ecuadorian poet, pianist, painter, and sculptor. Biography Borja Martínez was born in Riobamba in 1903, the daughter of Ricardo Borja León and Victoria Martínez D� ...

(1903–1927), Ecuadorian poet, pianist, painter, and sculptor. *

Rodrigo Borja Cevallos Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (born 19 June 1935) is an Ecuadorian politician who was President of Ecuador from 10 August 1988 to 10 August 1992. He is also a descendant of the House of Borgia. Life Borja was born in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. ...

(1935), former

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

of the

Republic of Ecuador Ecuador ( ; ; Quechua: ''Ikwayur''; Shuar: ''Ecuador'' or ''Ekuatur''), officially the Republic of Ecuador ( es, República del Ecuador, which literally translates as "Republic of the Equator"; Quechua: ''Ikwadur Ripuwlika''; Shuar: ''Eku ...

Gallery

File:Arms of the house of Borgia (2).svg, Coat of arms of the

dukes of Gandía Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...

. Blason fam es Enríquez.svg, Coat of arms of Maria Enriquez de Luna widow of Pedro and Juan Borgia File:Coat of arms of Cesare Borgia as Duke of Valentinois.svg, Coat of arms of the

dukes of Valentinois Duke of Valentinois (french: Duc de Valentinois; it, Duca Valentino) is a title of nobility, originally in the French peerage. It is currently one of the many hereditary titles claimed by the Prince of Monaco despite its extinction in French law ...

. File:Coat of arms of Cesare Borgia as Duke of Romagna and Valentinois and Captain-General of the Church.svg, Coat of arms of Cesare Borgia as Duke of Romagna and Valentinois and Captain-General of the Church File:Calixtus III.jpg, Alfons de Borja
Pope Callixtus III File:Portrait of Pope Alexander VI Borgia (Vatican Museums - Musei Vaticani, Vatican).jpg, Rodrigo Borja
Pope Alexander VI, father of Cesare, Giovanni, Lucrezia and Gioffre. File:Girolamo Marchesi – Portrait of a man.jpg, Giovanni Borgia
2nd Duke of Gandia File:Cesareborgia.jpg, '' Portrait of a Gentleman'',

Cesare Borgia Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex- cardinal and '' condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major ...

Duke of Valentinois Duke of Valentinois (french: Duc de Valentinois; it, Duca Valentino) is a title of nobility, originally in the French peerage. It is currently one of the many hereditary titles claimed by the Prince of Monaco despite its extinction in French law ...

File:Veneto - Portrait of an Unidentified Young Lady - National Gallery.jpg,

Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia (; ca-valencia, Lucrècia Borja, links=no ; 18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was a Spanish-Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She reigned as the Govern ...

Duchess of Ferrara and Modena File:Goffredo Borgia.jpg,

Prince of Squillace File:San Francisco de Borja.jpg, Francisco Borgia
Saint Francis Borgia, S.J., 4th Duke of Gandia File:JUAN DE BORJA Y ARMENDIA.jpg, Juan Buenaventura de Borja, President of the Real Audiencia de Santa Fe de Bogotá File:Cardenal Gaspar de Borja y Velasco.JPG,

Cardinal, Primate of Spain,

, and Archbishop and Viceroy of Naples File:Principe de Esquilache.jpg,

Prince of

Squillace Squillace ( grc, Σκυλλήτιον ''Skylletion''; grc-x-medieval, Σκυλάκιον ''Skylakion'') is an ancient town and ''comune'', in the Province of Catanzaro, part of Calabria, southern Italy, facing the Gulf of Squillace. Squillace ...

and

Viceroy of Peru The viceroys of Peru ruled the Viceroyalty of Peru from 1544 to 1824 in the name of the monarch of Spain. The territories under ''de jure'' rule by the viceroys included in the 16th and 17th century almost all of South America except eastern Brazi ...

In popular culture

The Borgias were infamous in their time, and have inspired numerous references in popular culture. They include novels, such as '' City of God: A Novel of the Borgias'' (1979) by Cecelia Holland, ''

The Family A family is a domestic or social group. Family or The Family may also refer to: Mathematics *Family of curves, a set of curves resulting from a function with variable parameters *Family of sets, a collection of sets *Indexed family, a family wh ...

'' (2001) by Mario Puzo, and '' Summer of Night'' (1991) by

Dan Simmons Dan Simmons (born April 4, 1948) is an American science fiction and horror writer. He is the author of the Hyperion Cantos and the Ilium/Olympos cycles, among other works which span the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres, sometimes wi ...

, plays, operas, comics, films like ''

The Borgia ''The Borgia'' ( es, Los Borgia, links=no) is a 2006 Spanish-Italian biographical film directed by Antonio Hernández. It stars Lluís Homar, Sergio Peris-Mencheta and María Valverde as, respectively, Rodrigo, Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. Cast ...

'' (2006), television series like ''

Borgia The House of Borgia ( , ; Spanish and an, Borja ; ca-valencia, Borja ) was an Italian-Aragonese Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. They were from Valencia, the surname being a toponymic from the town ...

'' (2011) and '' The Borgias'' (2011) on

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global w ...

, and video games the likes of '' Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood'' (2010) by

Ubisoft Ubisoft Entertainment SA (; ; formerly Ubi Soft Entertainment SA) is a French video game publisher headquartered in Saint-Mandé with development studios across the world. Its video game franchises include '' Assassin's Creed'', ''Far Cry'', '' ...

. In series 4 of the sketch comedy TV show '' Horrible Histories'', a song called "the Borgia Family" was featured in the section 'Radical Renaissance'. The song is a parody of the theme song to the Addams Family.

Notes

References

* Fusero, Clemente. The Borgias. New York, Praeger Publishers, 1966. * Grun, Bernard. The Timetables of History. New York, Simon and Schusters, 1946, pp. 218, 220, 222. * Hale, John R. Renaissance. New York, Time-Life Books, 1965, p. 85.
"Mad Dogs and Spaniards: An Interview with Cesare Borgia." World and Image, 1996.
* Rath, John R. "Borgia." World Book Encyclopedia. 1994 edition. World Book Inc., 1917, pp. 499–500. * Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 1. (Old Catholic Encyclopedia) New York, Robert Appleton Company (a.k.a. The Encyclopedia Press), 1907. * Duran, Eulàlia
The Borja Family: Historiography, Legend and Literature
* Meyer, G.J.
The Borgias: The Hidden History, 2013
* Chaplin, Danny
BORGIA, Behind The Myth: A New History of the Notorious Papal Family, 2018

External links

*

*
Francisco Fernández de Bethencourt – Historia Genealógica y Heráldica Española, Casa Real y Grandes de España, tomo cuarto
*
Una rama subsistente del linaje Borja en América española, por Jaime de Salazar y Acha, Académico de Número de la Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía
*
Boletín de la Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía
*

* ttp://rua.ua.es/dspace/bitstream/10045/4867/1/RHM_15_16.pdf La mirada sobre los Borja (Notas críticas para un estado de la cuestión)
The Borja Family: Historiography, Legend and Literature by Eulàlia Duran, Institut d’Estudis Catalans

Institut Internacional d'Estudis Borgians
*
García Rivas, Manuel: ''Los Borja americanos: su contribución al mundo de la cultura''. Revista Borja. Centro de Estudios Borjanos. Actas del Congreso Los Borja en el arte, Nº. 5. España, 2015–2016, p. 15

Diario Borja – Borgia
Tres siglos de Historia día a día {{DEFAULTSORT:House Of Borgia 1455 establishments in Europe 1748 disestablishments in Europe

Borja Borja

Route of the Borgias Monastery of Sant Jeroni de Cotalba