The House of Borgia ( , ;

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

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 '' 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 proper name of ...

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 ...

, 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 Pope Callixtus III ( it, Callisto III, va, Calixt III, es, Calixto III; 31 December 1378 – 6 August 1458), born Alfonso de Borgia ( va, Alfons de Borja), was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 April 1455 to his ...

during 1455–1458, and Rodrigo Lanzol Borgia, as Pope Alexander VI, 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), adopti ...

, simony,

theft Theft is the act of taking another person's property or services without that person's permission or consent with the intent to deprive the rightful owner of it. The word ''theft'' is also used as a synonym or informal shorthand term for som ...

, bribery, and murder (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, bu ...

). 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 Mu ...

, 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 me ...

, and the Dominican friar

Girolamo Savonarola Girolamo Savonarola, OP (, , ; 21 September 1452 – 23 May 1498) or Jerome Savonarola was an Italian Dominican friar from Ferrara and preacher active in Renaissance Florence. He was known for his prophecies of civic glory, the destruction of ...

, among others. They were also patrons of the arts 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 Marranos were Spanish and Portuguese Jews living in the Iberian Peninsula who converted or were forced to convert to Christianity during the Middle Ages, but continued to practice Judaism in secrecy. The term specifically refers to the cha ...

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,

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 Sán ...

, 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 Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered channels built for drainage management (e.g. flood control and irrigation) or for conveyancing water transport vehicles (e.g. water taxi). They carry free, calm surface flow un ...

, which was then situated in the Kingdom of Valencia. 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

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 Jofré Llançol i Escrivà, (c. 1390 - 1436/37), also known as Jofré de Borja y Escrivà and Jofré de Borja y Doms, was a Spanish noble from Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia. He was related by marriage to the Borgia family. He was an uncle of Card ...

. 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 A regnal name, or regnant name or reign name, is the name used by monarchs and popes during their reigns and, subsequently, historically. Since ancient times, some monarchs have chosen to use a different name from their original name when they ...

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

; Lucrezia; and Gioffre. 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 Farnes ...

. 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. 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 impo ...

. 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. ...

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 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 15 ...

" 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, Pi ...

reports that fifty

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...

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 Pope Sixtus V ( it, Sisto V; 13 December 1521 – 27 August 1590), born Felice Piergentile, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 24 April 1585 to his death in August 1590. As a youth, he joined the Franciscan order ...

and

Urban VIII Pope Urban VIII ( la, Urbanus VIII; it, Urbano VIII; baptised 5 April 1568 – 29 July 1644), born Maffeo Vincenzo Barberini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 6 August 1623 to his death in July 1644. As p ...

, described him as one of the most outstanding popes since St. Peter.

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 University of Perugia (Italian ''Università degli Studi di Perugia'') is a public-owned university based in Perugia, Italy. It was founded in 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying the birth of the Studium Generale. Th ...

, then went to the

University of Pisa The University of Pisa ( it, Università di Pisa, UniPi), officially founded in 1343, is one of the oldest universities in Europe. History The Origins The University of Pisa was officially founded in 1343, although various scholars place ...

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. He was finally married to French princess Charlotte d'Albret. 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 Central Italy ( it, Italia centrale or just ) is one of the five official statistical regions of Italy used by the National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), a first-level NUTS region, and a European Parliament constituency. Regions Central I ...

. Cesare's candidate ( Pius III) 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, Spain, while besieging the rebellious army of Count de Lerín. The castle was held by Louis de Beaumont at the time it was besieged by Cesare Borgia and King John'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. 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 Alfonso d'Este (21 July 1476 – 31 October 1534) was Duke of Ferrara during the time of the War of the League of Cambrai. Biography He was the son of Ercole I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara and Eleanor of Naples and became duke on Ercole's deat ...

. 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 Velletri (; la, Velitrae; xvo, Velester) is an Italian ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome, approximately 40 km to the southeast of the city centre, located in the Alban Hills, in the region of Lazio, central Italy. Neighbouring comm ...

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 (1802–1892), Italian politician ::::::* Alessandro Borgia (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 Stefano Borgia (3 December 1731 – 1804) was an Italian Cardinal, theologian, antiquarian, and historian. Life Cardinal Borgia belonged to a well known family of Velletri, where he was born, and was a member of the collateral branch of House ...

(1731–1804), cardinal ::::* Alessandro Borgia (1682–1764), Archbishop of Fermo ::::* 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

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 Roderic Gil de Borja i Fennolet was a Valencian noble from Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia, with origins in the town of Borja, Zaragoza. He held the title of the Jurat de l'Estament Militar de Xàtiva in 1395, 1406 and 1407 respectively, a title tha ...

(lived late 14th century), Rodrigo's son, jurat of Xativa. *

(b. circa 1390 – d. 1436 or 1437), Rodrigo Gil's son; father of Rodrigo (Pope Alexander VI) and Pedro Luis. * Pedro Luis de Borja (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 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 ...

(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, ...

(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 The Duchy of Alvito was a fiefdom of the Kingdom of Naples, in southern Italy. Rule of the Cantelmo The Cantelmo family, of French origins, arrived in Italy in the 13th century around the time the Angevins conquered Naples (1266). From the An ...

(1497). He later married Maria de Mila y Aragón, with whom he had a son, Francesco Borgia. * Angela Borgia or Angela de Borja (c. 1486 – c. 1520–1522), lady of

Sassuolo Sassuolo (; egl, label= 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 is best known f ...

. *

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 me ...

(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 t ...

(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 (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 ...

(1551–1610) * Juan Buenaventura de Borja y Armendia (1564* – 1628) *

Íñigo de Borja Don Íñigo de Borja y Velasco (1575–1622) was a Spanish nobleman and military commander who served as governor of Antwerp Citadel. Family Don Íñigo was born at Gandía in 1575 to the prominent Spanish noble house of Borja, the son of Franci ...

(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, Archb ...

(1580–1645), born at Villalpando in Spain who unlike many of his relatives preferred to use the Spanish spelling "Borja". He served as

Primate of Spain The Primacy of the Spains ( pt, Primaz das Espanhas; es, Primado de las Españas, ca, Primat de les Espanyes) is the primacy of the Iberian Peninsula, historically known as Hispania or in the plural as the Spains. The Archbishop of Braga, in ...

, Archbishop of Seville, 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. Biogr ...

(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" (Decapitated Generation). *

Rosa Borja de Ycaza Rosa Borja Febres-Cordero (Guayaquil, July 30, 1889 – Guayaquil, December 22, 1964) known as Rosa Borja de Ycaza was an Ecuadorian writer, essayist, dramatist, sociologist, poet, novelist, feminist and activist. Biography Rosa Borja de Ycaza w ...

(1889–1964), Ecuadorian writer, essayist, playwright, sociologist, poetess, novelist, feminist and activist. * Luz Elisa Borja Martínez (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 ...

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. 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. 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 Rodrigo Borja Cevallos (born 19 June 1935) is an Ecuadorian politician who was List of heads of state of Ecuador, 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 ...

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

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
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,

, Archbishop of Seville, 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 Braz ...

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 Cecelia Holland (born December 31, 1943) is an American historical fiction novelist. Early life and education Holland was born December 31, 1943, in Henderson, Nevada. She grew up in Metuchen, New Jersey, where she started writing at age 12, rec ...

, '' The Family'' (2001) by

Mario Puzo Mario Francis Puzo (; ; October 15, 1920 – July 2, 1999) was an American author, screenwriter, and journalist. He is known for his crime novels about the Italian-American Mafia and Sicilian Mafia, most notably '' The Godfather'' (1969), whi ...

, and ''

Summer of Night ''Summer of Night'' is the first in a series of horror novels by American writer Dan Simmons, published in 1991 by Warner Aspect. It was nominated for a British Fantasy Award in 1992. The subsequent books are ''Children of the Night'' (1992), F ...

'' (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 (director), Antonio Hernández. It stars Lluís Homar, Sergio Peris-Mencheta and María Valverde as, respectively, Rodrigo Borgia, ...

'' (2006), television series like '' Borgia'' (2011) and '' The Borgias'' (2011) on Showtime, 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 ''Horrible Histories'' is an educational entertainment franchise encompassing many media including books, magazines, audio books, stage shows, TV shows, and more. In 2013, Lisa Edwards, UK publishing and commercial director of Scholastic Corpor ...

'', 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 ''The Addams Family'' is a fictional family created by American cartoonist Charles Addams. They originally appeared in a series of 150 unrelated single-panel cartoons, about half of which were originally published in ''The New Yorker'' over ...

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 Borgia Borgia Borgia Borja Borja Borgia Borgia Borgia Borgia Route of the Borgias Monastery of Sant Jeroni de Cotalba