Alfonso of Aragon (1481 – 18 August 1500), Duke of
Bisceglie
Bisceglie (; ) is a city and municipality of 55,251 inhabitants in the province of Barletta-Andria-Trani, in the Apulia region (''Italian'': ''Puglia''), in southern Italy. The municipality has the fourth highest population in the province and
Prince of Salerno
This page is a list of the rulers of the Principality of Salerno.
Salerno was a Lombard Principality in southern Italy in the latter centuries of the first millenium.
When Prince Sicard of Benevento was assassinated by Radelchis I of Benevento, ...
of the
House of Trastámara
The House of Trastámara (Spanish, Aragonese and Catalan: ) was a royal dynasty which first ruled in the Crown of Castile and then expanded to the Crown of Aragon from the Late Middle Ages to the early modern period.
They were an illegitimate ...
, was the illegitimate son of
Alfonso II King of Naples and his mistress
Trogia Gazzella. His father, cousin of King
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II, also known as Ferdinand I, Ferdinand III, and Ferdinand V (10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), called Ferdinand the Catholic, was King of Aragon from 1479 until his death in 1516. As the husband and co-ruler of Queen Isabella I of ...
, abdicated in favour of his legitimate son
Ferdinand II of Naples
Ferdinand II (; 26 June 1467 – 7 September 1496) was Kingdom of Naples, King of Naples from 1495 to 1496. He was the son of Alfonso II of Naples and the grandson of Ferrante I of Naples.
At the start of the Italian Wars in 1495, Alfonso abdic ...
.
Early life
Alfonso received a thorough education in the humanities. His first tutor was Giuniano Maio who was then followed by the Florentine poet
Raffaele Brandolini (also known as "Lippus Brandolinus" because of his blindness). From an early age Alfonso was involved in the crisis that hit the Aragonese dynasty of Naples. In 1495, during the French occupation, his father fled and later died in Sicily. Alfonso, aged 14, fought for the return to the throne of his half-brother
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...
, who became king of Naples in 1495 but died one year later. In 1497, with the restoration of the Aragonese control under his uncle
Frederick IV of Naples
Frederick (19 April 1452 – 9 November 1504), sometimes called Frederick IV or Frederick of Aragon, was the last King of Naples from the Neapolitan branch of the House of Trastámara, ruling from 1496 to 1501. He was the second son of Ferdina ...
, Alfonso was assigned to the first position of responsibility and became the
Lieutenant general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...
of
Abruzzo
Abruzzo (, ; ; , ''Abbrìzze'' or ''Abbrèzze'' ; ), historically also known as Abruzzi, is a Regions of Italy, region of Southern Italy with an area of 10,763 square km (4,156 sq mi) and a population of 1.3 million. It is divided into four ...
.
Marriage
In order to strengthen ties with
Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
,
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503.
Born into t ...
arranged marriages between the
House of Borgia
The House of Borgia ( ; ; Spanish language, Spanish and ; ) was a Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. They were from Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia, the surname being a Toponymic surname, toponymic from ...
and the royal family of
Aragon
Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. In northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces of Spain, ...
. Alfonso's sister
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 Gazzella. In 1494, she was married to Gioffre Borgia, youngest son of Pope Alexander VI. ...
was already given to the Pope's youngest son
Gioffre Borgia
Gioffre Borgia (1481 – January 1517), also known as Goffredo Borgia (Italian language, Italian) or Jofré Borja (Valencian language, Valencian), was the youngest illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei, and a member of ...
in 1494. Alexander VI's idea was for his son
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was a Cardinal (Catholic Church)#Cardinal_deacons, cardinal deacon and later an Italians, Italian ''condottieri, condottiero''. He was the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI of the Aragonese ...
to marry
Carlotta of Naples, legitimate daughter of the newly crowned King Frederick IV of Naples, but Carlotta would not agree to marry him. To appease the Pope, King Frederick eventually consented to a match between the Pope's daughter
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia (18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She was a former governor of Spoleto.
Her family arranged ...
, aged 18, and the 17-year-old Alfonso of Aragon.
On 15 July 1498 Alfonso entered Rome in disguise. Alfonso and Lucrezia were married in the
Vatican
Vatican may refer to:
Geography
* Vatican City, an independent city-state surrounded by Rome, Italy
* Vatican Hill, in Rome, namesake of Vatican City
* Ager Vaticanus, an alluvial plain in Rome
* Vatican, an unincorporated community in the ...
on 21 July with the celebrations being held behind closed doors.
With Alfonso came the princely cities of Salerno, Quadrata and Bisceglie. Lucrezia brought with her a dowry of 40,000
ducat
The ducat ( ) coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages to the 19th century. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wide inter ...
s. It was part of the agreement that they would remain in Rome for at least one year and not be forced to live permanently at the Kingdom of Naples until her father's death. According to
Gregorovius, "the youthful Alfonso was fair and amiable", "the most handsome young man ever seen in the Imperial city." By all evidence, Lucrezia was genuinely fond of him. In February 1499, Lucrezia reportedly lost her first baby with Alfonso. However, she was soon pregnant again.
As the political situation changed,
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI (, , ; born Roderic Llançol i de Borja; epithet: ''Valentinus'' ("The Valencian"); – 18 August 1503) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503.
Born into t ...
looked to align with France, enemy of Alfonso's family. To this end he arranged a marriage between Cesare Borgia and
Charlotte of 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 w ...
, sister of King
John III of Navarre
John III (, , ; 1469 – 14 June 1516) was King of Navarre from 1484 until his death in 1516 as the husband and co-ruler of Queen Catherine.
He was a son of Alain I, Lord of Albret, and Frances, Countess of Périgord.
King of Navarre
Marri ...
. Alfonso sensed betrayal when France planned to invade Naples and on 2 August 1499 left Rome without his wife, who was six months pregnant. His flight incensed the Pope who sent troops after him but failed to find him. Meanwhile, Lucrezia was awarded the governorship of
Spoleto
Spoleto (, also , , ; ) is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east-central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is south of Trevi, north of Terni, southeast of Perugia; southeast of Florence; and north of Rome.
H ...
and
Foligno
Foligno (; Central Italian, Southern Umbrian: ''Fuligno'') is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennine Mountains, Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clit ...
, meaning that Alfonso was a consort without formal responsibilities. Eventually Alfonso was discovered through the letters he was sending to his wife in an attempt to persuade her to join him in
Genazzano
Genazzano is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Metropolitan City of Rome, located on a tuff spur at above sea level that, starting from the Monti Prenestini, ends on the Sacco River valley.
History
The name originate ...
. With this discovery her family ordered her to lure Alfonso to Rome. Lucrezia met her husband in
Nepi Nepi (anciently ''Nepet'' or ''Nepete'') is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Viterbo, Lazio, central Italy. The town lies southeast of the city of Viterbo and about southwest from Civita Castellana.
The town is known for its mineral s ...
. They then returned to the Vatican in September 1499. On the night of 31 October/1 November, Lucrezia gave birth to their son, who was christened ''Rodrigo'' after her father.
Murder
On the evening of 15 July 1500, at the top of the steps before the entrance to
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican (), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (; ), is a church of the Italian High Renaissance located in Vatican City, an independent microstate enclaved within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initiall ...
, Alfonso was attacked by hired killers and stabbed in the head, right arm, and leg. When the assassins attempted to take Alfonso with them, his own guards put them to flight. The prince was residing in the palace of Santa Maria in Portico, but so desperate was his condition that he was taken to the chamber of the Borgia Tower
where he was cared for by his doctors from Naples, his sister, Sancha, and his wife, Lucrezia. On the night of 18 August, as Alfonso was still recovering from his wounds,
Micheletto Corella
Micheletto Corella (Micheletto Coreglia, Michele de Corella or Miguel de Corella) was a Valencian condottiero born on an unknown date in Valencia. He was killed in Milan in February 1508.
Biography
Known as ''Valentino's executioner'', he an ...
and a group of armed men entered his room and strangled him in his bed until he was dead.
Following his death, his body was carried to the Basilica of St Peter and there placed in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary of the Fever.
In the political context of a French campaign against Naples, Cesare Borgia was primarily accused of being behind the assassination. However, Alfonso's death remains shrouded in mystery. In his own defence, Cesare argued that Alfonso had attempted to kill him with a crossbow shot as he walked in the garden, but not many believed him.
[ ] Alfonso, given his sympathy for the
Colonna family
The House of Colonna is an Italian noble family, forming part of the papal nobility. It played a pivotal role in Middle Ages, medieval and Roman Renaissance, Renaissance Rome, supplying one pope (Pope Martin V, Martin V), 23 cardinals and many ot ...
,
had enemies at Rome amongst the
Orsini Orsini is a surname of Italian origin, originally derived from Latin ''ursinus'' ("bearlike") and originating as an epithet or sobriquet describing the name-bearer's purported strength. Notable people with the surname include the following:
* Aaro ...
too, and it seems possible that the Orsini could have engineered the attempt on his life in July 1500. Among the accused was also Alfonso's uncle Giovan Maria Gazzera, mysteriously killed in Rome shortly after, and even Pope Alexander VI, because Alfonso, in May 1500, showed his discontent with the Pope's decision to nullify the marriage between Alfonso's aunt
Beatrice of Naples
Beatrice of Naples (16 November 1457 – 23 September 1508), also known as Beatrice of Aragon (; ), was twice Queen of Hungary and of Bohemia by marriage to Matthias Corvinus and Vladislaus II. She was the daughter of Ferdinand I of Naples ...
and
Vladislaus II of Hungary
Vladislaus II, also known as Vladislav, Władysław or Wladislas (; 1 March 1456 – 13 March 1516), was King of Bohemia from 1471 to 1516 and King of Hungary and King of Croatia from 1490 to 1516. As the eldest son of Casimir IV Jagiellon, he wa ...
.
Two years later Lucrezia was given in marriage to
Alfonso I d'Este
Alfonso d'Este (21 July 1476 – 31 October 1534) was Duke of Ferrara from 1504 to 1534, 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 du ...
. Lucrezia was obliged to simulate the appearance of a virgin spouse in order to marry d'Este. Accordingly, she was forced to leave
Rodrigo of Aragon, her only child by Alfonso of Aragon, behind forever. Rodrigo Borgia of Aragon died of a disease in
Bari
Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...
at the age of 12.
Portrayals
*
Alfons Fryland in ''Lucrezia Borgia'' (Film, US, 1922)
*Max Michel in ''Lucrèce Borgia'' (Film by director
Abel Gance
Abel Gance (; born Abel Eugène Alexandre Péréthon; 25 October 188910 November 1981) was a French film director, producer, writer and actor. A pioneer in the theory and practice of montage, he is best known for three major silent films: ''J'ac ...
, France, 1935)
*
John Sutton in ''
Bride of Vengeance
''Bride of Vengeance'' is a 1949 American historical drama film directed by Mitchell Leisen and starring Paulette Goddard, John Lund and Macdonald Carey. Produced and distributed by Paramount Pictures, it is set in the Italian Renaissance era. R ...
'' (Film, US, 1949)
*
Massimo Serato
Massimo Serato (born Giuseppe Segato; 31 May 1917 – 22 December 1989) was an Italian film actor with a career spanning over 40 years.
Biography
Serato was born in Oderzo, Veneto, Italy and started appearing in films in 1938. He played leading ...
in ''
Lucrèce Borgia
''Lucrèce Borgia'' (also known as ''Lucretia Borgia'' or ''Sins of the Borgias'') is a 1953 French drama film starring Martine Carol and Pedro Armendáriz. The film was directed by Christian-Jaque, who co-wrote screenplay with Cécil Saint-L ...
'' (Film, France, 1953)
*
Fred Robsahm in ''Lucrezia Giovane'' (Film, Italy, 1974)
*
Robert Allman (singer) in ''
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia (18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She was a former governor of Spoleto.
Her family arranged ...
'' (Opera by
Donizetti
Domenico Gaetano Maria Donizetti (29 November 1797 – 8 April 1848) was an Italian Romantic composer, best known for his almost 70 operas. Along with Gioachino Rossini and Vincenzo Bellini, he was a leading composer of the ''bel canto'' opera ...
,
La Scala
La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was Santa Maria della Scala, Milan, a church). The premiere performa ...
, 1977)
*Ryan Michael in ''
The Borgias'' (
BBC Two
BBC Two is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's second flagship channel, and it covers a wide range of subject matte ...
and
RAI
(), commercially styled as since 2000 and known until 1954 as (RAI), is the national public broadcasting company of Italy, owned by the Ministry of Economy and Finance. RAI operates many terrestrial and subscription television channels a ...
Series, England-Italy, 1981)
*
Alexander Katsapov (dancer) in ''Lucrezia Borgia'' (Opera at the
National Theatre Ballet,
Prague
Prague ( ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in the Czech Republic, largest city of the Czech Republic and the historical capital of Bohemia. Prague, located on the Vltava River, has a population of about 1.4 million, while its P ...
, 2003)
*Giorgio Marchesi in ''Los Borgia'' (Film by director
Antonio Hernández, Spain, 2006)
*Alejandro Albarracín in ''
Borgia
The House of Borgia ( ; ; Spanish and ; ) was a Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. They were from Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia, the surname being a toponymic from the town of Borja, then in the Cro ...
'' (
Canal+
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 flo ...
Series, France, 2011)
*
Sebastian de Souza in ''
The Borgias'' (
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 ...
Series, US, 2013)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfonso of Aragon
1481 births
1500 deaths
House of Trastámara
15th-century Neapolitan people
Princes of Salerno
Assassinated Italian people
Deaths by strangulation
Dukes in Italy
Illegitimate children of Neapolitan monarchs
15th-century Italian nobility
Sons of kings
People assassinated in the 15th century
Husbands of Lucrezia Borgia