Pope Alexander VI facts for kids
Pope Alexander VI (born Rodrigo de Borja) was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States (a group of territories in Italy controlled by the Pope) from 1492 until his death in 1503. He was born into the famous Borgia family in Xàtiva, which was part of the Crown of Aragon (now Spain).
Rodrigo studied law at the University of Bologna. He became a deacon and a cardinal in 1456, after his uncle was elected Pope Callixtus III. A year later, he became the vice-chancellor of the Catholic Church, a very powerful position. He worked for four popes, gaining a lot of influence and wealth. In 1492, Rodrigo was chosen as pope and took the name Alexander VI.
Pope Alexander VI issued important official documents called papal bulls in 1493. These documents confirmed Spain's rights to the lands in the New World that Christopher Columbus had discovered in 1492. During the Italian wars, Alexander VI supported his son Cesare Borgia as a military leader for the French king. His main goal in foreign policy was to get the best deals for his family.
Contents
- Early Life and Family
- Rising Through the Church
- Appearance and Personality
- Archbishop of Valencia
- Becoming Pope
- Early Years as Pope
- French Involvement in Italy
- French Retreat
- Savonarola's Criticisms
- Strengthening Family Power
- The Jubilee Year (1500)
- Views on Slavery
- Later Years
- Personal Life
- Death
- Legacy
- See also
Early Life and Family
Rodrigo de Borja was born in 1431 in Xàtiva, a town near Valencia in what is now Spain. His parents were Jofré Llançol i Escrivà and Isabel de Borja y Cavanilles. He had a younger brother named Pedro.
His family name was originally Llançol in Valencian and Lanzol in Castillian Spanish. However, Rodrigo took his mother's family name, Borja (or Borgia in Italian), in 1455. This happened after his uncle, Alonso de Borja, became Pope Callixtus III.
Rising Through the Church
Rodrigo de Borja's journey in the Church began when he was just 14 years old in 1445. His powerful uncle, Alfons Cardinal de Borja, appointed him as a sacristan at the Valencia Cathedral. In 1448, Rodrigo became a canon at several cathedrals, which allowed him to receive income even while studying in Rome. In Rome, he studied law at the University of Bologna and became a highly skilled lawyer.
When his uncle, Alfons Cardinal de Borja, became Pope Callixtus III in 1455, Rodrigo received many important appointments. This practice of giving jobs to family members was common at the time. In 1455, he became the bishop of Valencia. The next year, he was made a cardinal-deacon.
In 1457, Cardinal Borgia was sent to Ancona to stop a revolt, which he successfully did. As a reward, his uncle appointed him vice-chancellor of the Holy Roman Church. This was a very powerful and profitable job, and Borgia held it for 35 years until he became pope himself in 1492.
After his uncle Pope Callixtus died in 1458, Rodrigo Borgia helped elect Cardinal Piccolomini as Pope Pius II. The new pope kept Borgia as vice-chancellor and gave him more income from church positions. In 1464, Borgia also helped elect Pietro Barbo as Pope Paul II, again keeping his important role.
In 1471, Borgia helped elect Francesco della Rovere, who became Pope Sixtus IV. Pope Sixtus rewarded Borgia by promoting him to cardinal-bishop and making him a priest. Borgia also became the papal representative for Spain. He helped negotiate a peace treaty between the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon. He also approved the marriage between Ferdinand and Isabella, which was very important for uniting Spain.
Back in Rome, Borgia continued to gain more church positions and became the wealthiest cardinal by 1483. He also became the leader of the College of Cardinals. In 1484, Pope Sixtus IV died, leading to another papal election.
Borgia was rich and powerful enough to try to become pope himself, but he faced strong competition. He helped elect Cardinal Cibo, who became Pope Innocent VIII. Once again, Borgia kept his job as vice-chancellor, holding this position through five different popes and four elections.
In 1485, King Ferdinand II of Aragon was upset when Pope Innocent VIII nominated Borgia to be the Archbishop of Seville, a position the king wanted for his own son. Borgia smoothed things over by turning down the job. Later, Borgia opposed a war between the pope and Naples. King Ferdinand rewarded Borgia by making his son, Pedro Luis, the Duke of Gandia. This connected the Borgia family directly to the royal families of Spain and Naples.
In 1492, Pope Innocent VIII died. At 61 years old, this was likely Rodrigo Borgia's last chance to become pope.
Appearance and Personality
People at the time described Alexander VI as having a "medium complexion, with dark eyes and slightly full lips, of robust health." Later in life, he was said to look "venerable and far more august than an ordinary human appearance." He was also very familiar with the Bible, and his speeches were full of well-chosen religious texts.
Archbishop of Valencia
When his uncle, Alonso de Borja, became Pope Callixtus III, Rodrigo "inherited" his uncle's position as bishop of Valencia. Sixteen days before Pope Innocent VIII died, Rodrigo suggested that Valencia become a major church center, and he became its first archbishop. When Rodrigo de Borgia was elected pope as Alexander VI, his son Cesare Borgia then became the second archbishop of Valencia. Later, two of Alexander VI's grand-nephews also held this position.
Becoming Pope
When Pope Innocent VIII died in July 1492, there were three main candidates to become the next pope: the 61-year-old Borgia, Ascanio Sforza, and Giuliano della Rovere.
It was rumored that Borgia won by buying the most votes, and that Sforza was bribed with a lot of silver. However, historians say that Borgia was already in the lead and that the rumors of bribery started after the election when he gave out church jobs. Della Rovere also spent a lot of money trying to win.
In the first round of voting, Borgia received seven votes. He then convinced Sforza to join his side by promising him the powerful vice-chancellor position and other benefits. With Sforza's help, Borgia's election was certain.
Rodrigo Borgia was elected pope on August 11, 1492, and took the name Alexander VI. Many people in Rome were happy because he was known as a generous and skilled administrator who had served for decades as vice-chancellor.
Early Years as Pope
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At first, Pope Alexander VI was very strict about justice and good government. But soon, he began to give his relatives important positions and wealth, sometimes at the expense of the Church or his neighbors. For example, his son Cesare Borgia, who was only 17 and a student, was made Archbishop of Valencia. His other son, Giovanni Borgia, inherited the Spanish Dukedom of Gandia, which was the Borgia family's original home in Spain.
Alexander wanted to create new territories for his sons, Giovanni and Gioffre, out of the Papal States and the Kingdom of Naples. This plan caused conflict with Ferdinand I of Naples and Cardinal della Rovere. Alexander formed an alliance against Naples in April 1493 and prepared for war.
Ferdinand allied with Florence, Milan, and Venice. He also asked Spain for help. Spain wanted to stay on good terms with the pope to get rights to the recently discovered New World. In response, Alexander issued a document called the bull Inter caetera on May 4, 1493. This document divided the newly found lands between Spain and Portugal along a specific line, which later became the basis for the Treaty of Tordesillas.
French Involvement in Italy
Pope Alexander VI made many alliances to keep his power strong. He sought help from Charles VIII of France, who was allied with Ludovico Sforza, the Duke of Milan. Ludovico needed French support to make his rule official. Since King Ferdinand I of Naples was threatening to help the rightful duke of Milan, Alexander encouraged the French king to conquer Naples.
However, Alexander always looked for chances to help his family. He made peace with Naples in July 1493 and strengthened this peace by arranging a marriage between his son Gioffre and Doña Sancha, a granddaughter of Ferdinand I. To gain more control over the College of Cardinals, Alexander appointed 12 new cardinals, which caused some scandal. Among them was his own son Cesare, who was only 18.
On January 25, 1494, Ferdinand I died, and his son Alfonso II became king. Charles VIII of France then claimed the Kingdom of Naples. Alexander allowed Charles to pass through Rome, supposedly for a crusade against the Ottoman Empire. But when the French invasion became real, Pope Alexander VI became worried. He recognized Alfonso II as king of Naples and formed an alliance with him in exchange for lands for his sons in July 1494.
Charles VIII quickly moved south, and after a short stay in Florence, he headed for Rome in November 1494. Alexander tried to gather troops and defend Rome, but his position was weak. He had to make a deal with Charles. On December 31, Charles VIII entered Rome with his troops. Alexander agreed to send Cesare with the French army to Naples and to give Charles some territory. On January 28, 1495, Charles VIII left for Naples. Neapolitan resistance quickly fell apart, and the Kingdom of Naples was conquered easily.
French Retreat
Soon, other European powers became alarmed by Charles VIII's success. On March 31, 1495, the Holy League was formed. This alliance included the pope, the emperor, Venice, Ludovico il Moro, and Ferdinand of Spain. The League was secretly formed to remove the French from Italy. Charles VIII was crowned King of Naples on May 12, but a few days later, he began his retreat north. He fought his way through the League's forces and was back in France by November. Ferdinand II was put back on the throne in Naples with Spanish help.
This expedition showed that Italy was very vulnerable to powerful invading forces like France and Spain. Alexander VI then decided to strengthen his own power in the Papal States by reducing the influence of powerful noble families.
Alexander confiscated the property of Virginio Orsini, a powerful noble who had been captured. The Orsini family still resisted, defeating papal troops in January 1497. Peace was made, and the Orsini paid a large sum for their lands. Alexander's only real success was capturing Ostia and getting some French-supporting cardinals to submit.
Then, a great tragedy happened in the Borgia family. On June 14, Alexander's son, the Duke of Gandia, disappeared. The next day, his body was found in the Tiber River. Alexander was overcome with sadness and said that from then on, his only goal would be to reform the Church. No one ever found out who the assassin was.
Savonarola's Criticisms
The poor state of the Church's administration was a big scandal. Opponents, like the powerful Florentine friar Girolamo Savonarola, strongly criticized the corruption in the Church and called for a meeting to address the problems. Alexander reportedly laughed when he heard Savonarola's criticisms.
Savonarola's opposition seemed to be more about politics than personal dislike. He even sent a letter of sympathy to the pope when the Duke of Gandia died. However, the people of Florence eventually grew tired of the friar's moralizing, and the Florentine government sentenced him to death. He was executed on May 23, 1498.
Strengthening Family Power
The powerful Italian families often looked down on the Spanish Borgia family and didn't like their growing power. This is partly why both Pope Callixtus III and Pope Alexander VI gave power to family members they could trust.
Feeling that he could only rely on his own family, Alexander focused on making them even more powerful. He had his daughter Lucrezia's marriage ended in 1497. He also made a secret agreement with the new French king, Louis XII. In exchange for helping the king with his marriage, Cesare was given the duchy of Valentinois and military help to conquer lands in Italy.
Alexander hoped that Louis XII's help would benefit his family more than Charles VIII's had. Despite objections from Spain, Alexander allied with France in January 1499. By autumn, Louis XII was in Italy, driving Ludovico Sforza out of Milan. With French success looking certain, the Pope decided to take strong action in Romagna, a region that was technically under papal rule but was divided into many independent areas. Cesare, with French support, began to attack these cities one by one as the official standard-bearer of the Church. However, the French were driven out of Milan, and Ludovico Sforza returned, interrupting Cesare's conquests. Cesare returned to Rome in early 1500.
The Jubilee Year (1500)
In the Jubilee year of 1500, Alexander VI started the tradition of opening a holy door on Christmas Eve and closing it on Christmas Day the following year. After talking with his Master of Ceremonies, Pope Alexander VI opened the first holy door in St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve 1499. Papal representatives also opened doors in the other three main basilicas in Rome. For this, Pope Alexander had a new opening made in St. Peter's and ordered a special marble door.
Alexander was carried in a special chair to St. Peter's. He and his helpers, carrying candles, walked to the holy door as a choir sang. The pope knocked on the door three times, workers opened it from the inside, and everyone then crossed the doorway to begin a period of reflection and forgiveness. This is how Pope Alexander formalized the tradition that is still practiced today. Similar ceremonies took place at the other three basilicas.
Alexander also created a special ceremony for closing a holy door. On the Feast of the Epiphany in 1501, two cardinals began to seal the holy door with two bricks, one silver and one gold. Church workers finished sealing it, placing specially made coins and medals inside the wall.
Views on Slavery
While Spanish explorers used a form of forced labor called "encomienda" on the native peoples they met in the New World, some popes had spoken out against slavery. In 1435, Pope Eugene IV had condemned slavery in the Canary Islands.
After Christopher Columbus landed in the New World, the Spanish rulers asked Pope Alexander to confirm their ownership of these new lands. The official documents issued by Pope Alexander VI, including Inter caetera (May 4, 1493), granted rights to Spain regarding the newly discovered lands in the Americas. Some historians believe these documents allowed for the enslavement of natives, or at least for forced conversions to Christianity. However, other historians and Vatican scholars strongly disagree, saying that Alexander never approved of slavery. Later popes, such as Pope Paul III in 1537 and Pope Gregory XVI in 1839, continued to condemn slavery.
In 1993, the Indigenous Law Institute asked Pope John Paul II to cancel Inter caetera and to make up for the "unreasonable historical grief" it caused. This was followed by a similar request in 1994 from the Parliament of World Religions.
Later Years
A new danger arose from a plot by deposed rulers, the Orsini family, and some of Cesare's own military leaders. At first, the papal troops were defeated, and things looked bad for the Borgia family. But a promise of French help quickly forced the plotters to make peace. Cesare then tricked the leaders at Senigallia and had them killed on December 31, 1502. When Alexander VI heard the news, he lured Cardinal Orsini to the Vatican and put him in prison, where he died. His property was taken, and many other family members in Rome were arrested. Alexander's son Goffredo Borgia led an expedition and seized their castles. This way, the two powerful Orsini and Colonna families, who had often challenged the pope's authority, were brought under control, and the Borgias' power grew.
The war between France and Spain for control of Naples continued. The pope was always involved in secret plans, ready to ally with whichever power offered the best terms at any moment.
Personal Life
Alexander VI had several children. His four children with Vannozza dei Cattanei were Cesare Borgia (born 1475), Giovanni (born 1474 or 1476), Lucrezia Borgia (born 1480), and Gioffre (born 1481 or 1482). He openly acknowledged these children. For a time, before he became pope, Rodrigo pretended that these four children were his niece and nephews, and that Vannozza's husbands were their fathers.
Alexander cared deeply for his children and spent vast sums of money on them. They lived between their mother's home and the Papal Palace.
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Giovanni Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandia.
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Portrait of a Gentleman (Cesare Borgia)
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Presumed portrait of Lucrezia Borgia by Bartolomeo Veneto
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Gioffre Borgia (1482–1517) Prince of Squillace.
Six other children, Girolama, Isabella, Pedro-Luiz, Giovanni the "Infans Romanus", Rodrigo, and Bernardo, had mothers whose identities are not certain. His daughter Isabella was the great-great-grandmother of Pope Innocent X, meaning Innocent X was a direct descendant of Alexander VI.
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Giulia Farnese as – A young Lady and a Unicorn, by Domenichino, c. 1602, from Palazzo Farnese
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Luisa de Guzmán, Queen consort of Portugal
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Alexander VI kneeling in front of the Madonna, said to be a likeness of Giulia Farnese.
Death
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Cesare Borgia was getting ready for another trip in August 1503. After he and his father had dinner with Cardinal Adriano Castellesi on August 6, they both became ill with a fever a few days later. Cesare eventually recovered, but the elderly Pope Alexander VI had little chance.
Many people at the time believed the pope died from malaria, which was common in Rome, or another illness. One official wrote that it was not surprising Alexander and Cesare got sick, as the "bad air" had made many people in Rome ill.
After a short time, Alexander's body was moved from the crypts of St. Peter's to the Spanish national church of Santa Maria in Monserrato degli Spagnoli.
Legacy
After Alexander VI died, his rival and successor, Julius II, reportedly said on the day he was elected: "I will not live in the same rooms as the Borgias lived. He dishonored the Holy Church like no one before." The Borgia Apartments in the Vatican remained closed until the 19th century.
Some defenders of Alexander VI argue that the things he is criticized for were not unusual for that time period. They suggest that people were harder on him because he was a pope, while similar actions by kings like Louis XIV of France were often overlooked.
Alexander VI tried to reform the Church's administration, which had become very irresponsible. He gathered a group of his most religious cardinals to help. The planned reforms included new rules about selling Church property, limiting cardinals to one diocese, and stricter moral rules for clergy, though these changes were not fully put into place.
Alexander VI was known for supporting the arts. A new era of architecture began in Rome during his time with the arrival of Donato Bramante. Famous artists like Raphael, Michelangelo, and Pinturicchio all worked for him. He asked Pinturicchio to beautifully paint a set of rooms in the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, which are now called the Borgia Apartments. He was also very interested in theater and even had plays performed in his apartments.
Besides the arts, Alexander VI also encouraged education. In 1495, he issued an official document that led to the founding of King's College, Aberdeen in Scotland. This college is now part of the University of Aberdeen. In 1501, Alexander VI also approved the University of Valencia in Spain.
Alexander VI showed relatively kind treatment towards Jewish people. After the 1492 expulsion of the Jews from Spain, about 9,000 poor Jewish people arrived at the borders of the Papal States. Alexander welcomed them into Rome, stating that they were "permitted to lead their life, free from interference from Christians, to continue in their own rites, to gain wealth, and to enjoy many other privileges." He also allowed Jewish people expelled from Portugal in 1497 and from Provence in 1498 to immigrate.
Despite the dislike from Julius II, the powerful Roman noble families and local rulers in Romagna were never again a big problem for the papacy. Julius's successes owed a lot to the groundwork laid by the Borgias. Unlike Julius, Alexander rarely went to war unless it was absolutely necessary, preferring to use negotiation and diplomacy.
Some historians argue that the bad things said about the Borgia family were exaggerated by people at the time. This was because the Borgias were outsiders (Spanish) who were gaining power at the expense of Italian families. After Alexander's death, the family lost its influence, so there was no one left to defend them.
See also
In Spanish: Alejandro VI para niños
- Banquet of Chestnuts
- Birthplace of Pope Alexander VI
- Cardinals created by Alexander VI
- List of popes from the Borgia family
- Route of the Borgias
- Spanish Empire
