17 Facts About Lucrezia Borgia

Lucrezia Borgia was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei.

Lucrezia Borgia's family arranged several marriages for her that advanced their own political position, including Giovanni Sforza, Lord of Pesaro and Gradara, Count of Cotignola; Alfonso of Aragon, Duke of Bisceglie and Prince of Salerno; and Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara.

Lucrezia Borgia's mother was Vannozza dei Cattanei, one of the mistresses of Lucrezia's father, Cardinal Rodrigo de Borgia.

Lucrezia Borgia was a thoroughly accomplished princess, fluent in Spanish, Catalan, Italian, and French, which prepared her for advantageous marriage to any European monarch or prince, and literate in both Latin and Greek.

Lucrezia Borgia would become proficient in the lute, poetry, and oration.

The Pope needed new, more advantageous political alliances, so he might have covertly ordered the execution of Giovanni: the generally accepted version is that Lucrezia Borgia was informed of this by her brother, Cesare, and she warned her husband, who fled Rome.

Lucrezia Borgia's name is not mentioned in either, and rumours that she was his mother have never been proven.

Lucrezia Borgia had eight children, during this marriage, and was considered a respectable and accomplished Renaissance duchess, effectively rising above her previous reputation and surviving the fall of the Borgias, following her father's death.

Francesco's wife was the cultured intellectual Isabella d'Este, the sister of Alfonso, to whom Lucrezia Borgia had made overtures of friendship, to no avail.

Lucrezia Borgia had a love affair with the poet Pietro Bembo, during her third marriage.

Lucrezia Borgia met the famed French soldier, the Chevalier Bayard, while the latter was co-commanding the French allied garrison of Ferrara, in 1510.

Lucrezia Borgia had become very weak, during the pregnancy, and fell seriously ill, after the birth.

Lucrezia Borgia was buried in the convent of Corpus Domini.

Lucrezia Borgia is described as having heavy blonde hair that fell past her knees, a beautiful complexion, hazel eyes that changed colour, a full, high bosom, and a natural grace that made her appear to "walk on air".

For example, it was rumoured that Lucrezia Borgia was in possession of a hollow ring that she used to poison drinks.

The Italian historian Maria Bellonci claims that Lucrezia Borgia gave birth to three children who did not survive infancy, one by Alfonso of Aragon and two by Alfonso d'Este.

Lucrezia Borgia is thought to have had at least four miscarriages.