Did Pope Alexander VI get poisoned?

There is no evidence that the Borgias resorted to poisoning, judicial murder, or extortion to fund their schemes and the defense of the Papal States.

Is the Borgias a true story?

Jordan has taken a page from Hirst in that he’s not attempting to pass off “The Borgias” as 100 percent accurate. “I don’t claim to be telling a completely factual tale; that’s for textbooks,” Jordan says in the notes to the series. “This is a suspenseful crime drama based on real characters and events.

Who are the worst popes?

The Bad Popes

• Pope Stephen VI (896–897), who had his predecessor Pope Formosus exhumed, tried, de-fingered, briefly reburied, and thrown in the Tiber.
• Pope John XII (955–964), who gave land to a mistress, murdered several people, and was killed by a man who caught him in bed with his wife.

How did Pope Alexander VI and his son die?

Alexander VI and his son, Cesare, dined with Cardinal Adrian Cornetto the night before they became ill. The Cardinal, the wealthiest member of the College of Cardinals, was rumored to be wanted dead by the Pope and his son. Alexander and Cesare allegedly spiked the wine with cantarella, a poison akin to arsenic and the go-to choice of the Borgias .

Who was the pope before Pope Alexander VI?

But now, some historians argue that perhaps Pope Alexander VI wasn’t really as bad as his reputation suggests. Wikimedia Commons Born into nobility, Rodrigo Borgia was set on the path to power long before he became Pope Alexander VI. Pope Alexander VI was born Rodrigo Borgia in the Spanish town of Xàtiva, near Valencia, in 1431.

Who are the mistresses of Pope Alexander VI?

Rodrigo Borgia had two famous mistresses: Vannozza dei Cattanei and Giulia Farnese, both married noblewomen. Borgia, however, courted controversy by openly acknowledging that he fathered seven children between them, and historians believe he likely had other illegitimate children whose names have been lost to history.

Who was the pope at the time of his death?

At the time of the Pope’s death, five Cardinals were present, along with bishops, grooms, and members of his papal curia. Right before the Pope died, an order was issued that declared no one could leave the Vatican. Regardless, many people managed to leave, taking valuable treasures with them, including Cesare’s right-hand man, Don Michelotto.