Pope Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia), Pope between 1492 - 1503. Pope Alexander VI, born Roderic Borgia (Valencian: Roderic Llançol i de Borja (Valencian pronunciation: [roðeˈɾiɡ ʎanˈsɔɫ i ðe ˈβɔɾdʒa], Spanish: Rodrigo Lanzol y de Borja [roˈðɾiɣo lanˈθol i ðe ˈβorxa]); 1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503), was Pope from 11 August 1492 until his death. That he obtained the papacy through simony was the general belief (Pastor, loc. Alexander VI – AKA Rodrigo Borja (Borgia) – was Pope from 1492 until his death in 1503. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alexander-VI, The Catholic Encyclopedia - Biography of Pope Alexander VI. He was named pope in 1492, taking the name Alexander VI. But it was not long before his unbridled passion for endowing his relatives at the expense of the Church and of his neighbors became manifest. By the autumn Louis XII was in Italy and expelled Lodovico Sforza from the Milanese. No doubt Cesare, who contemplated quitting the Church, was inspired by jealousy of Gandia's influence with the Pope. Alexander's rapidly decomposing body was shuttled around Rome before a team of workers pummeled his corpse into a too-small coffin. eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'newworldencyclopedia_org-medrectangle-4','ezslot_1',162,'0','0'])); Rodrigo Borgia studied law at Bologna. Pope Alexander VI is often considered the most evil man ever to hold the papal office. As a patron of the arts, Alexander erected a centre for the University of Rome, restored the Castel Sant’Angelo, built the monumental mansion of the Apostolic Chancery, embellished the Vatican palaces, and persuaded Michelangelo to draw plans for the rebuilding of St. Peter’s Basilica. Burchard recorded the events that surrounded the death of the Pope. On August 18, 1503 Alexander VI died at the age of 72. Cesare, then a youth of seventeen and a student at Pisa, was made archbishop of Valencia, Giovanni received a cardinal's hat in addition to the dukedom of Gandia. Despite the shadow of simony that surrounded the disposal of his benefices among the papal electors, Rodrigo emerged from a tumultuous conclave on the night of August 10–11, 1492, as Pope Alexander VI and received the acclaim of the Roman populace. He served in the Curia under five Popes (Calixtus III, Pius II, Paul II, Sixtus IV and Innocent VIII) and acquired much administrative experience, influence and wealth, although no great power. Of his many mistresses the one for whom his passion lasted longest was a certain Vannozza (Giovanna) dei Cattani, born in 1442, and wife of three successive husbands. But his military force was uncertain, for the condottieri were not to be trusted. Alexander VI, given name Rodrigo Borgia, Roman Catholic Pope from 1492 until his death, is the most memorable of the corrupt and secular popes of the Renaissance. The Orsini still remained very powerful, and Alexander VI could count on none but his 3,000 Spaniards. 844 likes. At age 27, Rodrigo was made vice-chancellor of the Vatican. He began his career as a vice-papal legate, and he held various diplomatic positions in the Holy See.He was ordained as a priest in 1634, and he became bishop of Nardo in 1635. As Cesare prospered, the pope continued providing his son with financial and political support. Cath. Through the support of Cardinal Alfonso Borgia, Rodrigo o… Pope Alexander VI: Jew Score: 2: I 0: O 1: K 1 (Rodrigo Lanzol y de Borja) January 1, 1431 – August 18, 1503. He was reputed to have committed his first murder at the age of twelve.[1]. In the course of the pope’s meeting with King Charles in Rome in early 1495, however, he received the traditional obeisance from the French monarch. Alexander VI hoped that Louis XII's help would be more profitable to his house than that of Charles VIII had been and, in spite of the remonstrances of Spain and of the Sforza, he allied himself with France in January 1499 and was joined by Venice. cit.) Cesare was preparing for another expedition into central Italy in July 1503, when, in the midst of all these projects and negotiations, both he and his father were taken ill with fever. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Alexander VI was a pope who lived during the 15 th century, when Italy was experiencing the Renaissance. Burchard records that he had to jump on the body to jam him into the coffin and covered it with an old carpet, the only surviving furnishing in the room. 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