Politically isolated, Alexander sought assistance from the Turkish sovereign, Bayezid II. Charles, at the instigation of a rival cardinal of the influential della Rovere family, threatened the pope with deposition and the convocation of a reform council. His position was menaced by the French king Charles VIII, who invaded Italy in 1494 to vindicate his claim to the Kingdom of Naples. He embarked upon a reform of papal finances and a vigorous pursuit of the war against the Ottoman Turks. By a Roman noblewoman, Vannozza Catanei, he had four subsequently legitimized offspring-Juan, Cesare, Jofré, and Lucrezia-whose complicated careers troubled his pontificate.ĭespite 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 patronized the arts and fathered a number of children for whom he provided livings, mainly in Spain. As vice chancellor of the Roman Catholic Church, Rodrigo amassed enormous wealth and, despite a severe rebuke from Pope Pius II, lived as a Renaissance prince. Rodrigo studied law at Bologna, and on February 22, 1456, he was created a cardinal by his uncle, now Pope Calixtus III. His uncle Alonso de Borgia, bishop of Valencia (later cardinal), supervised his education and endowed him with ecclesiastical benefices while still in his teens. Rodrigo was born into the Spanish branch of the prominent and powerful Borgia family. Alexander's rapidly decomposing body was shuttled around Rome before a team of workers pummeled his corpse into a too-small coffin.Īlexander VI, original Spanish name in full Rodrigo de Borja y Doms, Italian Rodrigo Borgia, (born 1431, Játiva, near Valencia -died August 18, 1503, Rome), corrupt, worldly, and ambitious pope (1492–1503), whose neglect of the spiritual inheritance of the church contributed to the development of the Protestant Reformation. After Alexander's death, Cesare dispatched a gang of dagger-wielding henchmen to loot the papal residence. Contemporary chroniclers suggested that he may have been poisoned, either intentionally or accidentally. Britannica Explains In these videos, Britannica explains a variety of topics and answers frequently asked questions.Īlexander’s cause of death remains a mystery.This Time in History In these videos, find out what happened this month (or any month!) in history.#WTFact Videos In #WTFact Britannica shares some of the most bizarre facts we can find.Demystified Videos In Demystified, Britannica has all the answers to your burning questions.Britannica Classics Check out these retro videos from Encyclopedia Britannica’s archives.

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