Mar 17, 2017 machiavelli comes to the borgias as a diplomatic envoy, bathing in the glow of cesares ambitions and ruses. Best books about the borgia family 68 books goodreads. Having been a fan of the showtime series, the borgias, i was greatly disappointed with the way it ended. The borgias, based on the reallife story of the 15thcentury cardinal rodrigo borgia, who basically bought and bullied his way to becoming pope, closes out its deliciously devilish first season. The showtime series the borgias, which i love, is filled with a lot of halftruths and embellishments. The borgia apocalypse, based on his original script for the borgias twohour finale, the. Apr 17, 2011 the real family behind the showtimes the borgias was even wilder and more corrupt than in the cable television series. A novel of the borgias 1979 by cecelia holland, plays, operas, comics, films, television series like the borgias 2011 on showtime, and video games the likes of assassins creed.
May 12, 2011 the borgias is incredibly readable and one struggles to put it down. Mar 28, 2011 borgias doesnt let facts get in way of sexy story. In the early 1500s, machiavelli worked with cesare and wrote letters of fawning adoration about him. The borgias needed to have strong allies so they chose the method of marrying off the beautiful lucrezia as a way of securing this tentative alliance. Forget everything you think you know about the most infamous family of the italian renaissancehere in every colorful detail is the real story of the borgias and their indelible, tumultuous world, written by the gifted author of the acclaimed a world undone and the tudors and timed to coincide with the upcoming new season of the celebrated showtime series, the borgias. An inspiration for many works of fiction, most famously mario puzos the godfather, they have aroused abomination and fascination in almost equal measure, while their patronage of the arts created some of the great masterpieces of the renaissance. The borgias by alexandre dumas, pere full text free book. Why creator neil jordan is glad he failed to get it made as a movie.
The borgias by sarah dunant, the family by mario puzo, madonna of the. Sep 22, 2004 free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. Pope calixtus iii, his nephew pope alexander iv, his son cesare, and his daughter lucrezia. Lucrezia borgias first husband was giovanni sforza, as the sforzas were a very powerful, very wealthy italian family. After meeting him, machiavelli writes back to his superiors in florence.
In the fifteenth century, pope alexander vi tries to control all power in italy with the help of his several sons, through murder, intrigue, war, and marriage alliances. The novel is about pope alexander vi rodrigo borgia and his family. Paul strathern examines the borgia family in a new book. Francois arnaud of the borgias clears up a horse tale. The borgias became prominent in ecclesiastical and political affairs in the 15th and 16th centuries, producing two popes. Traditionally held to be a portrait of the teenage lucrezia depicted as st catherine in the fresco the disputation of saint catherine by pinturicchio in the sala dei santi in the borgia apartments in the vatican, 11492 4. A gripping novel about historys most infamous familythe borgiasand an innocent girl pulled into their treacherous rise to power, from the new york times bestselling author of the alice network and the huntress. The name borgia is synonymous with the political corruption, greed, incest, and murder that was rife in renaissance italy. They are a series of stories based upon historical records, from the pen of alexandre dumas, pere, when he was not the elder, nor yet the author of. Mar 06, 2017 in the name of the family, by sarah dunant, makes the borgias live again march 6, 2017 at 1.
Sex disease and excess in an age of beauty is published by hutchinson. The borgias, starring jeremy irons, comes to showtime in 2011. The hidden history is a gripping history of a tempestuous time and an infamous family. In light of showtimes new historical drama show, the borgias, starting in 2011, i wanted to put together a list of historical fiction books and nonfiction books about the controversial family so that you can start getting to know them, if you are so inclined. Mar 12, 2020 borgia family, spanish borja, descendants of a noble line, originally from valencia, spain, that established roots in italy and became prominent in ecclesiastical and political affairs in the 1400s and 1500s. It is not a tale we might expect of the borgias, but it is nevertheless a tale that is all too reflective of the amazing doublestandards of the renaissance, and is perhaps all the richer for it. The borgias gets ebook based on neil jordans original 2hour finale the borgias will live on. With jeremy irons, francois arnaud, holliday grainger, peter sullivan. Puzo spent over twenty years working on the book off and on, while he wrote others. In the 1500s, italy was bursting with some of the most influential and vivid figures in history.
Borgias doesnt let facts get in way of sexy story reuters. Based on the philippa gregory book of the same name, the story of elizabeth of york, the white queens daughter, and her marriage to the lancaster victor. Born into romes notorious borgia family, young lucrezia led a life. Along with the equally infamous medicis, they were one of the most powerful families in renaissance italy. The borgias is a historical drama created by neil jordan based upon the life of rodrigo borgia, later pope alexander vi, and his family. The borgias creator neil jordan penned the ebook based on his original script for a special twohour series finale that showtime ultimately passed on. Pope alexander vi formerly rodrigo borgia believes god will ultimately forgive his many sins simply because, as pope, he is infallible and divine. Born into romes notorious borgia family, young lucrezia led a life colored by. History of the borgias by frederick b corvo and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It was watching cesare borgia in action that inspired machiavelli to write the prince, which is based on cesares tactics and ideas of. Thanks to the actions of the middle pair, the family name is associated with greed, power, lust, and murder. When jeremy irons was quoted, in connection with the current television series the borgias, that rodrigo borgia who in 1492 bribed. Sep 10, 2019 the borgias are the most infamous family of renaissance italy, and their history normally hinges around four key individuals. With incest, orgies and murder rife, the borgias were a most unholy.
So the pay cable channel knows a little something about how sex and intrigue make history books come alive. Hard logic versus romantic whimsy, that is your choice. Machiavelli runs up against the borgias the new york times. They tend to mix up timelines and mesh stories to fit in with making a successful and entertaining tv show. A history of the borgias by rolfe, frederick, 186019. Continuing a reclamation that began in the previous novel, blood and. May 24, 2011 i presonally liked the family by mario puzo, a 2001 novel. Shelf awareness meyer brings his considerable skills to another infamous renaissance family, the borgias and a fresh look into the machinations of power in renaissance italy.
Discover librarianselected research resources on borgias from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. The series takes place in rome, as well as several other locations in italy and france, at the end of the 15th century and depicts borgia s ruthless efforts to win the papal election, his eventual rise to the position of pope and his familys struggle to. Written to close the series as a twohour finale, the borgia apocalypse was ultimately passed over by showtime executives. Aug 12, 20 showtime and the borgias creator neil jordan are excited to announce the release of his new ebook, the borgia apocalypse, based on his original script for the borgias twohour finale, the. Set in 15th century italy at the height of the renaissance, this history based tv series chronicles the corrupt rise of patriarch rodrigo borgia jeremy irons to the papacy, following the death. The borgias gets ebook based on neil jordans original. It was finished by his longtime girlfriend, carol gino.
List of books and articles about borgias online research. Mar 01, 2002 marion johnson plots the dynastys dramatic rise from its beginnings in spain to its occupation of the highest position in renaissance society, examining how far the myth of the borgias is borne out by historical facts. To you the world remains an impenetrable mystery whereas to me it is an open book. Rodrigo borgiapope alexander vi the first man to have clearly bought himself the papacy, and two of his infamous illegitimate childrencesare and lucreziawere the three central figures of the borgia dynasty, notorious for seizing power, wealth, land, and titles through.
In short, a gripping, yet surprisingly heartfelt, historical chronicle. From lusty popes to poison plots, the members of house borgia made game of thrones look like childs play watch your back to these cunning facts about the borgias. Mercilessly cruel and defiantly decadent, the borgias use bribery, simony, intimidation and murder in their relentless quest for wealth and power that make them historys most infamous crime family. Behind the gaudy horrors, she concludes, lie people of great talent and achievement, possessors, even, of moderate virtues. The borgias is a historicalfiction drama television series created by neil jordan. The house of the borgias produced two popes and many other political and church leaders. The name borgia is synonymous in history with treachery, hedonism, and scandal.
Introduction the contents of these volumes of celebrated crimes, as well as the motives which led to their inception, are unique. Based on a notorious reallife family of the italian renaissance, the borgias charts the rise of ambitious patriarch rodrigo borgia jeremy irons, a cunning spanishborn cardinal who seizes power for himself and his children when hes elected to the papacy in 1492. The series is set in renaissanceera italy and follows the borgia family in their scandalous ascension to the papacy. How historically accurate is showtimes the borgias. She was the most dangerous and soughtafter woman in all of rome. Certainly one of the best books i read in glorious and riveting account of the rise of the borgias. A history of the borgias abebooks shop for books, art.