Who is Alexander VI?

Rodrigo de Borgia was the Spanish-born 214th Pope who was raised to the papal chair as Pope Alexander VI. He is one of the most controversial figures in the history of the papacy. He hailed from the house of Borgia which was a prominent and powerful Italo-Spanish noble family during the Italian Renaissance with several members who served in administrative positions in the Catholic Church. Attempts to whitewash Alexander’s private conduct have proved abortive. While his religious convictions cannot be challenged, scandal accompanied his activities throughout his career. Even from a Renaissance viewpoint, his relentless pursuit of political goals and unremitting efforts to aggrandize his family were seen as excessive.  In 1492, following the death of Pope Innocent VIII, Borgia emerged as the Pope with an unprecedented show of coercion and corruption and held the office until his death in 1503. Despite working tirelessly for the unification of the Christendom, his reforms of the Curia, and the diligent patronage of art and education, his legacy has been marked by venality, nepotism, libertinism, and quite a few accusations of murder.

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