The Borgias Family
Why did Borgias become the most infamous family of Renaissance Italy?
4.1 (17)
62 mins
Discover how the powerful Borgia family rose from Spanish origins to dominate Renaissance politics through ambition, alliances, and papal power. Uncover the scandals, rivalries, alleged poisonings, and political intrigue that transformed the Borgias into one of history’s most notorious dynasties.
Ep 1:
The Spanish Family Who Conquered Rome
From a hilltop Spanish town to Saint Peter's throne, discover how the Borgia family clawed its way into papal power through nepotism, ambition, and one cardinal's insatiable appetite for glory.
Ep 2:
A Conclave, A Crown, A Deadly Rivalry
Inside the contested 1492 conclave that made Rodrigo Borgia pope, and the rise of his ruthless son Cesare—whose brilliance inspired Machiavelli even as his brother's murder shadowed the family's ascent.
Ep 3:
Lucrezia and the Making of a Myth
Behind the poison-ring legend lies Lucrezia Borgia: a brilliant, educated woman weaponized through marriages, scandal, and a notorious banquet that would define—and distort—her reputation forever.
Ep 4:
Collapse, Legacy, and the Final Verdict
As malaria fells a pope and his son, the Borgia empire crumbles into exile and violence—yet centuries later their bloodline yields saints, scholars, and a verdict history still debates.
Discussions (5)
Edgar
Level 3 · 1 mo agoSo Cesare basically killed his own brother Juan just to ditch the cardinal robes and grab an army? Cold blooded power move.
Stone
Level 2 · 1 mo agoAlexander VI literally drew a line on a map and accidentally made Brazil Portuguese. That's the most consequential napkin doodle in human history.
Simon
Level 4 · 1 mo agoCesare didn't 'inspire' The Prince. Machiavelli used him as a cautionary tale of how fortune destroys even the best operators.
