This book is a treasure for any enthusiast of the political struggles that were a signature of the Italian Renaissance. Much like the Greek city-states during antiquity, Italian history during this time was dominated by the economics and political dynamics of Florence, Milan and Italian states ruled by their own established political dynasties. Florence had the de' Medici, Milan had the Sforza: given this backdrop, the book shows how the Borgia family, rising from Spanish roots, made their way into Italian history.
Instance after instance, I enjoyed how the author managed to balance fact with legend, tracing historical trajectory while using sources to tell us how the scholars and public percieved the driving personalities. Instead of jumping straight into the career of Pope Alexander VI, who became cardinal at 25, we're given a summary of then-recent Papal history to give context to the realities that Rodrigo Borgia exploited to navigate his way into the papacy. Horse-trading amongst cardinals, promises of posts and land were not unusual and Borgia merely mastered the art. The way he is described is not far removed from what is expected from popular depictions, "he well knew how to dominate, how to shine in conversation and how to impose his will on other men..." Instead of taking the oft-taken one-sided stance of dismissing his entire tenure as corrupt, Hibbert is more realistic: "...guilty as he may well have been of simony, bribery and sexual incontinence, Alexander VI was both conscientious and competent in the discharge of his duties. Approachable, affable and good-natured...".
Given the giant mish-mash that is family politics, with family disputes, political alliances and marriages - the author captures a single dimension at a time so that the reader doesn't get overwhelmed or lost in the trivialities of learning family trees. The chapters are short so that the book doesn't read like a drag-on history book littered by facts and dates, the commentary is what is given its due importance.
The Rome the Borgias inherited was struck by poverty, far removed from the grandeur of Imperial Rome. Alexander VI managed to balance the papal budget using income from aluminum mines, on the political level he managed to escape the insecurity of the College of Cardinal's calling council to dispose him and diplomatically, he gave a relatively minor concession to the French of allowing access through the papal states whilst avoiding an inevitable defeat had they gone to war against French canons. A good observer would notice the creation of the marks of Borgia opulence that lie to this date, decorated churches and palaces marked with great works of art.
Cesare, unlike his father who, at least outside prided himself on following Christian rituals carried himself in "clothes that were the doublets and hose of a secular prince, not a man in holy orders". The book makes a swift turn from documenting the life of Rodrigo, his daughter Lucrezia (a chief tool in securing alliances through marriage) and Cesare's relatively incompetent brother Juan to Cesare's campaigns and successes. It is not difficult to notice that major parts of history are compressed into small paragraphs, such as the detailed histories of de' Medici, Sforza, the rise and fall of Savonarola - but the beauty of this book lies in this incompleteness. Firstly, the book avoids going on tangents, sticking to the facts that are relevant to Borgia history. Secondly, given that we are accustomed to dramatizations that fill in gaps where there is otherwise speculation and uncertainty, the relative dearth of information has the indirect effect of shocking us about the extent of creative license taken by authors and directors.
The author does great service to Cesare's myth, while also bursting his aura of infallibility. From the Borgia nemeses Cardinal della Rovere, "the Duke is so endowed with prudence, ability and every virtue of mind and body that he has conquered everybody". The author wisely includes the famous assessments of Machiavelli in echoing the same views about his competence at realpolitik, giving weight to the view that Cesare was the person in mind when writing the Prince to reseek the favor of the Medici's. While Cesare fought "for the sake of glory of acquiring lands...acknowledging no fatigue or danger", the downside of this ability to annex lands in his campaign meant that he was "more eager to seize states than to administer them". To the author, history isn't a list of conquests but the ability to make good use of those conquests. At no point does the author seem to dive into describing campaigns without telling the reader about the monetary costs of the conflict and how the money was raised - giving a realistic and complete account of the nature of warfare as an economic enterprise, not merely a display of traditional heroism.
Any Borgia fan would love the life-bringing descriptions of all dimensions of the family and their politics: Lucrezia and her three marriages, Cesare and his involvement with the French, Cesare's response to the Orsini revolt in Urbino, his diplomatic success with securing his French bride Charlotte d' Albert, the French claim to Naples as a source of constant dilemma's to the Borgia's who were allied to Naples's incumbents. The romantic affair with Cesare's life ends with the failure of his contingency plan upon the death of his father owing to his own illness and his fatal and poorly calculated mistake of helping della Rovere be elected, foolishly thinking that he would forget his long-standing enmity against the Borgia family and keep him as the head of the papal armies and maintain his hold on the Romagna. Lucrezia's last moments at the court are also explored, living her life as an obsolete political commodity until her death.
A glance at the primary and secondary sources in the book give a good idea of how much material is taken from sources that describe the Italian Renaissance in its totality and not Borgia history isolation. This perhaps gives the best example of the undeniable influence that the Borgia's had on art and culture. Anyone who liked this book should grab a book on the history of the de' Medici and Sforza to get a broader picture of intra-city state politics.
The book presents itself almost as a live show, a great summary - but by no means a concise history.
A gripping read.
Enjoy fast, free delivery, exclusive deals, and award-winning movies & TV shows with Prime
Try Prime
and start saving today with fast, free delivery
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now.
Frequently bought together
$9.89
Get it as soon as Tuesday, May 14
Only 15 left in stock (more on the way).
Total price:
To see our price, add these items to your cart.
Choose items to buy together.
Similar items that may deliver to you quickly
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Top reviews from other countries
S. Meadows
A narrative of greed, desctruction and depravity
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 1, 2011