Lucrezia Borgia. Between Legend and Truth

Written by Margot Cleverly

The figure of Lucrezia Borgia functioned for centuries in collective imagination as the embodiment of evil – a murderess, poisoner, and symbol of Renaissance Rome’s depravity. Meanwhile, contemporary historical research challenges most accusations leveled against Pope Alexander VI’s daughter and reveals the mechanisms behind the creation of her black legend. This woman’s story exemplifies how political propaganda and Romantic literature can permanently distort historical truth.

Dynastic Tool in the Borgias’ Hands

The daughter of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and Vanozza Cattanei came into the world in April 1480. When her father assumed the papal throne as Alexander VI, Lucrezia became primarily a pawn in the family’s political game. Her brother Cesare, together with their father, used the girl’s successive marriages to build and destroy alliances according to current needs.

Lucrezia’s first husband in 1493 was Giovanni Sforza from the influential Milanese family. The arrangement was meant to secure the pope’s interests in the northern Apennine Peninsula. However, just four years later the political situation changed dramatically and the union lost its purpose.

Alexander VI ordered the marriage annulled under the pretext of the husband’s impotence and non-consummation. The public humiliation drove Giovanni Sforza to revenge by spreading slanders about Lucrezia’s incestuous relations with her father. These accusations were swiftly exploited by the Borgias’ political opponents and became the foundation of a black legend lasting centuries.

Husband’s Murder and Growing Legend

The subsequent marriage to Alfonso of Aragon concluded in 1498 also ended in tragedy caused by shifting power dynamics. Alfonso was attacked in 1500 on the steps of St. Peter’s Basilica and suffered serious injuries. Lucrezia cared for him during his convalescence, but Cesare Borgia’s servant strangled the duke in his own bed.

Although no evidence exists indicating Lucrezia’s involvement in this crime, the murder further damaged her reputation. The family’s enemies had another pretext for spreading rumors and accusations. The pope’s daughter’s image as a ruthless schemer began crystallizing in public opinion.

A myth arose around Lucrezia concerning her alleged use of a poison called cantarella. Legends attributed to her the use of a special ring with a hidden chamber where she stored toxic substances later added to drinks during feasts. However, no credible evidence survives confirming that she ever poisoned anyone – all these stories belong to the propaganda arsenal spread by the Borgias’ political adversaries.

Romantic Literature and Myth Consolidation

The image of Lucrezia as a debauched poisoner and femme fatale was shaped only by nineteenth-century literature. Victor Hugo created a theatrical play in 1833 presenting her as a deadly dangerous schemer. Alexandre Dumas also introduced this character into his novel, drawing from earlier accusations and gossip.

Romantic writers based their work on old slanders disseminated by the dynasty’s enemies. They created a literary image of a beautiful but corrupt and murderous woman that had little connection to historical reality. This fabricated portrait long dominated collective imagination and functions in popular culture to this day.

Contemporary historiography treats most accusations as a deliberate smear campaign directed against Pope Alexander VI. Even Borgia’s successor on the papal throne, Julius II, actively spread negative stories about his predecessor’s family. Lucrezia became a victim of poisonous political propaganda of the Renaissance era.

Transformation in Ferrara and Pious Death

The marriage to Alfonso I d’Este concluded in 1502 transferred Lucrezia to Ferrara and signified a complete transformation of her life. After her brother’s political downfall and father’s death, she decided to cut ties with her scandalous past. The d’Este family initially feared her reputation, but she quickly changed her surroundings’ opinion.

In Ferrara, Lucrezia became an exemplary spouse and mother as well as a valued patron of artists and writers. She created a brilliant court that attracted such creators as Pietro Bembo and Ludovico Ariosto. She supported the development of art and culture, building herself an entirely new reputation.

She led an extremely pious life, joining the Third Order of St. Francis and practicing asceticism. After her death, it was discovered that beneath her ducal garments she wore a hair shirt as a form of penance. She died in June 1519 at the age of thirty-nine from puerperal fever, nine days after giving birth to her eighth child, who did not survive delivery.

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Margot Cleverly

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Margot's journey into women's history began with a box of forgotten letters in a Cambridge archive – suffragettes whose voices had been silenced for over a century. Since then, she's been on a mission to uncover the stories history overlooked.

What she writes about: Queens who ruled from the shadows. Scientists whose male colleagues took credit. Revolutionaries who risked everything. But also ordinary women – those who survived wars, raised families through upheaval, and shaped their communities in ways no one bothered to record.

Margot turns historical figures into real people. She writes with warmth and detail, making centuries-old stories feel surprisingly relevant. Rigorous research meets accessible storytelling – no dusty academic jargon, just compelling narratives backed by solid facts.

When she's not writing, you'll find her in regional archives, collecting oral histories, or visiting sites connected to the women she writes about.