The Borgia Confessions

Much has been written about the notorious Borgia family and the power they held over the Italian peninsula during the 15th and 16th centuries, but probably the most vilified member of the family was Rodrigo Borgia, who rose to claim the papal throne after the death of Pope Innocent in 1492, even though Borgia had a longtime mistress and numerous illegitimate children. Once he attained the throne of St. Peter, Borgia used his children as pawns to solidify his authority, arranging an advantageous marriage for his daughter and elevating his sons to high positions both in the church and in the military, making himself and his offspring immensely powerful and wealthy. Told from the point of view of Maddalena Moretti, a serving girl in the pope’s household and the mistress of Cesare, the oldest Borgia son and Archbishop of Valencia, this is a feast of deception, treachery, greed, and lust.