Lucrezia Borgia | |
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Duchess of Bisceglie Princess of Salerno Countess of Cotignola | |
![]() Possible Lucrezia portrait painted from life (attributed to Dosso Dossi, c. 1519, National Gallery of Victoria[1]) | |
Duchess consort of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio | |
Tenure | 25 January 1505 – 24 June 1519 |
Lady consort of Pesaro and Gradara | |
Tenure | 12 June 1493 – 20 December 1497 |
Born | 18 April 1480 Subiaco, Papal States |
Died | 24 June 1519 Ferrara, Duchy of Ferrara | (aged 39)
Burial | |
Spouse | |
Issue Detail | Rodrigo of Aragon Ercole II d'Este, Duke of Ferrara Ippolito d'Este Eleonora d'Este Francesco d'Este, Marquis of Massalombarda |
House | Borgia |
Father | Pope Alexander VI |
Mother | Vannozza dei Cattanei |
Lucrezia Borgia (Italian pronunciation: [luˈkrɛttsja ˈbɔrdʒa]; Valencian: Lucrècia Borja [luˈkrɛsia ˈbɔɾdʒa]; 18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She reigned as the governor of Spoleto, in her own right, a position usually held by Cardinals.
Her family arranged several marriages for her that advanced their own political position including Giovanni Sforza, Lord of Pesaro and Gradara, Count of Cotignola; Alfonso of Aragon, Duke of Bisceglie and Prince of Salerno; and Alfonso I d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. Alfonso of Aragon was an illegitimate son of the King of Naples and tradition has it that Lucrezia's brother Cesare Borgia may have had him murdered after his political value waned.
Rumors about her and her family cast Lucrezia as a femme fatale, a role in which she has been portrayed in many artworks, novels and films.