Rodrigo Borgia (1431–1503), born Roderic Llançol

i de Borja, was a Spanish cardinal and pope known as Alexander VI (1492–1503). ✝️ He came from the powerful Spanish-Valencian Borgia family, which produced several high-ranking church officials. 🏰 In Rome, he advanced thanks to his uncle Alfonso de Borja, Pope Callixtus III, who appointed him cardinal. 👑

As pope, Rodrigo Borgia was one of the most controversial pontiffs of the Renaissance. ⚔️ His reign was marked by open nepotism: he placed his sons and relatives in high church and political positions, including Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. 👨‍👩‍👧 This strengthened the family’s influence but provoked strong criticism from contemporaries and later historians. 📜

He was also known for his lavish lifestyle and scandals linked to his family, including accusations of corruption, simony, and moral excess at the papal court. 🍷 Although many anecdotes about his pontificate were later exaggerated or mythologized, Alexander VI remained a symbol of decadence and political manipulation within the Church. 🕊️ He died in 1503 in Rome, and his death marked the beginning of the decline of Borgia power in Italy. ⚰️
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