THE WORLD'S MOST EVIL PEOPLE (True Crime) by Rodney Castleden Read Free Book Online Page B

Shakespeare’s play.
    Context and zeitgeist are important. Richard III did stab Prince Edward to death at Tewkesbury, he did have Lord Hastings summarily executed, and he may have killed Henry VI and the Princes in the Tower, but he turns out not to have been such an overwhelmingly evil man, as medieval kings went.

Cesare Borgia
    (1476–1507)

     
    Cesare Borgia was born with distinct advantages. He was born into one of the most corrupt, ruthless and self-seeking families that ever lived - and his father was Pope. When Pope Innocent VIII died in 1492, the year of the first Columbus voyage to America, Rodrigo Borgia was one of the three possible successors. Borgia handed out huge bribes, promising highly-paid positions and palaces to delegates if they voted for him. Naturally, he won the election, and became Pope Alexander VI. He used his position to advance his illegitimate children in every way possible. He gave them high-status positions. He made them rich.
    In 1470, Rodrigo Borgia had begun an affair with Vanozza deo Catanei, a 28-year-old beauty. By Vanozza, he had three sons, Giovanni, Cesare and Goffredo, and a daughter, Lucrezia. Cesare, the second son, was born in 1476.
    Cesare was just 16 when he was appointed Archbishop of Valencia by his father; he was 17 when his father made him a cardinal. But these were nowhere near enough for this spoilt rich boy. He was envious of his older brother, who had been given command of the Papal Army. Cesare had to content himself with riding arrogantly through the streets of Rome, fully armed, with one beautiful mistress after another at his side. His flirtation in public with his sister Lucrezia made it plain to everyone who saw it that they had an incestuous relationship. Cesare seems to have inherited (or imitated) his father’s philandering streak. When Sanchia, the notoriously promiscuous daughter of the King of Naples, arrived in Rome to be vetted as a prospective bride for Goffredo, both Rodrigo and Cesare gave her a test drive before giving their approval.
    The new Pope’s reign was beset by political problems. When Sanchia’s father, King Ferrante of Naples, died, Rodrigo recognized Ferrante’s son Alphonso as his successor. Unfortunately the French King, Charles VIII, thought he had a superior claim and invaded Rome to enforce it. Rodrigo was obliged to cave in, allowing Charles to take Cesare to Naples as a hostage to guarantee safe conduct. Cesare managed to escape, return to Rome and with his father form an anti-French alliance with Venice, Spain and Milan. Charles realised he was in danger of being cut off by an offensive alliance, and quickly returned to France, leaving Naples to Alphonso.
    The Borgias then took their revenge on those who had helped Charles VIII to humiliate them. Cesare Borgia arrested the Swiss mercenaries who had broken into his mother’s house while the French had occupied Rome and subjected them to merciless torture. Rodrigo ordered the people of Florence to arrest Savonarola, the ascetic monk who had denounced corruption in the Church and had publicly welcomed Charles as the champion of old Catholic values. The Florentines responded to this with enthusiasm, as they too had suffered many a lashing from Savonarola’s tongue; he had put a stop to their carnivals. They were glad to have an excuse to be rid of him. He was racked no less than 14 times in one day during a campaign of weeks of torture before he was finally hanged.
    Rodrigo sent his elder son Giovanni to attack the fortresses of the Orsini family, who had collaborated with the French. Giovanni proved to be a hopeless military leader, and he returned in 1497 after losing the battle that was supposed to punish the Orsinis; he was regarded as a family disgrace, adding to rather than avenging its humiliation. A few months later, on 14 June, he dined with his mother and Cesare. He and his brother afterwards left on horseback, taking different routes. The next morning, Giovanni’s