| Edition |
First Edition. |
| Description |
xxx, 478 pages, 8 unnumbered pages : illustrations (chiefly color), maps ; 25 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [433]-455) and index. |
| Contents |
Prologue: One Whom All Did Fear -- Part One. Alonso, From Out of Nowhere -- A Most Improbable Pope -- Background: The Road to Rome -- Surprises, Disappointments, Hope -- Background: Il Regno-The Kingdom -- Pope and King, Friends No More -- Background: Amazing Italy -- Family Matters -- Background: The Men in the Red Hats -- The End of the Beginning -- Part Two. Rodrigo, A Long Apprenticeship -- Surviving -- Background: The Eternal City, Eternally Reborn -- Pius II : Troubles Rumored and Real -- Background: Il Papa -- Paul II : The Poisoned Chalice -- Background: The Inextinguishable Evil-Heads -- Sixtus IV : Disturbing the Peace -- Background: War, Italian Style -- Innocent VIII : Plumbing the Depths -- Part Three. Alexander, Pope At Last -- The Best Man for the Job -- Background: Madness and Milan -- The Coming of the French -- Background: Florence : An Anti-Renaissance -- The French Depart -- Background: The Paternity Question: An "Apology" -- A Shattering Loss -- Background: The Young Ones -- Valentino -- Part Four. Cesare, Caesar or Nothing -- The Landscape Changes -- Background: Venice, Serene No More -- Conqueror -- Background: The Angel's Castle -- "Longing for Greatness and Renown" -- Background: The Newest Profession -- Settling Scores -- Background: The Great Discoveries -- Man of Destiny -- Background: Superstitions : Another Side of the Renaissance -- Alone -- Aftermath -- Examining Old Assumptions. |
| Summary |
Sweeping aside the gossip, slander, and distortion that have shrouded the Borgias for centuries, G. J. Meyer offers an unprecedented portrait of the infamous Renaissance family and their storied milieu. Grounding his narrative in exhaustive research and drawing from rarely examined key sources, Meyer brings fascinating new insight to the real people within the age-encrusted myth. Equally illuminating is the light he shines on the brilliant circles in which the Borgias moved and the thrilling era they helped to shape. |
| Subject |
Borgia family.
|
|
Nobility -- Italy -- Biography.
|
|
Renaissance -- Italy.
|
|
Italy -- History -- 15th century.
|
|
Italy -- History -- 1492-1559.
|
| ISBN |
9780345526915 (acid-free paper) |
|
0345526910 (acid-free paper) |
|
