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40 Facts About the Borgias, One of History’s More Scandalous Dynasties

Tim Flight October 27, 2019 26 min

Jeremy Irons - The Borgias — Jeremy Irons as Pope Alexander VI in the TV series, The Borgias. The Hollywood Review

30. Alexander is said to have hosted prostitutes at the Apostolic Palace

The Borgia Apartments in the Apostolic Palace, which took their current form under Alexander VI’s direction in the late 15th century. TrekkMarket

Alexander VI also refused to give up his love of women. During his reign, prostitutes roamed the Vatican, and he even hosted them at the Apostolic Palace. In 1501, the Banquet of the Chestnuts saw ‘fifty honest prostitutes’ crawl naked on all fours to pick up chestnuts. An all-night orgy followed, attended by Alexander. The account only exists in the diary of Johann Burchard, the papal master of ceremonies, and is disputed. Prostitutes however had been welcome at the Vatican long before Alexander, and in this era popes were frequently sexual deviants.

Written by

Tim Flight

I am a freelance historical and literary writer based in West Yorkshire, UK. I read for a funded PhD in English at the University of Oxford (Magdalen College) and graduated in 2016. I am a former lecturer in Medieval English Literature at Royal Holloway, University of London. My publications include peer-reviewed articles in academic publications, and pieces in mainstream magazines such as History Today and Fortean Times. For more information, please see www.drflight.co.uk