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

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

17. Cesare died horribly, after losing his temper one too many times

The altar of the Church of Santa Maria in Viana, Spain, next to which Cesare was originally buried. VinTurismoRioja

People were so scared of Cesare that whole cities sometimes surrendered without a shot being fired. But just as he set his sights on Tuscany, where he could become an independent prince, Alexander VI died. The next pope was a Borgia nemesis who made Cesare surrender all his conquered cities and threw him in prison. He escaped but was rearrested and taken to Spain. There he escaped again, and joined his brother-in-law (the King of Navarre)’s army. Besieging the castle of Viana, Cesare was furious to see several enemy knights escaping. He foolishly gave chase alone, and was butchered.

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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

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