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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

37. He became Pope Callixtus III, and unlike his descendants was a pretty decent chap

The Virgin Mary appears to Pope Callixtus III in a 15th-century Italian manuscript. Wikimedia Commons

Alfonso impressed the Vatican again when peacefully representing the king’s territorial interests in Italy, and was made a Cardinal in 1444. Alfonso lived his life austerely and charitably, and his skill in diplomacy made him a popular figure in Rome. So much, in fact, that when a new pope was elected in 1455, Alfonso was the only candidate everyone could accept. Though riddled with gout, and in his seventies, he became Pope Callixtus III and served for just over 3 years until his death in 1458.

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