Here comes the story of Lucrezia Borgia.
Lucrezia Borgia lived in this castle at Spoleto, and ruled here in her own right. She was an immensely intelligent woman who has gone down in history as an infamous femme fatale... and errr... in her case, the word "fatal" is no understatement.
She was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI (aka Rodrigo di Borgia) and his longtime mistress Vanozza dei Cattanei. In those days, a daughter's hand in marriage was used to contract political alliances. Unfortunately for Lucrezia's first 2 husbands, the political winds of that time changed frequently.
Giovanni Sforza was her first husband. He was the illegitimate son of the powerful Sforza family who held sway in Pesaro and Gradara. When the political winds changed in Rome, Pope Alexander VI sought to annul the marriage between his daughter, Lucrezia and Giovanni. He paid a handsome sum to the Sforza family who in turn pressurised Giovanni to declare himself impotent and explain that he had never consummated his relationship with Lucrezia. It was that or be assassinated.
Then, Lucrezia Borgia married Alfonso d'Aragon who lived a short life because when the political winds changed, his brother-in-law Cesare Borgia, hired assassins to stab him to death in a back alley.
Lucrezia Borgia next married her 3rd husband, Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara. This marriage produced 10 children but along the way, Lucrezia had many affairs. In 1499, she was made the Governor of Spoleto in her own right. When her father became Pope, he entrusted the administration of all of the Vatican's correspondence to Lucrezia.
What an amazing woman, with an amazing life!
The Son pretending to be a Lord, surveying his domains.
Kick ass huge well.
Original frescoes from the 15th century.
Imagine Lucrezia Borgia walking along that corridor.
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