Giovanni Borgia (1498)
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Borgia
(March 1498 – 1548), the infans Romanus ("the child of Rome"), was alleged to be the child of Lucrezia Borgia
. Pope Alexander VI
issued two papal bull
s, both dated 1 September 1501, in each of which a different father is assigned to Giovanni Borgia, the second appearing to supplement and correct the first.
The first of these Bulls, addressed to "Dilecto Filio Nobili Joanni de Borgia, Infanti Romano," declares Giovanni Borgia to be a child of three years of age, the illegitimate son of Cesare Borgia
, unmarried (as Cesare was at the time of the child's birth), and of a woman (unnamed, as was usual in such cases), also unmarried.
The second declares Giovanni Borgia instead to be the son of Pope Alexander VI himself and runs: "Since you bear this deficiency not from the said duke, but from us and the said woman, which we for good reasons did not desire to express in the preceding writing." The pope was forbidden by canon law to publicly recognize children and did not wish that Giovanni Borgia should suffer in his inheritance as a consequence http://www.public-domain-content.com/books/Life_of_Cesare_Borgia/C21P1.shtml. Precisely at the same date, the final arrangements were made for Lucrezia Borgia's betrothal to Alfonso d'Este
, duke of Ferrara
.
Giovanni Borgia appeared as a companion of Lucrezia Borgia, who named him as her younger half-brother. Pope Alexander VI, in two bulls
excommunicating
members of the Savelli and Colonna families and confiscating their properties, was able to name Giovanni Borgia as heir to the duchy of Nepi
, a property important to the Borgia family, and also as duke of Palestrina
(17 September 1501). Giovanni Borgia was passed from guardian to guardian, eventually ending up with Lucrezia Borgia in Ferrara
. Giovanni Borgia held several other titles, including the signory of Vetralla
, but never succeeded in possessing his titles, and, after a career serving as a minor functionary in the Papal Curia
and at the court of France, failed to gain much power and eventually died relatively unknown.
In the Assassin's Creed
setting, Giovanni was born after his father Perotto Calderon (an Assassin posing as a courier) fell for Lucrezia; however, Giovanni was born malformed and deemed likely to die in a few days. He would be physically healed by the Shroud of Turin
, and there afterward was raised in the Borgia household (with Cesare posing as the father and Lucrezia as the aunt) until leaving home at the age of five, fed up with his Cesare's treatment of him, to join Francesco Vecellio
, Calderon's understudy, in the Assassin Order. Thereafter he disappeared from history, serving as an undercover operative for the Order, for example acting as a navigator on Hernán Cortés' ship during his first voyage to Mexico, where he obtained a Crystal Skull. He also meets with Paracelsus to create the Philosopher's stone.
Borgia
The Borgias, also known as the Borjas, Borjia, were a European Papal family of Italian and Spanish origin with the name stemming from the familial fief seat of Borja belonging to their Aragonese Lords; they became prominent during the Renaissance. The Borgias were patrons of the arts, and their...
(March 1498 – 1548), the infans Romanus ("the child of Rome"), was alleged to be the child of Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia [luˈkrɛtsia ˈbɔrʤa] was the illegitimate daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei. Her brothers included Cesare Borgia, Giovanni Borgia, and Gioffre Borgia...
. Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI
Pope Alexander VI , born Roderic Llançol i Borja was Pope from 1492 until his death on 18 August 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized surname—Borgia—became a byword for the debased standards of the Papacy of that era, most notoriously the Banquet...
issued two papal bull
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
s, both dated 1 September 1501, in each of which a different father is assigned to Giovanni Borgia, the second appearing to supplement and correct the first.
The first of these Bulls, addressed to "Dilecto Filio Nobili Joanni de Borgia, Infanti Romano," declares Giovanni Borgia to be a child of three years of age, the illegitimate son of Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Cesare Borgia , Duke of Valentinois, was an Italian condottiero, nobleman, politician, and cardinal. He was the son of Pope Alexander VI and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was the brother of Lucrezia Borgia; Giovanni Borgia , Duke of Gandia; and Gioffre Borgia , Prince of Squillace...
, unmarried (as Cesare was at the time of the child's birth), and of a woman (unnamed, as was usual in such cases), also unmarried.
The second declares Giovanni Borgia instead to be the son of Pope Alexander VI himself and runs: "Since you bear this deficiency not from the said duke, but from us and the said woman, which we for good reasons did not desire to express in the preceding writing." The pope was forbidden by canon law to publicly recognize children and did not wish that Giovanni Borgia should suffer in his inheritance as a consequence http://www.public-domain-content.com/books/Life_of_Cesare_Borgia/C21P1.shtml. Precisely at the same date, the final arrangements were made for Lucrezia Borgia's betrothal to Alfonso d'Este
Este
The House of Este is a European princely dynasty. It is split into two branches; the elder is known as the House of Welf-Este or House of Welf historically rendered in English, Guelf or Guelph...
, duke of Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
.
Giovanni Borgia appeared as a companion of Lucrezia Borgia, who named him as her younger half-brother. Pope Alexander VI, in two bulls
Papal bull
A Papal bull is a particular type of letters patent or charter issued by a Pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the bulla that was appended to the end in order to authenticate it....
excommunicating
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
members of the Savelli and Colonna families and confiscating their properties, was able to name Giovanni Borgia as heir to the duchy of Nepi
Nepi
Nepi is a town and comune in Italy in the province of Viterbo, region of Lazio. The town lies 30 km southeast of the city of Viterbo and about 13 km southwest from Civita Castellana....
, a property important to the Borgia family, and also as duke of Palestrina
Palestrina
Palestrina is an ancient city and comune with a population of about 18,000, in Lazio, c. 35 km east of Rome...
(17 September 1501). Giovanni Borgia was passed from guardian to guardian, eventually ending up with Lucrezia Borgia in Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
. Giovanni Borgia held several other titles, including the signory of Vetralla
Vetralla
Vetralla is a town and comune in the Province of Viterbo, in central Italy, 11 km to the south of that city, located on a shoulder of Monte Fogliano.-History:...
, but never succeeded in possessing his titles, and, after a career serving as a minor functionary in the Papal Curia
Curia
A curia in early Roman times was a subdivision of the people, i.e. more or less a tribe, and with a metonymy it came to mean also the meeting place where the tribe discussed its affairs...
and at the court of France, failed to gain much power and eventually died relatively unknown.
Popular culture
Hella S. Haasse constructed a historical novel around the figure of Giovanni Borgia, The Scarlet City (1952).In the Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed
Assassin's Creed is an award-winning historical third person, stealth action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. The bulk of the game takes place during the Third Crusade, with the plot revolving around a sect known as the Secret Order of...
setting, Giovanni was born after his father Perotto Calderon (an Assassin posing as a courier) fell for Lucrezia; however, Giovanni was born malformed and deemed likely to die in a few days. He would be physically healed by the Shroud of Turin
Shroud of Turin
The Shroud of Turin or Turin Shroud is a linen cloth bearing the image of a man who appears to have suffered physical trauma in a manner consistent with crucifixion. It is kept in the royal chapel of the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist in Turin, northern Italy. The image on the shroud is...
, and there afterward was raised in the Borgia household (with Cesare posing as the father and Lucrezia as the aunt) until leaving home at the age of five, fed up with his Cesare's treatment of him, to join Francesco Vecellio
Francesco Vecellio
Francesco Vecellio was an Italian painter of the early Renaissance, best known as the elder brother of the painter Titian. In his youth, he was a soldier. As a painter, he was mainly active in 1520-1530s in Cadore. In 1524, he signed an altarpiece for San Vito in Cadore. In 1540s, he painted a...
, Calderon's understudy, in the Assassin Order. Thereafter he disappeared from history, serving as an undercover operative for the Order, for example acting as a navigator on Hernán Cortés' ship during his first voyage to Mexico, where he obtained a Crystal Skull. He also meets with Paracelsus to create the Philosopher's stone.