The Borgias
Power and Fortune
Published on 6. June 2019
Book
Hardback
400 pages
978-1-78649-544-0 (ISBN)
Description
'A wickedly entertaining read' The Times
A Daily Mail Book of the Week
The sensational story of the rise and fall of one of the most notorious families in history, by the author of The Medici.
The Borgias have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. But the story of this remarkable family is far more than a tale of sensational depravities, it also marks a decisive turning point in European history.
The rise and fall of the Borgias held centre stage during the golden age of the Italian Renaissance and they were the leading players at the very moment when our modern world was creating itself. Within this context the Renaissance itself takes on a very different aspect. Was the corruption part of this creation, or vice versa? Would one have been possible without the other?
From the family's Spanish roots and the papacy of Rodrigo Borgia, to the lives of his infamous offspring, Lucrezia and Cesare - the hero who dazzled Machiavelli, but also the man who befriended Leonardo da Vinci - Paul Strathern relates this influential family to their time, together with the world which enabled them to flourish, and tells the story of this great dynasty as never before.
A Daily Mail Book of the Week
The sensational story of the rise and fall of one of the most notorious families in history, by the author of The Medici.
The Borgias have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. But the story of this remarkable family is far more than a tale of sensational depravities, it also marks a decisive turning point in European history.
The rise and fall of the Borgias held centre stage during the golden age of the Italian Renaissance and they were the leading players at the very moment when our modern world was creating itself. Within this context the Renaissance itself takes on a very different aspect. Was the corruption part of this creation, or vice versa? Would one have been possible without the other?
From the family's Spanish roots and the papacy of Rodrigo Borgia, to the lives of his infamous offspring, Lucrezia and Cesare - the hero who dazzled Machiavelli, but also the man who befriended Leonardo da Vinci - Paul Strathern relates this influential family to their time, together with the world which enabled them to flourish, and tells the story of this great dynasty as never before.
Reviews / Votes
Strathern strikes a successful balance between gorblimey Horrible Histories and the reverence due to Renaissance men. Don't be beside a pool or under a loggia in Italy this summer without a copy from which to read (luridly) aloud... This history of ruthlessness, intrigue and men broken on Fortune's Wheel is a wickedly entertaining read. * The Times * A vivid insight into the hothouse world of papal politics in the tumultuous years before theReformation. * Daily Telegraph * Authoritative and well-written... Strathern has an admirable talent for the biographical sketch, particularly of artists and writers. * Wall Street Journal * The Borgias, Mr Strathern explains, did not merely acquire their reputation through roistering and making the bureaucracy run on time. They also earned it through the ruthless elimination of their enemies - and friends... This is a book rich in such telling details. * The Economist * Strathern's latest venture into Renaissance Italy proves just as exciting as his previous histories... One of the author's great strengths has always been his ability to keep the many assorted players from confusing readers, and that holds true in his latest. Strathern's smooth narrative and comprehensive insight bring the Borgias to life. * Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review) * Engaging and informative... To be immersed in this group biography is to visit a particularly exciting and consequential period in European history in all its high drama and richness of character... Outstanding * Booklist * In this accessible look behind the curtain, Strathern lays out the history of the infamous Italian clan. Strathern makes a tangled and thorny history readable. * Publishers Weekly * Highly recommended for readers interested in the drama surrounding the Borgias that spurred a number of scandalous rumors that continue to circulate today. * Library Journal (Starred Review) *
More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Illustrations
2x8pp colour plates
Dimensions
Height: 240 mm
Width: 165 mm
Thickness: 35 mm
Weight
800 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-78649-544-0 (9781786495440)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Person
Paul Strathern studied philosophy at Trinity College, Dublin. He is a Somerset Maugham Award-winning novelist; author of two series of books - Philosophers in 90 Minutes and The Big Idea: Scientists who Changed the World - and several works of non-fiction, including The Medici, The Artist, the Philosopher and the Warrior, Spirit of Venice and Death in Florence.
Content
0: Prologue: The Crowning Moment 1: Origins of a Dynasty 2: The Young Rodrigo 3: Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia Emerges in His True Colours 4: The Way to the Top 5: A New Pope in a New Era 6: 'The Scourge of God' 7: The Best of Plans... 8: A Crucial Realignment 9: A Royal Connection 10: Il Valentino's Campaign 11: Biding Time 12: The Second Romagna Campaign 13: The Borgias in excelsis 14: Cesare Strikes Out 15: Changing Fortunes 16: Cesare Survives 17: Borgia's 'Reconciliation' 18: Lucrezia in Ferrara 19: The Unforeseen 20: Desperate Fortune