The Borgia Myth [pp. 1-16]

THE BORGIA MYTH.7
death by order of Coesar for having revealed the existence of the
secret decree of divorce, while contemporary chronicles show
that this bishop was alive two years afterwards and took part
with Caesar in the siege of Forli.*
Having seen what to think of some of the murders by the
sword or dagger attributed to Coesar, let us now examine one
said to have been caused by him by poison. Cardinal Borgia,
Czesar's cousin, died at Urbino in 1499. The worthy Sanuto first
starts the story in Venice that Caesar poisoned him because "the
pope loved him and was going to give him a place." Paul
Jovius, this time using his iron pen,t says "Caesar murdered him
because he had been friendly to the Duke of Gandia." Burchard, after noticing the death of the cardinal, adds it was "suspected by the physicians." A certain Prato, in a Storia di Milano,
"4 says that the cardinal and his friends were cut to pieces by Romans." Such are the contradictory reports. Now, the fact is
that the cardinal died of fever seventeen days' journey away
from Duke Cesar's camp, as we know from the chronicles of
Forli and the Cesenan Diary. There is not an item of proof for
this charge against him. He was at that very time engaged in
subduing the papal vassals at Forli. Brant6me says that his
coat of arms was "a dragon devouring several serpents." Nothing could be more appropriate to express the task in which he
wvas engaged. The Romagna was full of petty tyrants, every
one of whom made his castle a nest of vultures. Even the women of the Colonnas and Sforzas were tigresses.: Catharine
Sforza, feudal sovereign of Imola and Forli, is an instance, for
she tried to poison the pope. The people everywhere detested
these rulers; sometimes the mobs rose in the towns and murdered
them. Everywhere Caesar was hailed as a deliverer by the oppressed populace. According to all authorities the serfs suffered
unendurable misery under the tyranny of the rebellious vassals
of the Holy See. Of all the fiefs of the pope, Cesena alone was
faithful and paid its taxes. Astor Manfredi had not paid his
taxes in years, and when summoned to do so by the papal officers
the Venetians came to his rescue. The Malatestas, Savellis, and
Orsinis were also in arrears and unwilling to obey. The Venetians and Florentines protected the "vicars," as they were called.g
Exiles from the oppressed fiefs were continually going to Rome
* The chroniclers of Forli speak of the death of this bishop, Ferdinando d'Almedia, and
describe his funeral. Alvisi, p. 54.
t He said he had an iron pen for his enemies, a golden one for his friends.
"Viragoes," as they were then called. Gregorovius describes them well in Luc:etz-a Borg2a. ~ Alvisi, p. 63.
I 886.]
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