Lucrezia Borgia

Lucrezia Borgia , 1480-1519, Italian noblewoman, famous figure of the Italian Renaissance; daughter of Pope Alexander VI . Her first marriage (1492) to Giovanni Sforza of Pesaro was annulled in 1497, and she was married to Alfonso of Aragón, illegitimate son of Alfonso II of Naples. Her brother, Cesare Borgia , had her second husband murdered in 1500, and, in 1501, Lucrezia was married to Alfonso d'Este, who became duke of Ferrara in 1505. As duchess of Ferrara, Lucrezia at last escaped the vicious atmosphere of her family. Her brilliant court attracted many artists and poets, notably Ariosto, and her beauty and kindness won esteem for her. Rumors of her participation in her family's poison plots, of incestuous relations with her father and brother, and of her supposed extravagant vices have not been proved. Nevertheless, Lucrezia Borgia remains best known as portrayed in Victor Hugo's drama and Donizetti's opera, both based on these legends.

Bibliography: See biography by S. Bradford (2004).

Lucrezia Borgia. Opera in prol. and 2 acts by Donizetti to lib. by Romani based on Hugo's tragedy (1833). Prod. Milan 1833, London 1839, New Orleans 1843. At Paris prod. 1840, Hugo raised objections. The opera was withdrawn and the lib. re-written as La Rinegata, the action being relocated in Turkey.