A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Borgia, Lucrezia
BORGIA, LUCREZIA,
Sister of Cesare Borgia, and daughter of Rodriguez Borgia, afterwards Pope Alexander the Fifth, was married in 1493, to Giovanni Sforza, Lord of Pessaro, with whom she lived four years, when her father being Pope, dissolved the marriage, and gave her to Alfonso, Duke of Bisceglia, natural son of Alfonso the Second, Duke of Naples. On this occasion she was created Duchess of Spoleto and of Sermoneta. She had one son by Alfonso, who died young. In June, 1500, Alfonso was stabbed by assassins, supposed to have been employed by the infamous Cesare Borgia, so that he died two months after, at the pontifical palace, to which he had been earned at the time. Lucrezia has never been accused of any participation in this murder, or in any of her brother's atrocious deeds. She then retired to Nepi, but was recalled to Rome by her father. Towards the end of 1501, she married Alfonso d'Este, son of Ercole, Duke of Ferrara, and made her entrance into that city with great pomp, on the 2nd. of February, 1502.
She had three sons by Alfonso, who intrusted her with the government when he was absent in the field, in which capacity she gained general approbation. She was also the patroness of literature, and her behaviour after she became Duchess of Ferrara, affords no grounds for censure. Her conduct while at Rome with her father has been the subject of much obloquy, which seems to rest chiefly on her living in a flagitious court among profligate scenes. No individual charge can be substantiated against her. On the contrary, she is mentioned by contemporary poets and historians in the highest terms; and so many different writers would not have lavished such high praise on a person profligate and base as she has been represented. Many of the reports about her were circulated by the Neapolitans, the natural enemies of her family. She died at Ferrara, in 1523. In the Ambrosian Library there is a collection of letters written by her, and a poetical effusion. A curiosity which might be viewed with equal interest, is to be found there—a tress of her beautiful hair, folded in a piece of parchment.