Is The Borgias historically accurate?

Jordan has taken a page from Hirst in that he’s not attempting to pass off “The Borgias” as 100 percent accurate. “I don’t claim to be telling a completely factual tale; that’s for textbooks,” Jordan says in the notes to the series. “This is a suspenseful crime drama based on real characters and events.

Did Cesare Borgia marry his sister?

In 1498 Cesare joined the forces of the King of Navarre. He married the king’s sister, Charlotte d’Albret.

Did Juan Borgia have syphilis?

Juan boasts to his father that his wife is pregnant with a son. In private, however, he suffers from an unspecified venereal disease (most probably syphilis), which his physician instructs him to medicate with mercury and opium; Juan soon becomes addicted to the latter, frequently visiting a Muslim-owned opium den.

Was Alexander VI a good pope?

As a result, his Italianized Valencian surname, Borgia, became a byword for libertinism and nepotism, which are traditionally considered as characterizing his pontificate. On the other hand, two of Alexander’s successors, Sixtus V and Urban VIII, described him as one of the most outstanding popes since Saint Peter.

Was there a real Borgia pope?

The Borgias, also known as the Borjas, were a European papal family of Spanish origin that became prominent during the Renaissance. The family produced three popes of the Catholic Church: Pope Callixtus III (born Alfons de Borja; 1378–1458) – served as pope from 8 April 1455 until his death on 6 August 1458.

Which Borgia show is more accurate?

So attractive the family’s history is that not one but two Series have been recently produced, one on Showtime “The Borgias”, by Neil Jordan with Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia and another, an European production, Borgia, created by Tom Fontana and apparently more historically accurate.

Are the costumes in The Borgias accurate?

While he seems to have done a few historical costume movies, his costumes for Borgia: Faith and Fear aren’t the most historically accurate nor are they particularly fun to look at. The Showtime version may take historical liberties, but at least the costumes appear consistently fantastic.

Did Pope Borgia have mistresses?

Rodrigo Borgia had two famous mistresses: Vannozza dei Cattanei and Giulia Farnese, both married noblewomen. Borgia, however, courted controversy by openly acknowledging that he fathered seven children between them, and historians believe he likely had other illegitimate children whose names have been lost to history.