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The Borgias

Power and Depravity in Renaissance Italy

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The Borgias

By: Paul Strathern
Narrated by: Julian Elfer
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About this listen

The Borgia family have become a byword for evil. Corruption, incest, ruthless megalomania, avarice, and vicious cruelty - all have been associated with their name. And yet, paradoxically, this family lived when the Renaissance was coming into its full flowering in Italy. Examples of infamy flourished alongside some of the finest art produced in western history.

This is but one of several paradoxes associated with the Borgia family. For the family which produced corrupt popes, depraved princes, and poisoners, would also produce a saint. These paradoxes which so characterize the Borgias have seldom been examined in great detail. Previously history has tended to condemn, or attempt in part to exonerate, this remarkable family. Yet in order to understand the Borgias, much more is needed than evidence for and against. The Borgias must be related to their time, together with the world which enabled them to flourish. Within this context the Renaissance itself takes on a very different aspect. Was the corruption part of the creation, or vice versa?

The primitive psychological forces which first played out in the amphitheaters of ancient Greece are all here. Along with the final, tragic downfall.

©2019 Paul Strathern (P)2019 Tantor Europe Historical Italy Renaissance Royalty Middle Ages

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All stars
Most relevant
Loved listening to the history of this famously ruthless family, the politics of the period seems very relevant today, highly recommend it.

Amazing peek into history

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I absolutely loved it. I don't know much about this period of history but the book really brought renaissance Italy to life. Each historical figure is fleshed out and you really develop a sense of their individual personalities.

Gripping narrative.

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...but quite a bit of it to be fair.

Interesting historic subject matter interspersed with bits of unheard facts, rumoured facts and general hearsay.

Good insight to the world of Pope Alexander VI and his wider family and their craving to leave their family legacy in the world.

Not all Sex and Scandal...

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could have done without the casual homophobia especially in the early background chapters and ongoing obsession with weak psychoanalysis of Cesare as incestuously obsessed with his sister without any real evidence presented of it other than that he was protective and didn't like her husbands. Other than that it's a fair narrative of the history with minimal analysis, definitely a pop history text with plenty of inclusion of primary sources to lend flavor where appropriate

excellent narration shame about the content

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Just amazing, I am at a loss for words. A very interesting insight into the machinations of power, lust, betrayal and humanity.

Superb, never such colourful historic reading

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