Vannozza dei Cattanei

Vannozza dei Cattanei
Born 13 July 1442(1442-07-13)
Mantua
Died 24 November 1518(1518-11-24) (aged 76)
Title Countess of Cattanei
Partner Pope Julius II
Pope Alexander VI
Children Giovanni Borgia
Cesare Borgia
Lucrezia Borgia
Gioffre Borgia

Vannozza dei Cattanei (Giovanna de Candia, contessa dei Cattanei; 13 July 1442 โ€“ 24 November 1518) was an Italian noblewoman from the House of Candia, who was one of the many mistresses of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, future Pope Alexander VI. Among them, she was the one whose relationship with him lasted the longest. Their affair was not a violation of the celibacy vows that the then-Cardinal Borgia had already taken upon admission to the clerical state. This is because celibacy refers only to institutions of marriage or co-habitation, not sexual relations . Nonetheless, it was scandalous to have engaged in unchaste sexual relationships as a priest.

Born in 1442 in Mantua to noble parents, Vannozza moved to Rome where she was landlord of several inns (Osterie), at first in the Borgo, then in Campo de' Fiori. Before becoming Alexander's mistress, she had an alleged relationship with Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, the future Pope Julius II.

The connection with Alexander VI began in 1470, and she bore him four children whom he openly acknowledged as his own:

Before his elevation to the papacy, Alexander VI's passion for Vannozza somewhat diminished, and she subsequently led a very retired life.

Her place in his affections was filled by the beautiful Giulia Farnese, the wife of Orsino Orsini. However, Alexander VI's love for his children by Vannozza remained as strong as ever; it proved, indeed, the determining factor of his whole career. He lavished vast sums on them and lauded them with every honour.

Vannozza had four husbands. First she married Domenico d'Arignano. Her second husband was Antonio de Brescia. In 1480 she married Giorgio della Croce. She had a son named Ottaviano with him. When she became a widow she finally married Carlo Canale.

In fiction

In Showtime's 2011 miniseries The Borgias, she is played by Joanne Whalley. In Borgia, the French/German production of the same year created by Tom Fontana, she is played by Assumpta Serna.

References

  1. ^ I. Cloulas, The Borgias, p. 52

Sources