§ 54. POPE ALEXANDER VI — BORGIA. 1492-1503. 455
the family program, the indulgent father proceeded to declare war against the Gaetani house and to despoil the Colonna, Savelli and Orsini. No obstacle should be allowed to remain in the ambitious path of the unscrupulous son. Upon him was also conferred that emblem of purity of character or of high service to the Church, the Golden Rose.
The celebration of the Jubilee in the opening year of the new century, which was to be so eventful, brought hundreds ofthousands of pilgrims to the holy city, and the great sums which were collected were reserved for the Turkish crusade, or employed for the advancement of the_Borgias. The bull announcing the festival offered to those visiting Rome free indulgence for the most grievous sins.^ On Christmas eve, 1499, Alexander struck the Golden Gate with a silver mallet, repeating the words of Revelation, " He openeth and no man shutteth."
In glaring contrast to the religious ends with which the Jubilee was associated in the minds of the pilgrims, Caesar entered Rome, in February, surrounded with all the trappings of military conquest. Among the festivities provided to relieve the tedium of religious occupations was a Spanish bull-fight. The square of St. Peter's was enclosed with a railing and the spectators looked on while the pope's son, Caesar, killed five bulls. The head of the last he severed with a single stroke of his sword.
Another of the fearful tragedies of the Borgia family filled the atmosphere of this holy year with its smothering fumes, the murdgr of Lucretia's ImsbamL the duke of Besiglia, to whom she had borne a son.^ On returning home at night he was fallen upon at the steps of St. Peter's and stabbed. Carried to his palace, he was recovering, when Ctesar, who had visited him several times, at last had him strangled, August 18, 1500. The pope's son openly declared his responsibility,
1 Burchard, II. 591-593.
2 Rodrigo, who was baptized in St. Peter's, Nov. 1, 1499, the 16 cardinals then in Rome, many ambassadors and other dignitaries being present. In 1501 he was invested with the duchy of Sermoneta. Burchard, II. 575, 578; III. 170.
456 THE ^^DDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
and gave as an explanation that he himself was in danger from the prince.
With such scenes the new century was introduced in the papal city. But the end was not yet. The appointment of cardinals had been prostituted into a convenient device for filling the papal coffers and advancing the schemes of the papal family. In 1493 Alexander added 12 to the sacred college, including Alexander Farnese, afterwards Paul III., and brother to the pope's mistress. From these creations more than 100,000 ducats are said to have been realized.^ In 1496 four more were added, all Spaniards, including the pope's nephew, Giovanni Borgia, and making 9Spaniards in Alexander's cabinet. When 12 cardinals were appointed, Sept. 28, 1500, Csesar reaped 120,000 ducats as his reward. He had openly explained that he needed the money for his designs in the Romagna. In 1503, just before his father's death, the duke received 130,000 more for 9 red hats. He raised 64,000 by the appointment of new abbreviators. Nor were the dead to go free. At the death of Cardinal Ferrari, 50,000 ducats were seized from his effects, and when Cardinal Michiel died, nephew of Paul II., 150,000 ducats were transferred to the duke's account.
One iniquity onlv led to another. Cardinal Orsini, while on
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a visit to the pope, was taken prisoner. His palace_wasjdisuaantled, and other members of the family^ seize d__ancLtlieir castles confiscated. The cardinal's mother, aged fourscore, secured from Alexander, upon the payment of 2,000 ducats and a costly pearl which Orsini's mistress had in her possession and, dressed as a man, took to Alexander,^ the privilege of supplying her son with a daily dole of bread. But the unfortunate man's doom was sealed. He came to his death, as it was believed, by poison prepared by Alexander.^
The last of Alexander's notable achievements for his family was the marriag^of Luci;;etiuJ(LMfQnsQ,_aQiUiLHerculeSi_d^ of^Ferrara, 1502. _The young duke was 24, and a widower.
1 Infessura, p. 293. « Burchard, III. 236.
8 So Pastor, though with some hesitation, III. 491. Even Creighton, IV. 40, is unwilling to dismiss the charge as groundless. But in another place, p. 206, he seems to contradict himself.