The late 15th-century rule of Pope Alexander VI was rife with nepotism, bribery, and scandalous sex — a legacy that's caused him to be called the most corrupt pope in the history of the Catholic Church. From the start, the young man born Rodrigo Borgia bribed his way to the top and used his position to enrich his friends and family.
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In addition to his own misdeeds, his family's notorious story abounds with illicit affairs and assassinations, including rumors of incest and fratricide among Pope Alexander VI's own children.
But now, some historians argue that perhaps Pope Alexander VI was n't really as bad as his reputation suggests.
Pope Alexander VI was born Rodrigo Borgia in the Spanish town of Xàtiva, near Valencia, in 1431. The infamous Borgias were Spanish nobles who attained power and wealth in Spain and across the Italian peninsula during the Renaissance by securing high-ranking civic and ecclesiastical offices . The family rose to even greater heights following the papal appointment of Rodrigo's uncle, Alfonso de Borgia, who became Pope Callixtus III in 1455.
Pope Callixtus III appointed his relatives to positions in the Church, including placing two of his nephews in the cardinalate, including 25-year-old Rodrigo Borgia. A year later, he appointed the future Pope Alexander VI as vice-chancellor of the Holy See, now colloquially referred to as the Vatican.
As a young cardinal, he was described as tall and handsome with “wonderful skill in money matters” — and he reportedly engaged in bribery, nepotism, and wild orgies.