Born Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI did everything from selling church offices to hiring 50 prostitutes in one night to secure his place as history's dirtiest pope. He openly fathered seven children between his two most famous mistresses, and historians believe he had many more illegitimate children.
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.
In addition to his own misdeeds, his family’s notorious story abounds with illicit affairs and assassinations, including rumours of incest and fratricide between Pope Alexander VI’s own children.
But now, some historians argue that perhaps Pope Alexander VI wasn’t really as bad as his reputation suggests.
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