Painting of Pope Alexander VI as he presents Bishop Jacopo Pesaro to Saint Peter.
Whether this wild party actually occurred has been disputed by modern Vatican historians, yet it remains part of the lore surrounding the Borgias. Papal master of ceremonies Johann Burchard — who left behind the only account of the pope’s sordid banquet — wrote in his diary:
"After dinner the candelabra with the burning candles were taken from the tables and placed on the floor, and chestnuts were strewn around, which the naked courtesans picked up, creeping on hands and knees between the chandeliers, while the Pope, Cesare, and his sister Lucretia looked on. Finally, prizes were announced for those who could perform the act most often with the courtesans, such as tunics of silk, shoes, barrets, and other things."
Despite doubts raised by some Vatican historians, Burchard’s diary remains a valuable resource as a firsthand account of this wild night. In another passage, Burchard wrote:
“There is no longer any crime or shameful act that does not take place in public in Rome and in the home of the Pontiff. Who could fail to be horrified by the…terrible, monstrous acts of lechery that are committed openly in his home, with no respect for God or man? Rapes and acts of incest are countless…[and] great throngs of courtesans frequent St. Peter’s Palace, pimps, brothels, and whorehouses are to be found everywhere!”
Ultimately, nights like these left Pope Alexander VI’s reign — which ended with his death less than two years after the banquet — mired in scandal that furthermore tarnished the already-infamous reputation of the whole Borgia family.
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