Banquet of Chestnuts

Last updated

The Banquet of Chestnuts (sometimes Ballet of Chestnuts, Festival of Chestnuts, or Joust of Whores) was a supper purportedly held at the Papal Palace in Rome and hosted by former Cardinal Cesare Borgia, son of Pope Alexander VI, on 31 October 1501.

Contents

Burchard's account

An account of the banquet appears in the Liber Notarum of Johann Burchard, the Protonotary Apostolic and Master of Ceremonies. This diary, a primary source on the life of Alexander VI, was preserved in the Vatican Secret Archive; it became available to researchers in the mid-19th century when Pope Leo XIII opened the archive, although Leo expressed specific reluctance to allow general access to a document which might harm the reputation of Alexander VI. [1]

According to Burchard, the banquet was given in Cesare Borgia's apartments in the Palazzo Apostolico . Fifty prostitutes or courtesans were in attendance for the entertainment of the banquet guests. Burchard describes the scene as follows: [2]

On the evening of the last day of October, 1501, Cesare Borgia arranged a banquet in his chambers in the Vatican with "fifty honest prostitutes", [3] called courtesans, who danced after dinner with the attendants and others who were present, at first in their garments, then naked. 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 Lucrezia 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.

Historicity

Both contemporary and modern authors have questioned the accuracy of Burchard's account. [4] Two independent contemporary sources confirm that a social event occurred on the date given by Burchard, but give fewer details of the festivities. [5] [6]

Vatican researcher Peter de Roo, in his five-volume history of Alexander VI, speculates that the passage may be a later interpolation in Burchard's memoirs, arguing that the Pope could not be capable of such "truly bestial" behavior. [7] Other historians, however, have criticized de Roo's biography, describing it as "a vast apologetic work in which much useful material is often almost undetectable under the coat of white-wash" [8] and as uncritically accepting all praise and rejecting all criticism of Alexander VI. [9]

Alexander Lee notes that "The so-called 'Banquet of the Chestnuts'… is, for example, attested only in Burchard's memoirs, and not only was intrinsically implausible, but also was dismissed as such by many contemporaries." [10] Henry A. Brann, a Catholic priest and historian, argues that "courtesans" is an improper translation of a word better understood as "courtiers", and that references to "nudity" merely describe "a throwing off of the outer robes." [11]

Defending the historicity of the account, Giles Milton argues that the Liber Notarum is "a deeply serious work", Burchard is generally a reliable source not prone to exaggerations, and that the events described are not out of character for Alexander VI, known for fathering the most illegitimate children of any pope. [12]

William Manchester's book A World Lit Only by Fire , embellishes the story: "Servants kept score of each man's orgasms, for the pope greatly admired virility and measured a man's machismo by his ejaculative capacity… After everyone was exhausted, His Holiness distributed prizes." [13] Professional historians, however, have dismissed or ignored the book because of its numerous factual errors and its dependence on interpretations that have not been accepted by experts since the 1930s at the latest. In a review for Speculum , the journal of the Medieval Academy of America, Jeremy duQuesnay Adams remarked that Manchester's work contained "some of the most gratuitous errors of fact and eccentricities of judgment this reviewer has read (or heard) in quite some time." [14]

The banquet is depicted in episode 4 of season 3 of the Showtime TV series The Borgias. In the show, the Banquet is shown to be a trap to blackmail otherwise disloyal members of the College of Cardinals, and is officiated by Giulia Farnese, and witnessed by Burchard who chronicles the debaucheries of the Cardinals while hidden behind a screen. None of the Borgia family are seen to be present, and loyal Cardinals such as Cardinal Farnese are warned not to accept the invitation. In the series, the event takes place in c. 1499.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cesare Borgia</span> Late 15th-century Italian nobleman and Catholic cardinal

Cesare Borgia was an Italian cardinal and condottiero, an illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI and member of the Valencian (Spanish-Aragonese) House of Borgia. His fight for power was a major inspiration for The Prince by Niccolò Machiavelli.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lucrezia Borgia</span> Spanish-Italian duchess-consort of Ferrara, Modena and Reggio (1480–1519)

Lucrezia Borgia was an Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She reigned as the governor of Spoleto, a position usually held by cardinals, in her own right.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Alexander VI</span> Head of the Catholic Church from 1492 to 1503

Pope Alexander VI (epithet: Valentinus was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 August 1492 until his death in 1503. Born into the prominent Borgia family in Xàtiva in the Kingdom of Valencia under the Crown of Aragon, Rodrigo studied law at the University of Bologna. He was ordained deacon and made a cardinal in 1456 after the election of his uncle as Pope Callixtus III, and a year later he became vice-chancellor of the Catholic Church. He proceeded to serve in the Curia under the next four popes, acquiring significant influence and wealth in the process. In 1492, Rodrigo was elected pope, taking the name Alexander VI.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Pius III</span> Head of the Catholic Church in 1503

Pope Pius III, born Francesco Todeschini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 22 September 1503 to his death. At just twenty-six days, he had one of the shortest pontificates in papal history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pope Julius II</span> Head of the Catholic Church from 1503 to 1513

Pope Julius II was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death, in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope, Battle Pope or the Fearsome Pope, he chose his papal name not in honour of Pope Julius I but in emulation of Julius Caesar. One of the most powerful and influential popes, Julius II was a central figure of the High Renaissance and left a significant cultural and political legacy. As a result of his policies during the Italian Wars, the Papal States increased their power and centralization, and the office of the papacy continued to be crucial, diplomatically and politically, during the entirety of the 16th century in Italy and Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">House of Borgia</span> Italo-Spanish Renaissance noble family

The House of Borgia was a Spanish noble family, which rose to prominence during the Italian Renaissance. They were from Xàtiva, Kingdom of Valencia, the surname being a toponymic from the town of Borja, then in the Crown of Aragon, in Spain.

Johann Burchard, also spelled Johannes Burchart or Burkhart (c.1450–1506) was an Alsatian-born priest and chronicler during the Italian Renaissance. He spent his entire career at the papal Courts of Sixtus IV, Innocent VIII, Alexander VI, Pius III, and Julius II, serving as papal Master of Ceremonies, a position from which he was able to observe most of the important events of the period.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ascanio Sforza</span> Italian cardinal of the Catholic church

Ascanio Maria Sforza Visconti was an Italian Cardinal of the Catholic Church. Generally known as a skilled diplomat who played a major role in the election of Rodrigo Borgia as Pope Alexander VI, Sforza served as Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church from 1492 until 1505.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giovanni Battista Zeno</span> Italian cardinal

Giovanni Battista Zeno , was the son of Niccolo di Tomà Zeno and Elisabetta Barbo, a sister of Pietro Barbo, who became Pope Paul II in August 1464. He was a bishop and a cardinal of the Catholic Church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ippolito d'Este</span> Italian cardinal

Ippolito (I) d'Este was an Italian Roman Catholic cardinal, and Archbishop of Esztergom. He was a member of the ducal House of Este of Ferrara, and was usually referred to as the Cardinal of Ferrara. Though a bishop of five separate dioceses, he was never consecrated a bishop. He spent much of his time supporting the ducal house of Ferrara and negotiating on their behalf with the Pope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfonso of Aragon (1481–1500)</span> Duke of Bisceglie, Prince of Salerno

Alfonso of Aragon, Duke of Bisceglie and Prince of Salerno of the House of Trastámara, was the illegitimate son of Alfonso II King of Naples and his mistress Trogia Gazzella. His father, cousin of King Ferdinand II of Aragon, abdicated in favour of his legitimate son Ferdinand II of Naples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1492 papal conclave</span> Election of Pope Alexander VI

The 1492 papal conclave was convened after the death of Pope Innocent VIII. It was the first papal conclave to be held in the Sistine Chapel.

"The Poisoned Chalice" is the pilot episode of the Showtime-Bravo! series The Borgias. It was written and directed by series creator Neil Jordan and originally aired on April 3, 2011, as the first half of a 2 hour premiere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">September 1503 papal conclave</span> Election of Pope Pius III

The September 1503 papal conclave elected Pope Pius III to succeed Pope Alexander VI. Due to the Italian Wars, the College of Cardinals was surrounded by three potentially hostile armies, loyal to Louis XII of France, Ferdinand II of Aragon, and Cesare Borgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">October 1503 papal conclave</span> Election of Pope Julius II

The October 1503 papal conclave elected Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere as Pope Julius II to succeed Pope Pius III. The conclave took place during the Italian Wars barely a month after the papal conclave, September 1503, and none of the electors had travelled far enough from Rome to miss the conclave. The number of participating cardinals was thirty-eight, the College of Cardinals having been reduced by the election of Piccolomini as Pius III, who did not elevate cardinals. At a consistory on 11 October Pope Pius had proposed to make Cardinal d'Amboise's nephew a cardinal, as part of his effort to conciliate the French, but the response from the cardinals was not enthusiastic.

<i>The Borgias</i> (2011 TV series) Television series

The Borgias is a historical drama television series created by Neil Jordan; it debuted in 2011 and was canceled in 2013.

<i>Borgia</i> (TV series) French-German-Czech-Italian historical drama television series

Borgia is a historical drama television series created by Tom Fontana for Canal+, ZDF, ORF, and Sky Italia. The show recounts the Borgia family's rise to power and subsequent domination of the Papal States during the Renaissance.

"The Assassin" is the second episode of the Showtime-Bravo! series The Borgias. It was written and directed by series creator Neil Jordan and originally aired on April 3, 2011, as the second half of a 2-hour premiere.

Giuliano Cesarini, <i>iuniore</i> Roman Catholic cardinal

Giuliano Cesarini the Younger was an Italian Catholic prelate and cardinal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juan de Vera</span> Spanish cardinal

Juan de Vera, known as the Cardinal of Salerno, was a Spanish Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.

References

  1. ↑ DeSilva, Jennifer Mara (11 October 2019). The Borgia Family: Rumor and Representation. Routledge. ISBN   978-0-429-56030-9.
  2. ↑ Burchard, Johann (1921), Glaser, F.L. (ed.), Pope Alexander VI and His Court: Extracts from the Latin Diary of Johannes Burchardus, New York: N.L. Brown, pp. 154–55, fifty honest prostitutes
  3. ↑ Burchard, Johann (1885), Johannis Burchardi Argentinensis capelle pontificie sacrorum rituum magistri diarium, sive Rerum urbanarum commentarii (1483-1506), vol. 3, Paris, p. 167, In sero fecerunt cenam cum duce Valentinense in camera sua, in palatio apostolico, quinquaginta meretrices honeste cortegiane nuncupate, que post cenam coreaverunt cum servitoribus et aliis ibidem existentibus, primo in vestibus suis, denique nude. Post cenam posita fuerunt candelabra communia mense in candelis ardentibus per terram, et projecte ante candelabra per terram castanee quas meretrices ipse super manibus et pedibus; unde, candelabra pertranseuntes, colligebant, Papa, duce et D. Lucretia sorore sua presentibus et aspicientibus. Tandem exposita dona ultima, diploides de serico, paria caligarum; bireta, et alia pro illis qui pluries dictas meretrices carnaliter agnoscerent; que fuerunt ibidem in aula publice carnaliter tractate arbitrio praesentium, dona distributa victoribus.{{citation}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ Licence, Amy (2023). The Sixteenth Century in 100 Women. Pen & Sword History. pp. 7–9. ISBN   978 1 39908 382 9.
  5. ↑ Robins, Mikey (5 August 2020). Reprehensible: Polite Histories of Bad Behaviour. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-76085-300-6.
  6. ↑ Morris, Samantha (28 December 2020). Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia: Brother & Sister of History's Most Vilified Family. Pen and Sword History. ISBN   978-1-5267-2441-0.
  7. ↑ de Roo, Peter (1924). Material for a History of Pope Alexander VI, His Relatives and His Time. Vol. 5. Bruges, Desclée, De Brouwer. pp. 195–197.
  8. ↑ Passmore, N. W. (July 1970). "Review of Book: The Borgias". The Downside Review. 88 (292): 321–323. doi:10.1177/001258067008829215. ISSN   0012-5806 . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  9. ↑ Church, Frederic C. (1925). "Review of Material for a History of Pope Alexander VI., his Relatives and his Time". The American Historical Review. 31 (1): 117–120. doi:10.2307/1904513. hdl: 2027/mdp.39015013144061 . ISSN   0002-8762 . Retrieved 5 December 2023.
  10. ↑ Lee, Alexander (1 October 2013), "Were the Borgias Really So Bad?", History Today.
  11. ↑ "The Borgia Myth", Catholic World, New York: Paulist Fathers, The Catholic Publication Society, vol. 44, p. 13, 1886, Matarazzo (Arch. Stor. Ital., t. xvi, p. 189) says that the dance was performed by ladies and gentlemen of the court - cortigiane, improperly translated in this case 'courtesans'. The nudity does not mean absolute nudity, but a throwing off of the outer robes. The Florentine orator Francis Pepi says they were courtiers, not 'courtesans,' who danced.
  12. ↑ Milton, Giles (November 2016). When Churchill Slaughtered Sheep and Stalin Robbed a Bank: History's Unknown Chapters. Macmillan. ISBN   978-1-250-07875-9.
  13. ↑ Manchester, William (1992). A World Lit Only by Fire. Boston, New York & London: Little, Brown and Company. pp. 79–80. ISBN   0-316-54556-2.
  14. ↑ Adams, Jeremy duQuesnay (January 1995). "Review of William Manchester, A World Lit Only By Fire". Speculum. 70 (1): 173–74. doi:10.2307/2864746. JSTOR   2864746.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.