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Vannozza dei Cattanei
 
 
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Vannozza dei Cattanei (Giovanna de Candia, contessa dei Cattanei) (1442 – 24 November 1518) was one of the many mistresses of the Pope Alexander VI (in violation of the celibacy vows the Pope takes), and among them, the one whose relationship lasted the longest. Her parents were Jacopo (Giacommo de Candia, conte dei Cattanei) and Mencia Pinctoris.

Born in 1442 to Mantua
Mantua

Mantua is a city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the Province of Mantua of the same name.Mantua is surrounded on three sides by artificial lakes created during the 12th century....
n parents, she moved to Rome where she ran several inns (Osterie), at first in Borgo
Borgo (rione of Rome)

Borgo , is the 14th historic district of Rome. It lies on the west bank of the Tiber, and has a trapezoidal shape. Its Coat of Arms shows a lion , lying in front of three mounts and a star....
, then in Campo de' Fiori
Campo de' Fiori

Campo dei Fiori is a rectangular piazza near Piazza Navona in Rome, on the border of Rioni of Rome Parione and Regola . Campo dei Fiori, translated literally from Italian language, means "field of flowers." The name was first given during the Middle Ages when the area was actually a Field ....
.






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Vannozza dei Cattanei (Giovanna de Candia, contessa dei Cattanei) (1442 – 24 November 1518) was one of the many mistresses of the Pope Alexander VI (in violation of the celibacy vows the Pope takes), and among them, the one whose relationship lasted the longest. Her parents were Jacopo (Giacommo de Candia, conte dei Cattanei) and Mencia Pinctoris.

Born in 1442 to Mantua
Mantua

Mantua is a city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the Province of Mantua of the same name.Mantua is surrounded on three sides by artificial lakes created during the 12th century....
n parents, she moved to Rome where she ran several inns (Osterie), at first in Borgo
Borgo (rione of Rome)

Borgo , is the 14th historic district of Rome. It lies on the west bank of the Tiber, and has a trapezoidal shape. Its Coat of Arms shows a lion , lying in front of three mounts and a star....
, then in Campo de' Fiori
Campo de' Fiori

Campo dei Fiori is a rectangular piazza near Piazza Navona in Rome, on the border of Rioni of Rome Parione and Regola . Campo dei Fiori, translated literally from Italian language, means "field of flowers." The name was first given during the Middle Ages when the area was actually a Field ....
. Before becoming Alexander's mistress, she had an alleged relationship with Cardinal Giulio della Rovere, the future Pope Julius II
Pope Julius II

Pope Julius II , nicknamed Il Papa Terribile , was born Giuliano della Rovere. He was Pope from 1503 to 1513. His reign was marked by an aggressive foreign policy, ambitious building projects, and patronage for the arts....
.

She was the wife of three successive husbands.

The connection with Alexander VI began in 1470, and she bore him four children whom he openly acknowledged as his own:

  • Giovanni
    Giovanni Borgia (1474)

    Juan Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandia was the brother of the famous Cesare Borgia. According to several sources and opinions, Giovanni might have been only the second of the Pope's four children born in 1475 or 1476, and Cesare was the first-born from the relationship with Vanozza in 1474 or 1475....
    , afterwards duke of Gandia
    Gandia

    Gandia , with population over 77,000, is a city and municipality in the Valencian Community, Eastern Spain on the Mediterranean. Gandia is located on the Costa del Azahar, 65 km south of Valencia, Spain and 96 km north of Alicante....
     (born 1474);
  • Cesare
    Cesare Borgia

    Cesare Borgia, born , Duke of Valentinois, and Romagna, Prince of Andria and Venafro, Count of Dyois, Lord of Piombino, Camerino and Urbino, Gonfalone of the Church and Captain General of the Church, was a Spanish-Italian Condottieri, lord and cardinal....
     (born 1475);
  • Lucrezia
    Lucrezia Borgia

    Lucrezia Borgia was the daughter of Rodrigo Borgia, the powerful Renaissance Valencian who later became Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei....
     (born 1480);
  • Gioffre
    Gioffre Borgia

    Gioffre Borgia in Italian, or Jofr? Borja in Catalan, Prince of Squillace, was the youngest son of Pope Alexander VI, and Vannozza dei Cattanei, sibling to Lucrezia Borgia, Cesare Borgia and Giovanni Borgia , and half-brother to Isabella, Pier Luigi and Girolamo, children of unknown mothers and Laura, Alexander's daughter by his mist...
     (born 1481 or 1482)


Before his elevation to the papacy, Alexander VI's passion for Vannozza somewhat diminished, and she subsequently led a very retired life.

Her place in his affections was filled by the beautiful Giulia Farnese
Giulia Farnese

Giulia Farnese was one of the mistresses of the Pope Alexander VI. She was known as Giulia la bella, in Italian meaning "Julia the Beautiful"....
, wife of an Orsini, but Alexander VI's love for his children by Vannozza remained as strong as ever and proved, indeed, the determining factor of his whole career. He lavished vast sums on them and lauded them with every honour.