House of Borgia
A Captivating Guide to the Borgias and Their Feuds with the Medici Family, Sforza Dynasty, and Girolamo Savonarola (Exploring Europe’s Past)
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House of Borgia
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Narrated by:
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Jay Herbert
About this listen
The History of the House of Borgia: The Infamous Family of the Italian Renaissance!
Do you know the whole story of the House of Borgia—from their rise from obscurity to the highest echelons of European society? The family produced two popes and a saint, but they are more known for stories of murder, debauchery, and incest. What is accurate, and what is just slander? Were the Borgias worse than any other powerful family of the time? Was Rodrigo Borgia, who became Pope Alexander VI, a monster? Was his son Cesare a psychopath? Was his daughter Lucrezia a murderous temptress?
In this audiobook, you will learn the answers to these questions and more about the following:
- The origins of the House of Borgia in Spain
- The rise of the first Borgia pope, Callixtus III
- The power struggles between the great houses of Italy: the Borgia, the Sforza, the Medici, the Orsini, and the Colonna, among others
- The character of the infamous Rodrigo Borgia, Pope Alexander VI
- The fiery battle between the Borgias and Friar Savonarola that ended in death and ruin
- The reality of Cesare Borgia and his attempts to carve out his own kingdom
- The real story of Lucrezia Borgia
- The role Christopher Columbus and Machiavelli played in the story of the Borgias, along with the monarchs of Spain, France, and Naples
- How the Borgias helped shape the Renaissance and the future of Europe
- How a descendant of the Borgias became a revered saint in the Catholic Church
- And so much more!
Scroll up and click “add to cart” to learn more about the House of Borgia!
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Royal Witches
- Witchcraft and the Nobility in Fifteenth-Century England
- By: Gemma Hollman
- Narrated by: Heather Wilds
- Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 212
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 182
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 180
Until the mass hysteria of the seventeenth century, accusations of witchcraft in England were rare. However, four royal women, related in family and in court ties - Joan of Navarre, Eleanor Cobham, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, and Elizabeth Woodville - were accused of practicing witchcraft in order to kill or influence the king. In Royal Witches, Gemma Hollman explores the lives and the cases of these so-called witches, placing them in the historical context of 15th-century England, a setting rife with political upheaval and war.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Hard to listen to
- By donna bahr on 12-10-20
By: Gemma Hollman
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Tudor History
- A Captivating Guide to the Tudors, the Wars of the Roses, the Six Wives of Henry VIII and the Life of Elizabeth I
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Desmond Manny
- Length: 10 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 52
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 48
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 49
Five Tudor monarchs sat on the throne of England and Ireland from 1485 to 1603. The family earned their royal rights through strategic planning and battlefield prowess, and kept them because of intellect, strength, and sheer determination. The Tudors, one of England’s most powerful and famous royal dynasties, knitted together a fragmented and small island nation that became one of the world’s financial, colonial, and technological superpowers.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A facinating guide.
- By James Mark on 03-07-19
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Emperor
- A New Life of Charles V
- By: Geoffrey Parker
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 26 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 244
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 204
The life of Emperor Charles V (1500-1558), ruler of Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and much of Italy and Central and South America, has long intrigued biographers. But the elusive nature of the man (despite an abundance of documentation), his relentless travel and the control of his own image, together with the complexity of governing the world's first transatlantic empire, complicate the task.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Amazing.
- By bigdjunta on 10-21-19
By: Geoffrey Parker
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Isabella
- The Warrior Queen
- By: Kirstin Downey
- Narrated by: Kimberly Farr
- Length: 21 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 649
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 586
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 589
An engrossing and revolutionary biography of Isabella of Castile, the controversial Queen of Spain who sponsored Christopher Columbus's journey to the New World, established the Spanish Inquisition, and became one of the most influential female rulers in history.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Poorly narrated
- By Amazon Customer on 02-23-15
By: Kirstin Downey
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She-Wolves
- The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth
- By: Helen Castor
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 16 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 132
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 117
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 115
In the tradition of Antonia Fraser and Alison Weir, prize-winning historian Helen Castor delivers a compelling, eye-opening examination of women and power in England, witnessed through the lives of six women who exercised power against all odds - and one who never got the chance. Exploring the narratives of the Empress Matilda, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Isabella of France, Margaret of Anjou, and other "she-wolves," as well as that of the Nine Days' Queen, Lady Jane Grey, Castor invokes a magisterial discussion of how much - and how little - has changed through the centuries.
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2 out of 5 stars
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STORY TELLING IS ERRATIC
- By The Louligan on 07-22-20
By: Helen Castor
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The Tigress of Forli
- Renaissance Italy's Most Courageous and Notorious Countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de' Medici
- By: Elizabeth Lev
- Narrated by: Edita Brychta
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 57
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 47
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Story5 out of 5 stars 48
In this glittering biography, Elizabeth Lev reexamines Caterina Sforza's extraordinary life and accomplishments. Raised in the court of Milan and wed at age ten to the pope’s corrupt nephew, Caterina was ensnared in Italy’s political intrigues early in life. After turbulent years in Rome’s papal court, she moved to the Romagnol province of Forlì. Following her husband’s assassination, she ruled Italy’s crossroads with iron will, martial strength, political savvy—and an icon’s fashion sense. In finally losing her lands to the Borgia family, she put up a resistance that inspired all of Europe.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent history of a fearless woman
- By Linda M on 11-18-24
By: Elizabeth Lev
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The Women of the Cousins' War
- The Duchess, the Queen and the King's Mother
- By: Philippa Gregory, David Baldwin, Michael Jones
- Narrated by: Bianca Amato
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 500
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 454
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 455
In her essay on Jacquetta, Philippa Gregory uses original documents, archaeology and histories of myth and witchcraft to create the first-ever biography of the young duchess who was to survive two reigns and two wars to become the first lady at two rival courts. David Baldwin, established author on the Wars of the Roses, tells the story of Elizabeth Woodville, the first commoner to marry a king of England for love, and Michael Jones, fellow of the Royal Historical Society, writes of Margaret Beaufort, the almost-unknown matriarch of the House of Tudor. The Women of the Cousins’ War will appeal to all.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great book
- By Stacey Wallace on 11-14-11
By: Philippa Gregory, and others
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A History of France
- By: John Julius Norwich
- Narrated by: John Julius Norwich
- Length: 15 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 379
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 336
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 334
John Julius Norwich - called a "true master of narrative history" by Simon Sebag Montefiore - returns with the book he has spent his distinguished career wanting to write, A History of France, a portrait of the past two centuries of the country he loves best. Beginning with Julius Caesar's conquest of Gaul in the first century BC, this study of French history comprises a cast of legendary characters - Charlemagne, Louis XIV, Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Marie Antionette, to name a few - as Norwich chronicles France's often violent, always fascinating history.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Kings and Wars
- By Awake Tex on 08-22-19
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The Red Prince
- The Life of John of Gaunt, the Duke of Lancaster
- By: Helen Carr
- Narrated by: Helen Carr
- Length: 9 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 466
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 413
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 414
John Gaunt was the son of Edward III, brother to the Black Prince, father to Henry IV, and the sire of all those Tudors. He has had pretty bad press: supposed usurper of Richard II’s crown and the focus of hatred in the Peasants’ Revolt, as they torched his home, the Savoy Palace. Helen Carr paints a complex portrait of a man who held the levers of power on the English and European stage, passionately upheld chivalric values, pressed for the Bible to be translated into English, and patronized the arts.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent historical reference
- By Virginia Robertshaw on 06-10-21
By: Helen Carr
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The Most Powerful Women in the Middle Ages
- Queens, Saints, and Viking Slayers, From Empress Theodora to Elizabeth of Tudor
- By: Melissa Rank, Michael Rank
- Narrated by: Anne Day-Jones
- Length: 3 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 42
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 39
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Story4 out of 5 stars 38
The idea of a powerful woman in the Middle Ages seems like an oxymoron. Females in this time are imagined to be damsels in distress, trapped in a high tower, and waiting for knights to rescue them, all while wearing traffic-cones for a hat. After rescue, their lives improved little. Their career choices were to be either docile queens, housewives, or be burned at the stake for witchcraft. But what if this image of medieval women is a complete fiction? It turns out that it is. Powerful female rulers fill the Middle Ages.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wonderfully empowering
- By Teresa Carter on 01-29-23
By: Melissa Rank, and others
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The Lady Queen
- The Notorious Reign of Joanna I, Queen of Naples, Jerusalem, and Sicily
- By: Nancy Goldstone
- Narrated by: Christine Lakin
- Length: 15 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 74
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 62
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
The riveting history of a beautiful queen, a shocking murder, a papal trial - and a reign as triumphant as any in the Middle Ages. On March 15, 1348, 22-year-old Joanna I, queen of Naples, stood trial for the murder of her husband before the pope and his court in Avignon. Determined to defend herself, Joanna won her acquittal against overwhelming odds. Victorious, she returned to Naples and ruled over one of Europe's most prestigious courts for the next three decades - until she herself was killed.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Terrible mispronunciation of words
- By Amelie on 12-03-18
By: Nancy Goldstone
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The White Ship
- Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream
- By: Charles Spencer
- Narrated by: Richard Trinder
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 260
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 228
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 227
By 1120, Henry was perhaps the most formidable ruler in Europe, with an enviable record on the battlefield, immense lands and wealth and unprecedented authority in his kingdoms. Everything he had worked so hard for was finally achieved, and he was ready to hand it on to his beloved son and heir, William Ætheling. Henry I and his retinue set out first. The White Ship - considered the fastest afloat - would follow, carrying the young prince. Spoilt and arrogant, William had plied his comrades and crew with drink from the minute he stepped aboard....
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5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant and concise
- By Kindle Customer on 11-28-20
By: Charles Spencer
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Brothers York
- A Royal Tragedy
- By: Thomas Penn
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 23 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 236
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 206
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Story5 out of 5 stars 204
The Brothers York is the story of three remarkable brothers, two of whom were crowned kings of England and the other an heir presumptive, whose antagonism was fueled by the mistrust and vendettas of the age that brought their family to power. The house of York should have been the dynasty that the Tudors became. Its tragedy was that it devoured itself.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Absorbing detail
- By Tad Davis on 08-06-20
By: Thomas Penn
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The Borgias
- The Hidden History
- By: G. J. Meyer
- Narrated by: Enn Reitel
- Length: 19 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 719
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 626
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 629
The startling truth behind one of the most notorious dynasties in history is revealed in a remarkable new account by the acclaimed author of The Tudors and A World Undone. Sweeping aside the gossip, slander, and distortion that have shrouded the Borgias for centuries, G. J. Meyer offers an unprecedented portrait of the infamous Renaissance family and their storied milieu.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Marvelous !
- By Cinders on 08-02-13
By: G. J. Meyer
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In the Shadow of the Empress
- The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters
- By: Nancy Goldstone
- Narrated by: Emma Newman
- Length: 23 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 159
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 135
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Story5 out of 5 stars 134
The vibrant, sprawling saga of Empress Maria Theresa - one of the most renowned women rulers in history - and three of her extraordinary daughters, including Marie Antoinette, the doomed queen of France.
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1 out of 5 stars
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Awful narration!
- By Suanne Laqueur on 09-27-21
By: Nancy Goldstone
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Queens of the Crusades: Eleanor of Aquitaine and Her Successors
- By: Alison Weir
- Narrated by: Esther Wane
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 120
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 109
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 107
The Plantagenet queens of England played a role in some of the most dramatic events in our history. Crusading queens, queens in rebellion against their king, queen seductresses, learned queens, queens in battle, queens who enlivened England with the romantic culture of southern Europe - these determined women often broke through medieval constraints to exercise power and influence, for good and sometimes for ill.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A real Masterpiece!
- By Amazon Customer on 03-30-21
By: Alison Weir