5.6.6 Social minorities Not all groups were treated equally in Italian society during the Renaissance. Non-Italians were often excluded in various ways, as were slaves, prostitutes and homosexuals. People of the Jewish faith were a vital part of Venetian society during the Renaissance, as Jewish bankers provided loans to the Venetian merchants. The financial services provided by these bankers were essential to the Venetian economy; however, as Christians, the Venetians had some prejudices about the Jewish culture. As a result, Jewish people were subjected to numerous unfair laws. In 1516, a law required all Jews to live in one location — a ghetto known as the Foundry. Jews were also subjected to a curfew that meant they had to be indoors at sundown. The Jewish community was made to pay for the walls of the ghetto and for the wages of Christian guards.
Did you know? The term ghetto may come from the Italian getto , meaning foundry, or from borghetto , a small section of town.
5.6 SkillBuilder activity QUESTIONING AND RESEARCHING LUCREZIA BORGIA Lucrezia Borgia was born on 18 April 1480, the daughter of Rodrigo Borgia and his mistress Vanozza Cattanei. Rodrigo was elected Pope Alexander VI in 1492. Lucrezia Borgia was married at the age of 13 to Giovanni Sforza, the lord of Italian cities Pesaro and Gradara. Her marriage to Giovanni only lasted three years, when Pope Alexander had the marriage annulled. She was soon married to Alfonso of Aragon, son of the King of Naples. They were married only a short time before her new husband was murdered, most likely at the hands of her brother, Cesare Borgia. Presently, her father arranged a marriage to Alfonso d’ Este, the son of Duke Ercole. She remained married to Alfonso, dying after giving birth to her eighth child in 1519, aged 39. 1. Propose three questions you have about the life of Lucrezia Borgia. Consider the different periods in her life and ensure you cover several topics.
SOURCE5 Hadrianius, Secretary to the Pope, recorded the decision of the Pope, Rodrigo Borgia, to make Lucrezia Borgia the regent of Spoleto.
Hadrianius, Secretary to the Pope Given in Rome, in St Peter’s, under the papal seal, August 8, 1499. Aged 19 her father, the Pope, made Lucrezia regent of Spoleto: ‘Dear sons, we have entrusted to our beloved daughter in Christ the noble lady Lucrezia Borgia, Duchess of Biseglia, the office of keeper of the castle as well as the government of our cities Spoleto and Foligno. Having perfect confidence in the intelligence, the fidelity, and the probity of the Duchess. We trust that you will receive the Duchess…with all due honour as your regent and show her submission in all things.’
SOURCE6 Johann Burchard’s diary entry from 1501 recorded the decision of the Pope to appoint Lucrezia Borgia as his representative in his absence. When Alexander left Rome in 1501, he left Lucrezia as his representative. Johann Burchard writes, ‘before his Holiness, our master, left the city he turned over the palace and all the business affairs to his daughter Lucrezia, authorising her to open all letters which should come addressed to him.’
Jacaranda Humanities Alive 8 Victorian Curriculum Third Edition
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator