Question 5 - Savonarola/Borgia

[Diana S]

5) Some historians see the Dominican Friar, Savonarola, as a church reformer and martyr. Do you feel that the citizens of Florence deserved his extreme "reigning in" of their luxurious lifestyle, his "bonfires of the vanities?" Do you think he deserved burning at the stake?

The author portrays Roderigo Borgia quite sympathetically. From what you know, or have read about the Borgia family in general, was his positive characterization plausible? Did you find it hard to believe that even a pope might have Hermetic and pagan leanings?

[Carol]

I personally feel that Savonarola, as a reformer and martyr. It was perhaps a very strong punishment in my opinion was given stronger than it needed to be. Death by hanging and burning is very extreme. I don't feel he deserved such punishment.

Pope Alexander VI, born Roderic Llançol i de Borja (Castilian Spanish: Rodrigo Lanzol; 1 January 1431 – 18 August 1503) was the head of the Catholic Church from 11 August 1492 to his death in 1503. He is one of the most controversial of the Renaissance popes, and his Italianized Valencian surname Borgia became a byword for libertinism and nepotism, which are traditionally considered as characterizing his papacy. However, his reputation is mostly drawn from his enemies, the Italian prelates and barons whose power he subverted. Two of Alexander's successors, Sixtus V and Urban VIII, described him as one of the most outstanding popes since St. Peter. His reputation rests more on his considerable skills as a diplomat, politician, and civil administrator rather than as a pastor, although regarding the latter he was no less effective than any of the other renaissance popes..