Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1926-11-25
THE WORLDS
GREAT EVENTS
ALBERT PAYsoN TERHUNE

ID b BOD. Mssd . compaay.l

AG 0oT&t0&
THREE people sat In an upper room
Il OF a gorgeous Roman palace one
night In 1892. The eldest OF the trio
was a singularly beautiful woman of
perhaps forty. She was Rosa Yanozzl,
the fairest Italian OF her day The
rooms two other occupants we're her
son and daughter. Cesare and Lucrezia
Borgia. They were awaiting the sig
nal that should announce the election
Of Rodrigo BOrgia. father OF Cesare
and Luerezia. as pope.
Italy. In the Fifteenth century. was
split up into numerous petty king
doms. principalitIes and duchies more
or less Independent Of one another,
yet all subject to the spiritual author
lty of Rome. The pope. too, held vast
possessions. territories and armed
forces. There was little coalition
throughout central and eastern Eu-
rope. italy and Germany were full OF
minor states: Russia was slowly TAX
Ing shape as an independent and unit
ed nation; the former Western empire
was but a name, and the Eastern EN-
pire was thing of the past. SPANS
great powers, CASTLE and Aragon.
were Just uniting under Ferdinand
and Isabella: France was recovering
from the successive beatings England
had given her, though much Of her
territory was still In British hands;
Great Britain was not, as now, one
nation. for wars with Scotland still re-
Cured at Intervals. Thus II may be
seen that nearly all Europe was torn
by dissenslohs and lack OF coalition.
Yet a brighter day was dawning. In
1853 the Turks crushed the Eastern
empire by capturing Constantinople,
thus also ending the vague dream of
re-establishing the old Western EN-.
pire. This dream had impeded Italy's
progress and INSTRUCTED Germany's
consolidation. Now that It was a
thing of the past. these and other na.
lions were enabled to settle down and
turn their thoughts to progress
Hence. during the latter half Of the
Fifteenth century. dawned the era
known as the Renaissance Cor re.
birth).
It was the transition period between
the Middle ages and modern times.
And In this transition Rodrigo Borgia
unconsciously played a strong part.
Borgia was elected pope, taking the
title Alexander vi, IN 1902 (the year
Columbus discovered Americal. Like
Richard III and many another scoun-
dreI, he made a just and wise temporal
ruler.
lie was a man OF most abandoned
personal character. Through the IA.
yor OF HIS uncle. Pope CalIxtus III,
he had in early life risen high in the
church. Now, on mounting the papai
chair, one Of his first acts was to
make his elghteen-year-old son. Ce-
sare, cardinal. He also married his
daughter, Lucrezia. to the son OF q
prince. Soon after she
saw a chance to make a better mar
ringe, so poisoned her husband, as |
she Is also credited with poisoning
one or more OF his successors. Clio
vanni, the new pope's eldest son, was
created a duke. Cesare Borgla. pre-
ferring that rank to cardInaishIp,
murdered Giovanni and left the
church for a military career. Within
a very few years, by battle, diplo-
macy and cold blooded murder, Cesare
had conquered for himself large part
Of Italy. and undoubtedly planned TO
make himself temporal ruler Gas his
father was the spiritual lordl OF the
entire nation. His cruelties. crimes
and excuses set Italy aghast, but his
father. who was completely under the
young mans influence, refused TO
punish or In any way check him.
Charles VIII, king of France, cast
envying eyes on the rich little king
dom Of Naples and led an army across
the Alps to annex II to his own do
miniOns. Pope Alexander barred his
way, and at last, by brides. diplomacy
and open force combined with q fatal
contagIon that ravaged the French
army. drove him back.
BY 1903 the plans Of Pope Alex
ander and Cesare Borgia we're so far
that the latter was about to
be crowned king of Romagna, as an
important step in his plan OF ruling
italy. when fate interviewed IN most
irsmatic fashion. Several cardinals
Who had Offended the pope were in
'ited by him 10 supper. Poisoned wine !
asks we're prepared for them BY
alexander. Through q servants mis-
AXE one Of the poisoned fiagons was
ct before the pope and cesare. The .
orIner was killed and the latter made
vigorously III by the nOxiousdraught.
,esare Borgia afterwards told Niccolo
facchIavelIi. the willy Florentlne dip
,mat and writer:
Il fad prepared 10 meet every
mergency except the simultaneous
isnbIlng Of my father and myself"
AS II was. Cesare's enemies gained
istant control OF the situation. The
vo,tfh vvaa 0vprfhrOWn and