30 October 1501: Cesare Borgia hosts a night to remember Italy’s most powerful family gathers at the Vatican for an evening of ‘adult entertainment’ On Sunday 30 October 1501, Cesare Borgia had some friends around for dinner; the guests included his father – Pope Alexander VI – and sister, Lucrezia. Formerly a cardinal, now commander of the papal armies, Cesare had a reputation for high living. But, even by the Borgias’ colourful standards, the bacchanal that became known as the ‘Ballet of Chestnuts’ would be a party like no other.
According to the diary of the papal official Johann Burchard (who may, in fairness, have somewhat exaggerated events), the banquet was held in Cesare’s apartments in the Vatican. On their arrival, the guests were greeted by 50 of Rome’s most accomplished prostitutes who danced during dinner – initially clothed but subsequently naked. Then, according to Burchard, “the candelabra.
.. were taken from the tables and placed on the floor, and chestnuts were strewn around, which the naked courtesans picked up, creeping on hands and knees between the chandeliers, while the pope, Cesare, and his sister Lucrezia looked on.
” If this were not excitement enough, Cesare then announced that there would be prizes for those men who could “perform the act most often with the courtesans, such as tunics of silk, shoes, barrets and other things”. Whether this story is really true, of course, will never be known for sure. Because of their Va.