The Borgias

The Borgias

The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Borgias, by Dumas, Pere #10 in
our series by Alexandre Dumas, Pere
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Title: The Borgias
Author: Alexandre Dumas, Pere
Release Date: August, 2001 [EBook #2741] [Yes, we are more than
one year ahead of schedule] [This file was last updated on November
14, 2002
Edition: 12

Language: English
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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE
BORGIAS, BY DUMAS ***

This eBook was produced by David Widger
Extensive proofing of this file was done by Trevor Carlson

CELEBRATED CRIMES
BY ALEXANDER DUMAS, PERE

NOTE:
Dumas's 'Celebrated Crimes' was not written for children. The novelist
has spared no language--has minced no words--to describe the violent
scenes of a violent time.
In some instances facts appear distorted out of their true perspective,
and in others the author makes unwarranted charges. It is not within our
province to edit the historical side of Dumas, any more than it would be
to correct the obvious errors in Dickens's Child's History of England.
The careful, mature reader, for whom the books are intended, will
recognize, and allow for, this fact.

INTRODUCTION
The contents of these volumes of 'Celebrated Crimes', as well as the
motives which led to their inception, are unique. They are a series of
stories based upon historical records, from the pen of Alexandre Dumas,
pere, when he was not "the elder," nor yet the author of D'Artagnan or
Monte Cristo, but was a rising young dramatist and a lion in the literary
set and world of fashion.
Dumas, in fact, wrote his 'Crimes Celebres' just prior to launching upon
his wonderful series of historical novels, and they may therefore be
considered as source books, whence he was to draw so much of that
far-reaching and intimate knowledge of inner history which has

perennially astonished his readers. The Crimes were published in Paris,
in 1839-40, in eight volumes, comprising eighteen titles--all of which
now appear in the present carefully translated text. The success of the
original work was instantaneous. Dumas laughingly said that he
thought he had exhausted the subject of famous crimes, until the work
was off the press, when he immediately became deluged with letters
from every province in France, supplying him with material upon other
deeds of violence! The subjects which he has chosen, however, are of
both historic and dramatic importance, and they have the added value
of giving the modern reader a clear picture of the state of
semi-lawlessness which existed in Europe, during the middle ages.
"The Borgias, the Cenci, Urbain Grandier, the Marchioness of
Brinvilliers, the Marchioness of Ganges, and the rest--what subjects for
the pen of Dumas!" exclaims Garnett.
Space does not permit us to consider in detail the material here
collected, although each title will be found to present points of special
interest. The first volume comprises the annals of the Borgias and the
Cenci. The name of the noted and notorious Florentine family has
become a synonym for intrigue and violence, and yet the Borgias have
not been without stanch defenders in history.
Another famous Italian story is that of the Cenci. The beautiful Beatrice
Cenci--celebrated in the painting of Guido, the sixteenth century
romance of Guerrazi, and the poetic tragedy of Shelley, not to mention
numerous succeeding works inspired by her hapless fate-- will always
remain a shadowy figure and one of infinite pathos.
The second volume chronicles the sanguinary deeds in the south of
France, carried on in the name of religion, but drenching in blood the
fair country round about Avignon, for a long period of years.
The third volume is devoted to the story of Mary Queen of Scots,
another woman who suffered a violent death, and around whose name
an endless controversy has waged. Dumas goes carefully into the
dubious episodes of her stormy career, but does not allow these to blind
his sympathy for her fate. Mary,