The Prince · Character
Pope Alexander VI
A pope who fathered children, sold offices, and treated the Church as a family business, proving to Machiavelli that sacred robes can hide the most worldly appetites.
supporting
Also known as Alexander the Sixth, Alexander, Pope Alexander VI, Alexander VI
First appearance: i how many kinds of principalities there are and by what means they are acquired
As a supporting figure in The Prince, Pope Alexander VI is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
His ambitions, along with those of his son Cesare Borgia, heavily influenced Machiavelli's political observations.
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In Office: His ambitions, along with those of his son Cesare Borgia, heavily influenced Machiavelli's political observations. Later, in The Man and His Works: Referenced as an example of an era when men were dupes of…
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See Pope Alexander VI in i how many kinds of principalities there are and by what means they are acquiredCharacter Web
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Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Ruthless political exemplars
- Protagonist
- Roman emperors and usurpers
+25 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
The emotional and psychological peak occurs when Machiavelli strips away the pretense of moral idealism, forci…
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Pope Alexander VI appears across 8 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
- Office
- The Man and His Works
- III: Concerning Mixed Principalities
- VII: Concerning New Principalities Which Are Acquired Either by the Arms of Others or by Good Fortune
- VIII: Concerning Those Who Have Obtained a Principality by Wickedness
- XI: Concerning Ecclesiastical Principalities
- XVIII: Concerning the Way in Which Princes Should Keep Faith
- Endnotes
Chapter companion notes
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See Pope Alexander VI in i how many kinds of principalities there are and by what means they are acquired