There will be much to interest list members in:
Caroline P. Murphy, The Pope's Daughter, London (Faber & Faber)
ISBN: 0 571 22107 6
Format: Hardback
Published: January 20, 2005
Pages: 384pp
Price: £16.99
The following from the Faber website at
http://www.faber.co.uk/xview_book.cgi?book_id=19468 (note the final paragraph):
"The untold story of how one Pope's illegitimate daughter, against the
odds, became the most powerful woman in Rome . . .
"Felice della Rovere was to witness Michelangelo paint the Sistine Chapel
ceiling, her father Pope Julius II lay the foundation stone for New Saint
Peter's and see herself immortalized by Raphael in the frescos in the
Vatican Palace apartments.
"But Felice was no reticent bystander. Astonishingly fearless and outspoken
for a woman of her day, she was not afraid to defy a father who inspired
awe and terror in others. She scandalized the Vatican court by refusing no
less than five husbands. When she became regent, she fought off all
attempts to interfere with her rule, engaging in a bitter feud with her
stepson which culminated in murder.
"Beautifully evoking this turbulent and creative era, Caroline Murphy also
depicts Felice's daily life - how she dealt with squabbles amongst
servants, and remedies for toothache; why she always knew the exact
contents of her wine cellar, and her advice on the best way to bribe a pope."
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Rupert Shepherd
69 Middleton Road, Banbury, Oxon. OX16 3QR, UK
Tel./Fax: +44-(0)1295 270344. Mobile: +44-(0)7941 187904.
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http://www.ferrara.u-net.com/
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