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The Borgias: everything you wanted to know

HistoryExtra podcast

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Could Chesere Have Had Tertiary Syphilis?

Chesera had tertiary syphilis, almost certainly. He wore a mask when he was am er in his later years. When he was killed they found that he had a mask caus half of his face had been eaten away by syphilis. Syphilis was very widespread amongst italianly in the nineties and early sixteenth century. But dont we can blame syphilis for his behaviour, notwithstanding the fact that he may have only had half a sace? Two people have asked if chesere was, in fact, a body double for renaissance depictions of jesus christ. Yes, this is a really odd one. Oh, andd it just is not true.

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