Giulia Farnese

Donna Giulia Farnese
Lady with a Unicorn, by Luca Longhi, 1535-1540,[1] possibly a portrait of Giulia Farnese.
Governor at Carbognano
In office 1506–1522
Monarchs	Julius II (1506-1513) Leo X (1513-1521) Adrian VI (1521-1522)
Preceded by	Orsino Orsini
Personal details
Born	1474 Canino, Papal States
Died	March 23, 1524 (aged 49–50) Rome, Papal States
Spouse(s)	Orsino Orsini ​ ​ (m. 1489; died 1500)​ Giovanni Capece Bozzuto di Afragola
Relations	Pope Alexander VI (lover)
Children	Laura Orsini (fatherhood disputed)
Parent(s)	Pier Luigi Farnese Giovanna Caetani

Giulia Farnese (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒuːlja farˈneːze, -eːse]; 1474 – 23 March 1524) was an Italian noblewoman, a mistress to Pope Alexander VI, and the sister of Pope Paul III.^[2] Known as Giulia la bella (Italian for 'Julia the beautiful'), she was a member of the noble Farnese family, who were prominent leaders in the Italian regions of Parma and Piacenza.^[2] After marrying into the noble Orsini family in the Papal States, Farnese soon acquainted herself with, and initiated an affair with, the Spanish Cardinal Rodrigo de Borja. When the cardinal was elected Pope, Farnese continued the increasingly advantageous liaison, which enabled her to have her brother Alessandro made a cardinal, until losing Alexander's favor at the turn of the century.

Farnese spent most of her later years governing the castle of Carbognano, previously a property which Alexander had given to her husband. She died in 1524 in Rome at the residence belonging to Alessandro, who would later be elected Pope Paul III.

Lorenzo Pucci described her as "most lovely to behold". Cesare Borgia, the son of Alexander VI, described her as having "dark colouring, black eyes, round face and a particular ardor".^[3]