UAlexander VI—IPopu Engasokuze Ilityalwe YiRoma

“THINA maKatolika, siswele amazwi awaneleyo okugxeka amanyundululu ka-Alexander VI.” (Geschichte der Päpste seit dem Ausgang des Mittelalters [Imbali YooPopu Esusela Ngasekupheleni Kwamaxesha Aphakathi]) “Akanakukwazi ukuzithethelela kwaphela ngendlela abuphile ngayo ubomi bakhe . . . Alinantlonelo ke noko eli gosa ngeCawa. Noko ke, nangona zazisele zibuqheleka ezi zigigaba zentsapho yakwaBorgia, zazisoloko zibashiya bebamb’ ongezantsi kunzima nokuzibalisa, yiyo le nto zisenefuthe nanamhlanj’ oku nangona sele kudlule iinkulungwane ezine.”—L’Église et la Renaissance (1449-1517)(ICawa Nexesha Leenguqu).

Kutheni iincwadi ezidumileyo ezithetha ngeCawa yamaRoma Katolika zimgxibha kangaka nje lo popu nentsapho yakhe? Sele benyenjwa nje babenze ntoni? Umboniso owenziwa eRoma (Ngo-Oktobha 2002–NgoFebruwari 2003), onomxholo othi I Borgia—l’arte del potere (AbakwaBorgia—Indlela Yabo Yokulawula), wabonisa amagunya ababenawo oopopu, ubukhulu becala ugxininisa indlela la magunya akhethekileyo awasetyenziswa ngayo nguRodrigo Borgia, okanye uAlexander VI (owayengupopu ukususela ngowe-1492-1503).

Ukukhwela Kwakhe Etroneni

URodrigo Borgia wazalelwa kwintsapho edumileyo ngowe-1431 eJátiva, kubukhosi baseAragon, ngoku ebizwa ngokuba siSpeyin. Umalume wakhe uAlfonso de Borgia, owayeyibishophu yaseValencia, wamfundisa umtshana wakhe eqinisekisa ukuba ngoxa esekwishumi elivisayo, uRodrigo ufumana isikhundla esiphezulu awayeza kwamkeliswa ngaso. Xa wayeneminyaka eli-18 ubudala, enyanyekelwa nguAlfonso, owayeyikhadinali ngelo xesha, uRodrigo waya eItali, apho wafika wafundela ubugqwetha. Wathi akumiselwa njengoPopu Calixtus III, uAlfonso wabeka uRodrigo nomnye umtshana wakhe njengeekhadinali. UPere Lluís Borgia wabekwa njengerhuluneli phezu kwezixeko eziliqela. Akuzange kube kudala kwathiwa uRodrigo lisekela-nobhala ecaweni, engunobhala woopopu abaliqela, nto leyo eyamenza waba sesingawothiyo umlilo isityebi, isinhanha, esinegunya elingaphaya kwengqondo, esiphila ubomi obutofotofo njengeenkosana.

URodrigo lo wayekrelekrele, eliciko, ebuthanda ubugcisa, yaye ekwazi ukufeza amabhongo akhe. Wayethanda amabhinqa ngokugqithiseleyo, kuba wayenabantwana abane kwesinye isithandwa sakhe sakudala, enabo nabanye kwamanye amabhinqa. Nangona wakha wakhalinyelwa nguPopu Pius II ngoku ‘kuzonwabisa kwakhe ngokuziphatha okubi’ ‘nokuphilela iziyolo,’ kodwa uRodrigo akazange ayiyeke loo nto.

Kuthe kwakufa uPopu Innocent VIII ngowe-1492, iikhadinali zadibanis’ iintloko ngenjongo yokunyula owayeza kungena ezihlangwini zakhe. Nangona wayegxekwa ngabantu ngokubanzi, uRodrigo Borgia wathenga iivoti ngokwenza izithembiso, nto leyo eyamenza waphuma kuloo ngqungquthela sele kusithiwa nguPopu Alexander VI. Wazihlawula ngantoni ezi khadinali ukuze zimvotele? Wazibeka kwizikhundla ezihlawulwayo ecaweni, wazinika amabhotwe, iinqaba, izixeko, imizi yeemonki waza wazimisela njengoobhishophu abafumana iimali ezitshisiweyo. Akafane nje omnye umbhali-mbali wecawa wabiza ulawulo luka-Alexander VI ngokuthi “yimihla emanyumnyezi neyamanyundululu kwiCawa yamaRoma.”

Wayengumgub’ Engxow’ Enye Neenkosana Ezingakholwayo

Ngenxa yegunya awayenalo njengomphathi wecawa, uAlexander VI waba ngumxolelanisi phakathi kweSpeyin nePortugal, kwimbambano eyayibandakanya amazwe amatsha nawayesandul’ ukufunyanwa aseMerika. Kuba wayengupopu, wabekwa ukuba alawule imimandla ethile kumbindi Itali, yaye walawula njengaye nawuphi na omnye umlawuli ofuna ukwenza iiNguqu. Ulawulo luka-Alexander VI, njengolwabanye oopopu ababengaphambili nasemva kwakhe, lwaluzaliswe kukunyoba, ukubeka phambili izizalwana yaye kurhanelwa ukuba baninzi abantu awababulalayo.

Kwathi kanye ngala maxesha obunzima, abanye abalawuli baqalisa ukunyathelana befuna imimandla yaseItali, naye ke lo popu wazixhwithela. Ubuchule bakhe bezobupolitika nobokwakha umanyano aphinde aluchithe, wabusebenzisela ukumisela igunya lakhe, ukubeka abantwana bakhe kwiindawo eziphezulu, nokuphakamisela phezulu igama lentsapho yakwaBorgia. Unyana wakhe uJuan, owatshata nomza wokumkani waseCastile, wabekwa njengetshawe laseGandía, eSpeyin. Kanti yena uJofré, okwangunyana wakhe, watshata nomzukulwana kakumkani waseNaples.

Ngelokuzama ukomeleza ubuhlobo bakhe neFransi, upopu waphula isithembiso awayesenzile sokutshatisela intombi yakhe eneminyaka eli-13 ubudala, uLucrezia kwesinye isithwalandwe saseAragon waza wayendisela kwisizalwana setshawe laseMilan. Xa loo mtshato wawungasaziphumezi iinjongo zakhe zobupolitika, weza neqhinga lokuwuphelisa, waza wendisela uLucrezia kumlawuli welinye ilizwe, uAlfonso waseAragon. Kuthe kusenjalo, umntakwabo Lucrezia onamabhongo nokhohlakeleyo, uCesare Borgia, wakha umanyano noLouis XII waseFransi, yaye akazange akuthande nokwendela kukadadewabo kulo mfo waseAragon. Wenza ntoni ke ngaloo nto? Enye incwadi ithi olo sizana lomyeni lunguAlfonso “lwangxwelerhwa ngamadoda amane awaphants’ ukulubulala xa kanye lwalungena kwindlu yecawa iSt. Peter’s. Uthe esachacha kuloo nto, wakrwitshwa sesinye sezicaka zikaCesare.” Efuna amanye amahlakani, upopu wazamela uLucrezia, owayesele eneminyaka engama-21 ubudala umtshato, yaye wamtshatisela kunyana welinye itshawe elikhaliphileyo laseFerrara.

Ubomi bukaCesare buchazwa “njengobabuzaliswe bubuqhetseba nophalazo-gazi.” Nakuba uyise wamenza ikhadinali eneminyaka eli-17 ubudala, wayekuthanda gqitha ukulwa kunokukhathalela izinto zecawa, eliqili, enamabhongo yaye enganyanisekanga njengabanye. Emva kokushiya kwakhe isikhundla sakhe sasecaweni, watshata nenkosazana yaseFransi waza walitshawe laseValentinois. Exhaswa ngamajoni aseFransi, waqalisa ukuthimba nokugwinta enenjongo zokulawula kumantla eItali.

Efuna inkxaso yomkhosi waseFransi ukuze afeze iinjongo zikaCesare, upopu wavumelana neyelenqe lokuqhawula umtshato, nto leyo eyayifunwa nguLouis XII waseFransi, aze atshate noAnne waseBrittany baze badibaniselane ngobukhosi. Enye incwadi ithi upopu “wathengisa ngesidima nemigaqo yeCawa, ukuze kungenelwe intsapho yakhe.”

Amanyundululu KaPopu Ayabhencwa

Amanyundululu entsapho yakwaBorgia ayenzela iintshaba aza ayibizela nokugxekwa. Upopu wayengenaxesha loko kugxekwa, kodwa akazange akwazi ukungamhoyi uGirolamo Savonarola. Lo wayeyimonki eyiDominican, umshumayeli otsha zintambo, ekwangumlawuli waseFlorence. Wayigxeka imikhuba yenkundla kapopu nendlela yena awayelawula ngayo, esithi makashenxe kwisikhundla sakhe, ekunye nabathile awayebabeke ezikhundleni. USavonarola wadanduluka wathi: “Zinkokelindini zeCawa, . . . nilala kumashweshwe enu nize nivukele emthendelekweni.” Waphinda wathi: “[Ezo nkokeli] zifana nehenyukazi, udumo lwazo lusisinyeliso eCaweni. Ndiyanixelela, zona azingomaKristu tu kwaphela.”

Ezama ukumthibaza, upopu wathembisa uSavonarola ngesikhundla sobukhadinali, nto leyo angazange ayivume. Singazi nokuba yiyiphi kwezi eyamfaka enkathazweni, ikukugxibha upopu okanye iintshumayelo zakhe, kodwa esikwaziyo kukuba uSavonarola wada wasikwa ecaweni, wabanjwa, wangcungcuthekiswa enyanzelwa ukuba avume izono, waza ke waxhonywa, watshiswa emva koko.

Imibuzo Egocagocayo

Ezi ziganeko zembali ziphakamisa imibuzo ebalulekileyo. Zinokuchazwa njani ezi zigigaba nokuziphatha kukapopu? Ababhali-mbali bazichaza njani bona? Xa kufikwa apho, intetho ziwa ngokuwa.

Abanye bacinga ukuba uAlexander VI wazenza ezi zinto ngenxa yexesha awayephila kulo. Izinto awayezenza kwezobupolitka nakunqulo kunokwenzeka ukuba zaziphenjelelwa ngumnqweno wakhe wokulondoloza uxolo, ukuxolelanisa amazwe alwayo, nokwakha ubuhlobo namazwe awayeza kukhusela igunya lakhe njengopopu aze agcine abalawuli beNgqobhoko bemanyene nokuze bangahlaselwa yiTurkey.

Kodwa kuthiwani ngendlela awayeziphethe ngayo? Omnye umphengululi uthi: “Ukutyhubela imbali iCawa ibinamaKristu angendawo nabo bangabefundisi nje ngegama. Esenzela ukuba singothuki, uKristu wayithetha kwangaphambili le nto; wada wafanisa iCawa yakhe nentsimi ekhula ingqolowa elungileyo nokhula, waphinda wayifanisa nomnatha oneentlanzi ezilungileyo nezimbi, naye ngokwakhe wamnyamezela uYudas phakathi kwabapostile bakhe.”a

Kwalo mphengululi uhlabela mgama esithi: “Kanye njengokuba umsesane owenziwe kakubi ungenakulehlisa ixabiso lelitye elinqabileyo elikuwo, ngoko ke izono zomfundisi azinakuzibangela zingamkelwa . . . iimfundiso zakhe. . . . Igolide iya kuhlala iyigolide, enoba iphuma ezandleni ezihlambulukileyo okanye ezingahlambulukanga.” Omnye umbhali-mbali ongumKatolika uthi amaKatolika anyanisekileyo ayefanele asebenzise icebiso likaYesu kubalandeli bakhe ngokuphathelele ababhali nabaFarisi, xa eqhubana noAlexander VI: ‘Yenzani oko bakuthethayo, kungekhona abakwenzayo.’ (Mateyu 23:2, 3) Noko ke, ngaba enyanisweni nawe uyavumelana naloo nto?

Ngaba La NgamaKristu Okwenyaniso?

UYesu wasichazela indlela elula yokubona abo bathi bangamaKristu: “Nobaqonda ngeziqhamo zabo. Abantu abahlanganisi iidiliya emeveni okanye amakhiwane enkunzaneni, andibi kunjalo? Ngokunjalo wonke umthi olungileyo uvelisa isiqhamo esihle, kodwa wonke umthi obolileyo uvelisa isiqhamo esingento yanto; umthi olungileyo awunako ukuthwala isiqhamo esingento yanto, nomthi obolileyo awunako ukuvelisa isiqhamo esihle. Ngokwenene, ke ngoko, niya kubaqonda ngeziqhamo zabo abo bantu.”—Mateyu 7:16-18, 20.

Ngokuqhelekileyo, iinkokeli zonqulo ziye zaqhuba njani ukutyhubela iinkulungwane ekuphileni njengamaKristu okwenyaniso, nto leyo eyamiselwa nguYesu yaza yaboniswa ngabalandeli bakhe bokwenyaniso, yaye ngoku ziqhuba njani? Makhe sijonge nje iinkalo ezimbini—ukuzibandakanya kwazo kwezobupolitika nendlela eziphila ngayo.

UYesu akazange abe yinkosana yehlabathi. Waphila ubomi obulula kangangokuba wathi, wayengenayo nendawo le “yokufaka intloko.” UBukumkani bakhe ‘babungeyonxalenye yeli hlabathi,’ yaye nabafundi bakhe babengenakuba ‘yinxalenye yeli hlabathi.’ UYesu akazange abe nanxaxheba kwimicimbi yezobupolitika yomhla wakhe.—Mateyu 8:20; Yohane 6:15; 17:16; 18:36.

Noko ke, ngaba aliyonyaniso elokuba kangangeenkulungwane iicawa bezinomkhwa wokuzinxulumanisa neenkokeli zezobupolitika ukuze zifumane igunya nezinto eziphathekayo, nangona loo nto iphumele ekubandezelekeni kwabantu abaqhelekileyo? Ngaba aliyonyaniso elokuba, uninzi lwabefundisi baphila tofotofo, nangona izigidi zabantu abangaphantsi kwabo zihlwempuzekile?

UmntakwaboYesu uYakobi wathi: “Bakrexezikazindini, anazi na ukuba ubuhlobo kunye nehlabathi bubutshaba kunye noThixo? Nabani na, ke ngoko, ofuna ukuba ngumhlobo wehlabathi uzenza utshaba lukaThixo.” (Yakobi 4:4) Kutheni esithi “uzenza utshaba lukaThixo”? Eyoku-1 kaYohane 5:19 ithi: “Ihlabathi liphela lisemandleni ongendawo.”

Ngokuphathelele ukuziphatha kuka-Alexander VI omnye umbhali-mbali owayephila ngexesha likaBorgia wathi: “Wayenamanyala. Wayengenazintloni, enganyanisekanga, wayengakholwanga yaye engenanto yakwenza nonqulo. Wayesisinyolu-nyolu sesirhovu, enamabhongo angaphaya kwengqondo, ekhohlakele okwemfene, yaye exolele ukujing’ iliso ngowalakahla lwabantwana bakhe.” Phofu ke, uBorgia, wayengengomlawuli wokuqala wecawa ukuziphatha ngolu hlobo.

Zithini iZibhalo ngokuziphatha okulolo hlobo? Umpostile uPawulos wabuza lo mbuzo: “Anazi na ukuba abantu abangengomalungisa abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo? Ningalahlekiswa. Abahenyuzi, . . . abakrexezi, . . . nabantu ababawayo . . . abayi kubudla ilifa ubukumkani bukaThixo.”—1 Korinte 6:9, 10.

Enye injongo eyachazwayo ngalo mboniso waseRoma owawungentsapho yakwaBorgia “yayikukuyazi bhetele indlela eyayiphila ngayo . . . nokuyiqonda ngakumbi yaye ngokuqinisekileyo kungekhona ukuyithethelela okanye ukuyigweba.” Enyanisweni, abo babekho kwafuneka bazenzele isigqibo. Wena ugqiba kwelithini?

[Umbhalo osemazantsi]

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 26]

URodrigo Borgia, uPopu Alexander VI

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 27]

ULucrezia Borgia wasetyenziswa nguyise ekumiseleni igunya lakhe

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 28]

UCesare Borgia wayenama bhongo yaye enganyanisekanga

[Umfanekiso okwiphepha 29]

Ngenxa yokuba uGirolamo Savonarola wayengathibazeki, waxhonywa waza watshiswa