Banquet of the Chestnuts
October 30, 1501 - One of history's most notorious parties was held on this day. Don Cesare Borgia, the son of Pope Alexander VI threw a wild soiree in the Papal Palace, and according to some accounts, the Pope may have been in attendance.
Legend has it that after a big feast, chestnuts were scattered on the floor and a wild orgy ensued. Thanks to this and other unorthodox activities, Pope Alexander VI is often credited with greatly diminishing the moral authority of the Catholic church during his controversial 11 years in the Vatican.
The Pope died less than a year after the Banquet of the Chestnuts. Stricken with a terribly painful stomach ailment, his last words were, "I'll come, I'll come. It's normal for you to call me. But wait a bit more."
