"Mario Puzo was heavily influenced by the Borgia family for The Godfather, seeing them as an early example of a family built on power. While he also drew from real-life mob stories and personal experiences, his interest in the Borgias, whom he considered "history's original crime family", shaped the themes of family, ambition, and betrayal central to his novel. Puzo's fascination with the Borgias led him to research them for over 20 years and write a historical novel, "The Family", focusing on their story after the success of The Godfather."

Rodrigo Borgia (Pope Alexander VI) — Vito Corleone;

Vannozza Dei Cattanei — Carmela Corleone;

Juan Borgia — Sonny Corleone;

Cesare Borgia — Michael Corleone;

Lucrezia Borgia — Connie Corleone;