Cesare Borgia
Late 15th-century Italian nobleman and Catholic cardinal
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Key Takeaways
- Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 – 13 March 1507) was an Italian cardinal deacon and later a condottiero, as well as a member of the Spanish House of Borgia.
- After initially entering the Church and becoming a cardinal on his father's election to the papacy, he resigned his diaconal profession after the death of his brother in 1498.
- At the same time, he carved out a state for himself in Central Italy, but he was unable to retain power for long after his father's death.
- Early life Like many aspects of Cesare Borgia's life, the date of his birth is a subject of dispute.
- He had three full siblings: Giovanni Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia and Gioffre Borgia, although Gioffre's paternity was later contested.
Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 – 13 March 1507) was an Italian cardinal deacon and later a condottiero, as well as a member of the Spanish House of Borgia. He was the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI and sibling to Lucrezia Borgia.
After initially entering the Church and becoming a cardinal on his father's election to the papacy, he resigned his diaconal profession after the death of his brother in 1498. He was employed as a condottiero for King Louis XII of France around 1500, and occupied both Milan and Naples during the Italian Wars. At the same time, he carved out a state for himself in Central Italy, but he was unable to retain power for long after his father's death. His quest for political power was a major inspiration for The Prince by the renowned Florentine historian, Niccolò Machiavelli.
Early life
Like many aspects of Cesare Borgia's life, the date of his birth is a subject of dispute. He was born in Subiaco, Papal States (now in Lazio, Italy), in either 1475 or 1476, the illegitimate son of Cardinal Roderic Llançol i de Borja, usually known as "Rodrigo Borgia", later Pope Alexander VI, and his Italian mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei, about whom information is sparse. He had three full siblings: Giovanni Borgia, Lucrezia Borgia and Gioffre Borgia, although Gioffre's paternity was later contested.
The Borgia family originally came from the Kingdom of Valencia, and rose to prominence during the mid-15th century. Cesare's great-uncle Alphonso Borgia (1378–1458), Bishop of Valencia, was elected Pope Callixtus III in 1455. Cesare's father, Pope Alexander VI, was the first pope who openly recognized his children born out of wedlock.
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