Description

Cesare Borgia was and continues to be one of the most controversial figures of the High Renaissance. Born the second son of Rodrigo Borgia, who would become Pope Alexander VI, Cesare became his father’s strong right arm in military and political affairs.
Originally slated for a career in the church, Cesare was made archbishop of Valencia and cardinal by his father Pope Alexander.
Surrendering his church titles in favor of military command Cesare acquired the title Duke of Valentinois prior to his 1499 marriage to Charlotte d’Albret daughter of the King of Navarre and niece of Louis XII King of France.
Cesare and Pope Alexander VI set out to unite the fractured kingdoms of Italy under single Papal authority. A brilliant battlefield commander Cesare became ruler of several conquered states under his additional title Duke of Romagna. During this period Cesare was served by Leonardo DiVinci as an armament minister and had repeated contact with Niccolo Machiavelli in the Florence Chancery.
At the time of his father’s death in 1503 Cesare was very ill and as a result was captured and imprisoned by the forces of his father’s successor Pope Julius II. When finally released Cesare made his way to Spain where he was once again imprisoned. Escaping his bonds Cesare went to Navarre where he was killed fighting at the siege of Viana.
Perhaps more than anything else in his short, violent and varied career Cesare was immortalized by writer Niccolo Machiavelli in his political portrayal of Cesare, “The Prince” written in 1513 and still in print.