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Cesare Borgia

«il Valentino»

The son of Alexander VI, a cardinal before becoming a prince and commander. His rapid construction of a dominion in Romagna became one of the most famous political examples studied by Machiavelli.

1475 – 1507Duke, military commander and former cardinalBorgia · ES
Explore this family · Spanish AtlasBack to people
Portrait of Cesare Borgia
Historical portraitCesare Borgia, Duke of ValentinoisUnidentified artist · Sixteenth centuryWikipedia / WikimediaPublic domain · PDM 1.0 · Source
Biography

Life of Cesare Borgia

A cardinal at eighteen

The son of Rodrigo Borgia and Vannozza Cattanei, he was born around 1475. His father made him Bishop of Pamplona, Archbishop of Valencia and, in 1493, a cardinal. Following his brother Giovanni’s death in 1497, he resigned from the cardinalate, the first person in Church history to do so.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Treccani · Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Duke Valentino

Louis XII of France made him Duke of Valentinois and married him to Charlotte of Albret. With French and papal troops, he conquered Romagna, Urbino and Camerino between 1499 and 1502. Machiavelli, who dealt with him as a Florentine envoy, used him as a model of the new prince in The Prince.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Treccani · Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Fall and death in Navarre

His father’s death in 1503 and the election of Julius II, an enemy of the Borgias, destroyed his state. Arrested and sent to Spain, he escaped from the Castle of La Mota in 1506 and took refuge at the court of his brother-in-law, the King of Navarre. He died in an ambush outside Viana in 1507.

References: Real Academia de la Historia · Diccionario Biográfico español · Treccani · Dizionario Biografico degli Italiani · Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

This complete profile is available in English. Bibliographic titles retain their original language. Links marked ES open the Spanish edition.

Historical profile

Key details

Birth: 1475 Documented

Death: 1507 Documented

Role: Duke, military commander and former cardinal

Other recorded names: Duke Valentino · Cesare Borja

Dynasty: Borgia · ES

Territories: Romagna (ES)

Recorded governments and reigns
Duke · Romagna · Duchy Pending review1501–1503Effective rule
Family network

Recorded relationships

Parents
Partners
Children
Documentation

Sources for this profile

Biographical and contextual references in their original language. Sources and methodology.

Evidence for this profile

6 recorded claims · 2 without a claim-specific source. Context references do not by themselves verify every fact.

Dates (2/2 with a precise source)
Family and relationships (2/3 with a precise source)
Governments (0/1 with a precise source)
  • GovernmentPending review

    Duke · Romagna · 1501–1503

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
Biographical and contextual references (4)
Editorial history
  • 2026-10-12 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-08 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-03 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-09-30 · The duchy is limited to Dijon and Autun; each other fief now enters the map only under its dated ruler. John III of Namur and the Nevers/Rethel branch were added. The previous shape combined later counties and unrelated lands as if all belonged to the duchy from 1363.
  • 2026-09-28 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.

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