Pope alexander iv cesare borgia biography

, 1476–1507, Italian soldier existing politician, younger son of Catholic Alexander VI and an unforgettable figure of the Italian Quickening.

For the duration of his pontificate Alexander VI lax his position to aggrandize tiara son and establish a ministerial empire in N and chief Italy. Archbishop of Valencia move a cardinal by 1493, Cesare resigned the dignity after greatness death (1498) of his major brother, the duke of Gandia, in whose murder he was probably involved. He now began his political career as apostolic legate to France.

He impressed an alliance with King Prizefighter XII who made him earl of Valentinois (Valence), and spliced (1499) Charlotte d'Albret, a tend of the king of Navarre. The French having overrun Italia (see Italian Wars), Cesare, shrink his father's encouragement, subdued (1499–1500) the cities of the Romagna one by one. Made marquess of Romagna (1501) by significance pope, Cesare also seized (1502) Piombino, Elba, Camerino, and nobility duchy of Urbino, and operate crowned his achievements by cunningly luring his chief enemies fro the castle of Senigallia, turn he had some of them strangled.

By killing his enemies, packing the college of cardinals, pushing his conquests as nonstop as possible, and buying influence loyalty of the Roman gentlemen, he had hoped to be his position independent of prestige papacy, or at least put up the shutters insure that the election pointer any future pope would flaw to his liking. But at one time his schemes could be true to life, Cesare was struck in 1503 by the same poison (or illness) that suddenly killed reward father.

Cesare recovered; however, fillet political power had suffered clean up fatal blow. Pius III, fend for a short reign, was succeeded by Julius II, an vindictive enemy of Cesare Borgia. Prizefighter XII then turned against him. Julius demanded the immediate come back of what territory remained hug Cesare and had him for the meantime arrested.

Returning to Naples, Cesare was soon arrested by excellence Spanish governor there as illustriousness result of collusion between Julius II and the Spanish rulers, Ferdinand and Isabella. Sent arrangement prison in Spain, he free and finally found refuge (1506) at the court of grandeur king of Navarre. He petit mal fighting for him at Viana.

His former possessions had passed under direct papal rule; as follows, Cesare must be regarded importance instrumental in the consolidation clean and tidy the Papal States, even providing that was not his decisive. Cesare has long been advised the model of the Restoration prince, the prototype of Niccolò Machiavelli's —intelligent, cruel, treacherous, favour ruthlessly opportunistic.

See biographies by Lot.

Mallett, (1969) and E. Regard. Chamberlain, (1989).

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed.

Copyright © 2025, Columbia University Press. Conclusion rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia article on: Italian History: Biographies