Borgia, whom Machiavelli took as a model for his “The Prince,” was intelligent, handsome, athletic, sometimes simply charming and always absolutely unprincipled and unscrupulous in his means.
Borgia, whom Machiavelli took as a model for his “The Prince,” was intelligent, handsome, athletic, sometimes simply charming and always absolutely unprincipled and unscrupulous in his means. He is credited with the only good deed that he did in his life: he opened a special hospital ward in which old prostitutes who had retired due to poor health or old age could live and receive treatment. Borgia was probably born in Rome. His father was Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, who later became Pope Alexander VI, and his mother was his mistress Vannozza dei Catanei. In 1480, the birth of Caesar Borgia was legalized by a special decree of the Pope. When his father, with the help of bribes, became pope in 1492, there was no need to worry about Caesar’s future. The very next year he was made a cardinal, but he left the church for a politically advantageous marriage. In 1499, he attempted to gain control of one of the northern provinces of Italy with the help of his father, who still controlled the Vatican and the church treasury. He simply destroyed all his opponents, including some of his relatives. Caesar almost achieved his goal, but his father died suddenly in 1502. Borgia himself was seriously ill at this time and could not completely control the course of events. In particular, he was unable to influence the election of the new Pope, and he became Julius II, the sworn enemy of the Borgia family. Caesar was arrested, but managed to escape from custody twice. In 1507, he was caught in a garden near the town of Viana and after a short fierce battle was killed. When Borgia's mutilated body was found, there were twenty-five severe wounds on it, each of which could have been fatal.
Women always represented only sexual interest for Caesar Borgia. He had many sexual relationships, but there is not the slightest hint that he ever loved at least one of those women who met him along the path of life. His sexual behavior was scandalous even in Renaissance Italy. There were persistent rumors that he, for example, maintained a sexual relationship with his sister Lucretia. On October 30, 1501, he threw a party at which 50 naked courtesans danced for him and his guests. At the same party, prizes were given to those guests who were able to surpass everyone else in the number of prostitutes with whom they had sexual intercourse right there in the hall. In another case, on Caesar’s orders, four stallions and two mares were released into a small pen. Caesar himself, his sister and their father watched with interest everything that was happening in the pen.
In 1496, while still a cardinal, Caesar began an affair with the 22-year-old fiancée of his brother Joffre, who was then 15 years old. Soon, however, Caesar decided that in order to strengthen the power of the Borgia family, he needed to get married. He announced his decision in August 1498. His chosen one was Carlotta of Aragon, daughter of King Frederick of Naples. Caesar's father enlisted the help of the French king Louis XII, who promised to persuade Carlotta and her father to accept Caesar's proposal. For this, Louis XII was promised to annul his own marriage by a special decree of the Pope so that he could officially marry his new chosen one. When everything was prepared, Caesar went to France for his bride. Carlotta, however, refused to marry him. She was in love with someone else, and her father was also against such a groom for his daughter. Louis XII quickly found a replacement for Carlotta and offered Caesar 17-year-old Charlotte d'Albret, the beautiful daughter of the Duke of Guyenne, as a bride. Caesar agreed. The wedding took place on May 12, 1499. The wedding night did not bring much bliss to Caesar. Before this, he did not feel very well well and by mistake took several laxative tablets. According to Charlotte's maids, who observed everything that happened that night in the newlyweds' room, Caesar spent more time in the toilet than in his young wife's bed. 4 months after the wedding, Borgia went to fight in Italy. They never saw each other again. Borgia never saw his daughter, whom Charlotte gave birth to a few months later. She was named Louise, and she turned out to be the only officially recognized child of Caesar Borgia. Upon learning of Caesar's death, Charlotte, who was 25 years old, declared mourning and continued to wear a black dress for another 7 years until the last day of her life.
Caesar, of course, constantly cheated on his wife. In 1500, his troops captured the fortress of Forli in northern Italy. The defense of the fortress was led by the fearless 37-year-old Caterina Sforza. Borgia raped her and humiliated her even more when he told her to the officers taken prisoner by his army that Catherine had defended the fortress much longer and more courageously than her honor. In the same year, Borgia began a sexual relationship with the beautiful and wealthy courtesan from Florence, Fiametta de Michelis. She was educated, knew Latin and Greek poetry, played the lyre and sang well. She outlived Caesar by 5 years and died in 1512.
None of Caesar's affairs caused the scandal that occurred in 1501, when, on his orders, soldiers kidnapped Dorothea Caraccolo, the wife of a Venetian army officer. The uproar over her disappearance forced Caesar to declare that he had nothing to do with the matter. Later, he even accused one of his officers of organizing this kidnapping. For two years, Dorothea remained a victim of Caesar's sexual whims. Then she was placed in a convent, from where she managed to escape only in 1504.
History has preserved the names of only two illegitimate children of Caesar, who were born at the beginning of the 16th century. His son, Gerolamo, was as ruthless and cruel as his father, and his daughter Camilla Lucretia became a nun in 1516 and led a righteous life until the day of her death in 1573. Their mother or mothers are unknown.
In 1497, Caesar contracted syphilis. Because of
illness, spots and pimples sometimes appeared on his face, and for this reason in the last years of his life he often wore a special mask.
A far-sighted politician who dreamed of uniting the scattered kingdoms of Italy, a brilliant commander who won many resounding victories, a cruel political intriguer who stained the banner of glory that he inherited with blood, a handsome and stately hero-lover whose adventures are endless. Admiring Julius Caesar, during his lifetime he set himself an ambitious goal: “Aut Caesar, aut nihil” (“Either Caesar or nothing”). Victoriously rushing to the very heights of glory, Cesare Borgia just as quickly fell from the golden pedestal. Poisoned, betrayed, imprisoned, escaped, but became an outcast in society, he died under unclear circumstances.
Many attribute most of Cesare's achievements to the influence of his equally famous father, the “great poisoner.” Rodrigo Borgia, better known as Pope Alexander VI. Cesare was born when he was still only a cardinal. He was an illegitimate son from Vannozza dei Cattanei, but through the efforts of his father, his birth was legalized by a special papal decree in 1480. The father tried to give all his children a brilliant aristocratic education of a wide profile, both primary and higher. Thus, Cesare studied law and theology at the universities of Perugia and Pisa, and his final dissertation on jurisprudence was considered one of the best. In addition, taking advantage of his high official position, the elder Borgia constantly gave his little son the same ranks and titles, starting almost from the age of 7. And in 1492, when Rodrigo Borgia became pontiff, 17-year-old Cesare was elevated to cardinal. The father predicted a career in the clergy for his youngest son, seeing him in the future as a replacement for himself at the head of the Roman Catholic Church, but he was not very interested in such a prospect, he longed for military campaigns, for big politics, he longed to become a gonfaloniere, or the supreme commander of all the troops of the Holy Papal throne. According to the tradition of the rulers of those years, the head of the throne was the eldest son, and the youngest was the priest. The eldest son was Juan, or in Italian Giovanni, Borgia. However, he did not understand very well big politics and was not very successful in military campaigns, while Cesare studied combat tactics from childhood and was very interested in it. And then the time was extremely difficult: the Italian kingdoms were scattered, Spain and France played on these contradictions, seeking to establish their control there, and the Borgias themselves were the object of widespread hatred; too many did not want their strengthening. Under these conditions, Cesare passionately longed to restore order and strengthen the position of Italy, first of all by unifying it. But his older brother stood in his way.
MYSTERY No. 1. "The Masked Killer" Death of Juan Borgia.
In 1497, Juan Borgia dies under mysterious circumstances. Many aspects of his death still remain a mystery. That day, after having dinner with his family, he went to watch the sunset with his brother Cesare and the servants. But soon Giovanni disappeared, heading in an unknown direction, accompanied by a groom and an unknown man in a festival mask. No one saw him alive again. The search yielded no results until a peasant reported that he saw two people throw a body into the Tiber. Having “strained” the river up and down, Juan’s body was finally found - in a smart suit, with an untouched purse of gold, but with a slit throat.
The killer was never found. The person in the mask, which was worn by so many people back then, could have been anyone. Moreover, undoubtedly, Juan Borgia had too many personal enemies, even if we do not take into account only family enemies. As Duke of Gandia, Juan attributed all the merits of condottieri in military campaigns exclusively to himself. He seduced more than one woman, leaving many insulted husbands and fathers. According to rumors, shortly before his death, Juan seduced the fourteen-year-old daughter of Count Mirandella, which he boasted about at every opportunity. Of course, we can assume that one of these people decided to take revenge on him.
However, the question arises: why did Juan follow the man so trustingly? Didn't this mean that this person was well known to him, that he trusted him? Naturally, speculation immediately began to spread. They began to look askance at Cesare Borgia. He, of course, denied everything.
Be that as it may, the death of Juan turned out to be very beneficial for Cesare. He convinced his father that the Church needed a talented and successful commander, capable of leading the campaign for the unification of Italy with a strong hand. Cesare became a Gonfaloniere. This responsible post came to him, one might say, on time. At this time, the enemy of the Papal throne, the French king Charles VIII, died, and Louis XII came to power, who immediately declared his rights to Milan and Naples. However, he did not want to quarrel with Pope Alexander VI and, moreover, wanted from him to obtain the right to divorce his crippled wife. This was an excellent opportunity for the Papal State to improve relations with France. Cesare goes to France with permission, and at the same time with the intention of making a profitable political marriage. He marries, though not the one he was going to first. He marries the French princess, sister of the King of Navarre, Charlotte d'Albret. However, their marriage was not characterized by happiness: the politician left his wife a couple of months later, going to war, and she waited for him until his death, and then mourned for another 7 years until her death, never getting married. And he, of course, was not so faithful when apart.
With the support of the French army, Cesare Borgia began to realize his long-standing dream - the creation of a strong, unified Italian state - and made significant progress along this path, controlling Romagna, Urbino, Florence, and other areas. By 1503, Cesare had significantly expanded the Papal States, establishing complete control over it. It was clear to everyone: he would soon become the ruler of a united Italy. However, this was not destined to come true.
SECRET No. 2. "Poisoned Vessel" The death of Alexander VI and the illness of Cesare Borgia.
To this day, no one knows exactly what happened that summer day. Cesare Borgia came to visit his father, Pope Alexander VI in Rome. They had a family dinner in the garden, where over a bottle of wine they discussed plans to conquer the remaining Italian lands, happy and full of ambitious plans. But a couple of days after the dinner, on August 18, 1503, Alexander VI suddenly dies. Cesare, in serious condition, is also almost dying, locking himself with people loyal to him in the Roman Castle of Sant'Angelo, where he stubbornly fights the disease for several months. We must not allow power to pass into the hands of opponents of the Borgia family in his absence!
The luck of the loyal, newly elected Pope Pius III was temporary. The pope died 27 days later for unclear reasons, and then the worst enemy of the family, from whom the elder Borgia had once taken away the papal post, Giuliano della Rovere, or Pope Julius II, ascended the throne. This is exactly the Pope under whom Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel and with whom he constantly quarreled. He was not going to stand on ceremony with Borgia. Meanwhile, the reason for the poisoning of Alexander and Cesare Borgia remains unclear to this day. On the one hand, it is clear that they had more than enough enemies. After all, the idea of unifying Italy (like any other state, like the Russian one under Ivan the Terrible) meant selected lands and the power of local princes. This could not but arouse hatred and a desire to return everything to its place. On the other hand, there is an opinion that such a major historical turn could have occurred simply because of an oversight. The elder Borgia's fame as a poisoner is widely known. Many people feared the “white powder of Pope Alexander”; there were legends about it. It is likely that the bottle of poisoned wine was intended for the traitor cardinals, but due to a fatal mistake, and possibly due to the bribery of enemies, the bottles were mixed up.
One way or another, this was fatal for the Borgia family. During Cesare's illness, his enemies became more active. The princes tried to regain their lands by uniting against him. The new Pope Julius II ordered the arrest of Cesare, he fled to his old friend Gonsalvo de Cordoba in Naples, which was under the once loyal Spanish crown, but he, guided by new guidelines, trying to maintain good relations with Pope della Rovere, took Cesare into custody.
SECRET No. 3. "Alone on the battlefield." Death of Cesare Borgia.
The once hero has become an outcast. Two years of imprisonment in the castle of La Mota, escape, misadventures and persecution, finally here it is, the goal - Navarre, with the ruler King Jean, the brother of his wife Charlotte. Welcomed by a relative and placed at the head of the army of the kingdom, Cesare still carried within himself great ambitions and plans, not destroyed by persecution. The first task of the commander Borgia was to recapture Viana from the supporters of the rebellious Count of Lerins. A whole team of faithful people was formed. However, in the very first battle, the experienced, successful commander Caesar Borgia was suddenly killed. How is this possible if before this there were only victories in much more complex and larger battles? Isn't the answer that 26 wounds were found on the body of the murdered Borgia, 25 of which were fatal? Or that his loyal people were somehow left behind when he rushed into battle against the enemy, practically alone, practically committing suicide?
One can only guess whether the death of a talented and cruel politician was an accident or part of a calculated conspiracy, which was a completely common reality in that difficult time of the Renaissance. Be that as it may, this is a new page in the history of the Italian lands.
If we talk about the historical significance of the personality of Cesare Borgia, it is usually customary to scold him for his debauchery and be horrified by the cruelty and bloody reprisals against his competitors. However, we forget that for that time such behavior was largely the norm. It was not shocking to contemporaries. Therefore, to belittle the historical personality of Caesar Borgia to just a villain-poisoner and obscene man would be simply incorrect. Politically, Borgia was a far-sighted and intelligent politician; he understood very well the complex processes of the state machine. It is not for nothing that such talented people as Leonardo da Vinci, the chief engineer under Borgia, or Niccolò Machiavelli, who admired his person and his statesmanship and vision of political processes, were around him. After all, the ruler had a great long-term goal - he had to prevent the death of Italy, the ark of the unique culture of the Renaissance, under numerous blows that were difficult to repel due to political disunity. Not everyone understood this, and, unfortunately, for the sake of a great goal, sometimes a tough hand was needed to direct everything in the right direction. And this is where Machiavelli saw Borgiian humanism - serving the future interests of the people and the state. It was Cesare Borgia who became the prototype of the Prince in his famous treatise "The Prince".
Aut Caesar, autnihil (“Be Caesar or nothing”) – this was the motto adhered to by Cesare Borgia, taking the example of the great figures of antiquity, including Julius Caesar. He received many titles in his life. He was, in particular, a cardinal, condottiere, and Duke of Romagna. He gained fame as a magnificent warrior, military leader, leader and statesman, as well as a purposeful and cruel person. He did not hesitate to violate agreements and contracts, and did not hesitate to resort to violence and crime if it was necessary to achieve his goal. His own family members were his tools. However, he was admired by the likes of Niccolò Machiavelli, who made him the model of a ruler in The Prince, where he wrote in 1513: “He should of course be held up as an example to all who, by luck or the help of others, have gained power over the state " He was admired by the patron of scientists and artists, the Margravine of Mantua Isabella d'Este, who has impeccable taste, who, congratulating him on his “excellent cunning plan” - the murder of the rebellious military leaders, sent him a hundred masks, which Borgia used to hide traces of smallpox. How did it happen that one of the most talented politicians of his time went down in history so ingloriously?
He was born in September 1475 in the family of Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia and his beloved Vannozza Cattanei. The family had two more sons and a daughter. His father intended him to have a spiritual career. It was thanks to his support that the seven-year-old Cesare in 1482 received a prebend as a canon of the chapter of the Valencia Cathedral, and a year later became an employee of the chancellery and, as an apostolic prothonotary, chief of notaries. At sixteen, in 1491, he was already the Bishop of Pamplona, after his father’s accession to the Holy See in 1492 he received the rank of Archbishop of Valencia, a year later he became the Cardinal of Valencia, and de facto the ruler of Spain.
The fortune of Cesare, who received an excellent education, grew. At the age of twelve he went to Perugia with his own teacher, Giovanni de Vera, who later became Archbishop of Salerno and a cardinal. He studied law and humanities at the Sapienza Vecchia, spoke at court hearings and even had authority - for example, he helped the court decide in favor of the Franciscans in a case where they argued against the Dominicans regarding the veracity of the visions of a nun. This demonstrates the student's strength of character and self-confidence, but also conveys something about his knowledge of both politics and clergy affairs. He continued his studies at the University of Pisa, attending, among other things, lectures on theology. He did not have too much responsibility - rather, he monitored the accuracy of the implementation of papal policy. His duties included, for example, the inspection of the Papal States in the fall of 1493, together with his father and a group of cardinals. Everything happened with royal pomp.
Cesare was to become a spiritual dignitary, and Alexander VI pinned his hopes for a political career on his son Giovanni, who received the post of commander of the army of the Papal States and the title of Duke of Gandia. But Cesare, corrupted since childhood by wealth and power, as well as by the example of his father’s lifestyle, envied his brother. Therefore, he made sure that he himself set foot on the path of a secular career. He invited his brother to a feast on June 14, 1497, the day after which Giovanni's body was found in the Tiber. The papal master of ceremonies and chronicler Giovanni Burcardo wrote that the Duke of Gandia “was fully dressed, in shoes, stockings, caftan, shirt and mantle. He had a wallet with three hundred ducats tucked into his belt. He was hit nine times – one in the neck, the rest on the head, body and legs.” Giovanni “was presented with a drink or dish to which his body was not accustomed.” The investigation, which was carried out under the control of the pope, did not lead to the trail of the criminal, although all of Rome openly discussed that it was Cesare who removed his brother. Alexander VI decided to transfer all of Giovanni’s powers to his more cunning and desperate son, agreeing to him taking off his cardinal’s hat.
Cesare became more and more daring, and luck accompanied him. When King Louis XII of France decided to leave his wife and marry Princess Anne of Brittany, only the pope could annul the marital relationship. He didn't do anything for nothing. When the French ambassador Louis de Villeneuve conveyed to Cesare the decree of Louis XII conferring on him the title of Duke of Valencia, the young man took to France a papal bull declaring the sacrament invalid. Along with the title of duke, he received from the monarch an annual allowance of 20 thousand livres. An engagement took place to Charlotte d'Albret (1480-1514), sister of King John III of Navarre. And then a magnificent wedding in Blois in May 1499. A daughter was born - Louise Borgia, Duchess of Valencinois (although it should be remembered that Cesare was also the father of at least eleven illegitimate children from different women).
During his stay in France, Cesare was most pleased with the right granted to him to recruit mercenaries - two thousand cavalry and six thousand infantry. Thus, he became a fully wealthy condottiere, with the material and political means to begin a triumphal march. With the support of the Pope and the King of France, Cesare made ambitious plans for the unification of Italy. His goal was to expand the possessions of the Papal State and create an enclave ruled by the Borgia. Having gone on behalf of Alexander VI to Central Italy with a mission to subjugate the cities of Romagna, he conducted two campaigns in 1499–1501, during which he conquered Imola, Forla, Pesaro, Rimini and Faenza. Then he also captured Piombina and Siena. He planned to conquer Florence, but then Louis XII intervened, who - like many noble families in Italy, France and Spain, who even formed an alliance against the Borgia - feared that Cesare's power would increase, and demanded the immediate withdrawal of troops. The Duke was forced to submit, but together with his father he began to make plans to use the conflict between France and Spain to weaken both states, and then subjugate all of Italy. Cesare entered into an alliance with Ercole d'Este to conquer the principalities of Urbino and Camerino in 1502, while his condottiere conquered Arezzo, a principality belonging to Florence.
The Duke was terrifying. Even the powerful Orsini family, which supported Borgia, was afraid of him. When conquering territories, Cesare made sure that their rulers did not leave alive. He confused his enemies not only with cruelty, but also with cunning. During the capture of Camerino, he forced the Prince of Urbino to lend him cannons. When the city fell, Cesare used the guns against the one from whom he received them. But he showed mercy to the people, tried to make his subjects fear him and at the same time love him, and took into account public opinion. When the residents of Urbino complained about the workers, Borgia summoned the governor of Romagna, the Frenchman Ramiro d'Orco. He, famous for his heavy hand, brought order through terror and executions and aroused the hatred of people. Cesare made him a scapegoat and sentenced him to death by quartering - to the delight of the crowd.
Having eliminated the rulers and won their supporters, the Duke built a strong enough foundation to strengthen his position. However, after the death of his father, young Borgia lost his main patron. In such a case, he had a plan, which he began to implement. The conclave voted for Cardinal Piccolomini, who supported him, who, as Vicar of St. Peter, took the name Pius III. But the series of failures continued: Pius III died less than a month later.
Cesare was ready for this, but chance interrupted his plans. During the next conclave, he was struck down by illness and made a mistake. He admitted to Machiavelli: “I foresaw and planned everything, except that at the time of the election of the Pope I myself would be on the brink of death.” Counting on the fact that the most dangerous Spanish competitor in the struggle for the papal throne would be removed, he, in exchange for a promise to retain all titles and property, allowed the support of Cardinal Giuliano della Rovere, belonging to the family with which the Borgia had a conflict. He ascended the throne as Julius II, and it turned out that he had no intention of fulfilling the promises made to the hated and feared Borgia. He chose to eliminate him - after the elections he ordered him to be caught and handed over to the Spaniards.
King Ferdinand III the Catholic imprisoned Borgia. In the fall of 1506, he managed to escape and get to Navarre. There he found refuge with King Jean III, his wife's brother. The ruler needed a leader in the civil war that had flared up at that time. It seemed that the dark streak in the Duke's life had passed. However, fate prepared a terrible surprise for him. On March 12, 1507, during the siege of Viana Castle by the army of Navarre, the Duke noticed a group of defenders of the fortress emerging outside. He personally attacked the opponents and killed three, but he himself was wounded, surrounded and brutally killed. The next day a body was discovered riddled with bayonets and rapiers.
On Borgia’s grave in Pamplona there is an inscription carved: “Here, on this island of land, lies a man whom the whole world feared, in his hands he held peace and war. You, who walk throughout the world in search of glory, slow down your step and do not worry about moving on.”
Borgia, whom Machiavelli took as a model for his “The Prince,” was intelligent, handsome, athletic, sometimes simply charming and always absolutely unprincipled and unscrupulous in his means.
Borgia, whom Machiavelli took as a model for his “The Prince,” was intelligent, handsome, athletic, sometimes simply charming and always absolutely unprincipled and unscrupulous in his means. He is credited with the only good deed that he did in his life: he opened a special hospital ward in which old prostitutes who had retired due to poor health or old age could live and receive treatment. Borgia was probably born in Rome. His father was Cardinal Rodrigo Borgia, who later became Pope Alexander VI, and his mother was his mistress Vannozza dei Catanei. In 1480, the birth of Caesar Borgia was legalized by a special decree of the Pope. When his father, with the help of bribes, became pope in 1492, there was no need to worry about Caesar’s future. The very next year he was made a cardinal, but he left the church for a politically advantageous marriage. In 1499, he attempted to gain control of one of the northern provinces of Italy with the help of his father, who still controlled the Vatican and the church treasury. He simply destroyed all his opponents, including some of his relatives. Caesar almost achieved his goal, but his father died suddenly in 1502. Borgia himself was seriously ill at this time and could not completely control the course of events. In particular, he was unable to influence the election of the new Pope, and he became Julius II, the sworn enemy of the Borgia family. Caesar was arrested, but managed to escape from custody twice. In 1507, he was caught in a garden near the town of Viana and after a short fierce battle was killed. When Borgia's mutilated body was found, there were twenty-five severe wounds on it, each of which could have been fatal.
Women always represented only sexual interest for Caesar Borgia. He had many sexual relationships, but there is not the slightest hint that he ever loved at least one of those women who met him along the path of life. His sexual behavior was scandalous even in Renaissance Italy. There were persistent rumors that he, for example, maintained a sexual relationship with his sister Lucretia. On October 30, 1501, he threw a party at which 50 naked courtesans danced for him and his guests. At the same party, prizes were given to those guests who were able to surpass everyone else in the number of prostitutes with whom they had sexual intercourse right there in the hall. In another case, on Caesar’s orders, four stallions and two mares were released into a small pen. Caesar himself, his sister and their father watched with interest everything that was happening in the pen.
In 1496, while still a cardinal, Caesar began an affair with the 22-year-old fiancée of his brother Joffre, who was then 15 years old. Soon, however, Caesar decided that in order to strengthen the power of the Borgia family, he needed to get married. He announced his decision in August 1498. His chosen one was Carlotta of Aragon, daughter of King Frederick of Naples. Caesar's father enlisted the help of the French king Louis XII, who promised to persuade Carlotta and her father to accept Caesar's proposal. For this, Louis XII was promised to annul his own marriage by a special decree of the Pope so that he could officially marry his new chosen one. When everything was prepared, Caesar went to France for his bride. Carlotta, however, refused to marry him. She was in love with someone else, and her father was also against such a groom for his daughter. Louis XII quickly found a replacement for Carlotta and offered Caesar 17-year-old Charlotte d'Albret, the beautiful daughter of the Duke of Guyenne, as a bride. Caesar agreed. The wedding took place on May 12, 1499. The wedding night did not bring much bliss to Caesar. Before this, he did not feel very well well and by mistake took several laxative tablets. According to Charlotte's maids, who observed everything that happened that night in the newlyweds' room, Caesar spent more time in the toilet than in his young wife's bed. 4 months after the wedding, Borgia went to fight in Italy. They never saw each other again. Borgia never saw his daughter, whom Charlotte gave birth to a few months later. She was named Louise, and she turned out to be the only officially recognized child of Caesar Borgia. Upon learning of Caesar's death, Charlotte, who was 25 years old, declared mourning and continued to wear a black dress for another 7 years until the last day of her life.
Caesar, of course, constantly cheated on his wife. In 1500, his troops captured the fortress of Forli in northern Italy. The defense of the fortress was led by the fearless 37-year-old Caterina Sforza. Borgia raped her and humiliated her even more when he told her to the officers taken prisoner by his army that Catherine had defended the fortress much longer and more courageously than her honor. In the same year, Borgia began a sexual relationship with the beautiful and wealthy courtesan from Florence, Fiametta de Michelis. She was educated, knew Latin and Greek poetry, played the lyre and sang well. She outlived Caesar by 5 years and died in 1512.
None of Caesar's affairs caused the scandal that occurred in 1501, when, on his orders, soldiers kidnapped Dorothea Caraccolo, the wife of a Venetian army officer. The uproar over her disappearance forced Caesar to declare that he had nothing to do with the matter. Later, he even accused one of his officers of organizing this kidnapping. For two years, Dorothea remained a victim of Caesar's sexual whims. Then she was placed in a convent, from where she managed to escape only in 1504.
History has preserved the names of only two illegitimate children of Caesar, who were born at the beginning of the 16th century. His son, Gerolamo, was as ruthless and cruel as his father, and his daughter Camilla Lucretia became a nun in 1516 and led a righteous life until the day of her death in 1573. Their mother or mothers are unknown.
In 1497, Caesar contracted syphilis. Because of
illness, spots and pimples sometimes appeared on his face, and for this reason in the last years of his life he often wore a special mask.