Cesare Borgia Appointed: Power in the Papal States
His father was the Pope, and that wasn't even the scandalous part. Rodrigo Borgia—Pope Alexander VI—handed his illegitimate son Cesare the highest military command in the Papal States after Cesare carved through the Romagna like a knife, conquering fortress after fortress in just months. The appointment made Cesare both a prince and the Church's supreme general at 25. Niccolò Machiavelli shadowed him during these campaigns, taking notes. Every ruthless decision, every calculated betrayal, every brilliant tactical move—it all ended up in *The Prince*. When people call someone "Machiavellian," they're actually describing Cesare Borgia with the serial numbers filed off.
March 29, 1500
526 years ago
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