dition of the works of Borghesi. This edition, in ten volumes,
of which the first appeared in 1862, was not completed until 1897.

BORGIA, CESARE, duke of Valentinois and Romagna (1476-1507) was the son
of Pope Alexander VI. by Vanozza dei Cattanei. He was born at Rome while
his father was cardinal, and on the latter's elevation to the papacy
(1492) he was created archbishop of Valencia, and a year later cardinal.
Cesare was Alexander's favourite son, and it was for him that the pope's
notorious nepotism was most extensively practised. In the early years of
his father's pontificate he led a profligate life at the Vatican. When
Charles VIII. left Rome for the conquest of Naples (January 25, 1495),
Cesare accompanied him as a hostage for the pope's good behaviour, but
he escaped at Velletri and returned to Rome. He soon began to give
proofs of the violence for which he afterwards became notorious; when in
1497 his brother Giovanni, duke of Gandia, was murdered, the deed was
attributed, in all probability with reason, to Cesare. It was suggested
that the motive of the murder was the brothers' rivalry in the affection
of Donna Sancha, wife of Giuffre, the pope's youngest son, while there
were yet darker hints at incestuous relations of Cesare and the duke
with their sister Lucrezia. But it is more probable that Cesare, who
contemplated exchanging his ecclesiastical dignities for a secular
career, regarded his brother's splendid position with envy, and was
determined to enjoy the whole of his father's favours.

In July 1497 Cesare went to Naples as papal legate and crowned Frederick
of Aragon king. Now that the duke of Gandia was dead, the pope needed
Cesare to carry out his political schemes, and tried to arrange a
wealthy marriage for him. Cesare wished to marry Carlotta, the daughter
of the king of Naples, but both she and her father resolutely refused an
alliance with "a priest, the bastard of a priest." In August 1498,
Cesare in the consistory asked for the permission of the cardinals and
the pope to renounce the priesthood, and the latter granted it "for the
good of his soul." On the 1st of October he set forth for France with a
magnificent retinue as papal legate to Louis XII., to bring him the
pope's bull annulling his marriage with Jeanne of France (Louis wished
to marry Anne of Brittany). In exchange he received the duchy of
Valentinois, as well as military assistance for his own enterprises. He
found Carlott