Cesare Borgia

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"Ezio Auditore. Brave of you to stand alone against me, but also quite foolish... "

―Cesare Borgia, 1503.

Cesare Borgia (13 September 1475 - 12 March 1507) was the son of Rodrigo Borgia and an arch-nemesis of Ezio Auditore da Firenze. Like his father, he was a member of the Templar Order. Eventually, he became the commander of the Papal army and a leader in the Templar Order.

Biography

Early life

Cesare Borgia was born in Rome in 1475, to Rodrigo Borgia, the Grand Master of the Templar Order, and his long-term mistress Vannozza dei Cattanei. He was one of Lucrezia Borgia's brothers.

Becoming a Templar leader

In 1496, when his father waged war with the Orsini Family to seize their territory, Cesare joined the battle. Among the enemy's ranks was Bartolomeo d'Alviano, in secret an Assassin. When Bartolomeo's resources were down to three fortresses, Cesare cut off his supplies. When it looked like victory was near, Carlo Orsini arrived with his army and joined Bartolomeo, even wounding Cesare in the face.

His father placed the fate of the Templars in his brother Giovanni's hands. Cesare, tasting power, killed his own brother in 1497.

Siege of Monteriggioni

"I know you're there, Ezio! The Pope told me about you and your little group of Assassins! And this!"

―Cesare Borgia to Ezio Auditore, 1499.

In 1499, Cesare's reaction to his father, Rodrigo, who failed to kill Master Assassin Ezio Auditore Da Firenze, had lead an assault on Monteriggioni, headquarters of the Assassins in Italy in order to eliminate Ezio. Besieging the city, Cesare's forces overwhelmed the city's defenders and handed to him Mario Auditore and Caterina Sforza. Standing at the city gates, the Apple of Eden in his hand, Cesare 'invited' Ezio to come and face him in Rome with a shot of his firearm that killed Mario. Ezio was then shot down and wounded by a team of arquebusiers and the battle was won. With Monteriggioni in ruins, Cesare returned to Rome with his prize, little did Cesare know, he awakened a fire within Ezio.

War in Rome

By 1500, Cesare had Rome under his iron fist, as he was commander of the Papal army. He used Borgia towers to keep control over the five districts of Rome. In 1502, Leonardo da Vinci was forced into service for the Borgia against his will. Cesare made Leonardo build the armored tank and another flying machine, but both of Leonardo's creations were stolen and destroyed by Ezio Auditore, in secret at Leonardo's own behest. In 1503, Cesare and his father Rodrigo paraded through Rome in the Papal parade, but were ambushed by Ezio and his apprentices.

Trivia

Cesare Borgia, 1503.

• Historically, it is said that Niccolò Machiavelli greatly admired Cesare.
• Cesare's comments about bloodshed and the need for cleansing may highlight the origin of the name Abstergo being adopted by the Templars, which is Latin for "I cleanse".