Cesare Borgia

"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.

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, who had been brought up in the Templar ways, lead an assault on Monteriggioni, headquarters of the Assassins in Italy in order to eliminate the Master Assassin Ezio Auditore da Firenze. 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.

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.

Siege of Viana
Cesare travelled to Viana, Spain to try and commandeer the King of Navarre's, his brother-in-law, vast army, only to die during the siege against the castle, and he would be buried there. (Historically he actually entered that king's service.) In Brotherhood it is likely that Ezio killed him there, based on the storyline trailer, but the exact circumstances are unrevealed.

Trivia

 * 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".
 * It has been confirmed from the Brotherhood storyline trailer that the Siege of Viana will appear in the game.
 * Cesare shows some respect towards Ezio as seen in the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood - The Story Trailer.