Vannozza dei Cattanei

"I tell you there is very little Cattanei blood in them. Well, in Lucrezia, perhaps; but Cesare…"

- Vannozza to Ezio and Machiavelli, regardig her children.

Vannozza dei Cattanei (13 July 1442 – 24 November 1518) was a noble woman in Renaissance Italy and one of Rodrigo Borgia's first lovers. She is also the mother of both Lucrezia and Cesare Borgia. However, Vannozza soon grew too old for Rodrigo's likings and had to leave the Borgia family.

The children were left to grow up with Rodrigo, which caused Vannozza a lot of grief, seeing as she barely recognized her own children as family.

After the death of Rodrigo and Cesare's imprisonment, the Assassins Ezio and Machiavelli went to question her about Cesare's whereabouts. However, Vannozza claimed not knowing where he was, and told them Lucrezia wasn't likely to know anymore than she knew herself.