Cesare Borgia's titles and conquests
- Thread starter jkarr
- Start date
Here's what I've been able to piece together, I hope this helps:
Bishop of ?
Archbishop of Valencia [-1497]
Cardinal of the Church [1493-1497]
Duc de Valentinois [1498-1507]
Duke of Urbino [1502-1503]
Sovereign Prince of Piombino [1501-1503]
Lord of Forli [1499-1503]
Lord of Imola [1499-1503]
Lord of Rimini [1500-1503]
Lord of Faenza [1501-1503]
He also held the titles of Comte de Diois and jure uxoris Sieur de Châlus (note: I'm not sure if Diois was likewise jure uxoris or a subsidiary title of duc de Valentinois)
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Bishop of ?
Archbishop of Valencia [-1497]
Cardinal of the Church [1493-1497]
Duc de Valentinois [1498-1507]
Duke of Urbino [1502-1503]
Sovereign Prince of Piombino [1501-1503]
Lord of Forli [1499-1503]
Lord of Imola [1499-1503]
Lord of Rimini [1500-1503]
Lord of Faenza [1501-1503]
He also held the titles of Comte de Diois and jure uxoris Sieur de Châlus (note: I'm not sure if Diois was likewise jure uxoris or a subsidiary title of duc de Valentinois)
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He was also made Duke of the Romagna by his father at some point in his conquests.
I was always under the impression that 'duke of the Romagna' was simply shorthand for Lord of this, that and the other. Although, on further thought, it makes sense, since Alexander wanted to carve out a kingdom. Maybe if he'd been able to subjugate Bologna instead of just signing a treaty with them he could've had a more steady state instead of one with a big hole in it that the king of France supported.
Out of curiosity, could Alexander have annulled Cesare's marriage to Charlotte d'Albret? Especially if as OTL she didn't produce any more children after Louise, although the history books are silent on there being other pregnancies, although some writers point out that Cesare had syphilis by the time of his marriage.
Out of curiosity, could Alexander have annulled Cesare's marriage to Charlotte d'Albret? Especially if as OTL she didn't produce any more children after Louise, although the history books are silent on there being other pregnancies, although some writers point out that Cesare had syphilis by the time of his marriage.
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]In his diplomas (certificates) he was entitled «Caesar Borgia de Francia - Dei Gratia Dux Romandiole Valentieque, Princeps Hadrie, Dominus Plumbini &c. ac Sancte Romane Ecclesie Confalonerius et Capitaneus Generalis». These titles are proved, for example, in the safe-conduct that was given to Leonardo da Vinci in 1502, in the Brief of Pope Julius II dated 10 November 1503 [the tone of this document denotes that the new Pope recognised the legal status of Cesare as lord of Romandiola[1], and that he had no personal animus against him], and, again, in 1506, after the daring escape from the Castle of La Mota, Medina del Campo.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Cesare Borgia resigned the cardinalate on 17 August 1498 and he immediately joined in the game of power to take possession of the Kingdom of Naples. The Pope boasted feudal rights over that kingdom, that are represented in the tribute of the Chinèa (or Acchinèa), paid by the kings as vassals.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]How the Antipope Anacletus II has enthroned Roger II of Hauteville as King of Sicily on Christmas Day 1130 [acknowledged from Pope Innocent II with the Treaty of Mignano On 25 March 1139], and how Pope Clement IV had recognized Charles of Anjou as «rex Siciliae», so Pope Alexander VI, in theory, could dispose of this crown to his liking in the dispute between the King of France and the King of Aragon. And while Louis XII of France and Ferdinand II of Aragon warred with each other for those lands and for dominance in Italy, Pope Alexander VI brought forward a clever marriage policy: he did marry their children Gioffré and Lucrezia with Sancha and Alfonso of Aragon, both illegitimate children of King Alfonso II of Naples and his mistress Trogia Gazzela.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]But Cesare wanted a marriage to a legitimate heir of the throne of Naples[2]: on 1 October, dressed in silk and velvet, covered with gold and jewels and accompanied by a large following luxuriously dressed, he left for France to marry Charlotte of Naples[3], then under the custody of the king of France[4], although officially he was sent on a mission that bearing a bull of divorce for king Louis XII. Was an exchange of "equal" favors: the Pope granted the annulment[5] of the previous marriage of King Louis XII, who had been forced to marry Joan of Valois (1464-1505), in order to marry the late king's widow, Anne of Brittany (1477-1514), in the hope of annexing the Duchy of Brittany to the French Crown; in exchange for which King Louis XII granted the hand of Charlotte of Naples to Cesare.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Pope Alexander VI hoped that Louis XII's help would be more profitable to his house than that of Charles VIII had been. In spite of the remonstrances of Spain and of the Sforza, he allied himself with France in January 1499 and was joined by Venice. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Cesare Borgia arrived in France with great pomp. On 19 December he was in Chinon, where met Louis XII and his court, making his entry «with much Splendour and such pomp, than ever an emperor entered Rome so magnificent». But all the wealth that the son of the Pope put in the exhibition, not impressed Charlotte of Naples, who refused to marry him and denied any type of negotiation. Faced with this refusal, Cesare has not delivered the papal bull containing the annulment of the marriage of the king. Only after a few months, during which Borgia was restrained in the residence of the king without being forced to yield, but without the ability to go out, the difficult negotiations was resolved with a compromise: to Cesare Borgia was given the hand of Charlotte of d'Albret (1480-1514)[6], and a promise of material assistance in his schemes to subjugate the feudal princelings of papal Romagna; in exchange he handed the bull of divorce to the king. The marriage of Caesar with Charlotte was celebrated in Blois on 12 May 1499; following which the Borgia was given the title of Duke of Valentinois[7]. A sentence of the marriage contract explains the keen interest that the king had for this wedding: Louis XII, in fact, he expected that Cesare, his family, his friends and allies should serve him «in the future, and similarly for the conquest of the kingdom of Naples and his dukedom of Milan». Shortly after the wedding, Cesare accompanied King Louis in his invasion of Italy. Charlotte was pregnant; Cesare would never see his wife, nor would he ever met his daughter Louise, born in early 1500.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]In the winter of 1499, the French, allied with Venice, went down in Italy to the conquest of the Duchy of Milan, and Ludovico il Moro, view the alliance between the Pope, Venice and France, escaped from Milan taking refuge with the Emperor Maximilian I in Innsbruck, leaving the field open to the conquerors.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]With French success seemingly assured, the Pope determined to deal drastically with the Romagna, which although nominally under papal rule was divided into a number of practically independent lordships on which Venice, Milan, and Florence cast hungry eyes. At this point Alexander VI declared that all his rulers in Romagna and Marche were deposed. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordships of Imola and Forlì (governed by Ottaviano Riario under the regency of his mother, Caterina Sforza), conquered on 11 December 1499 and on 12 January 1500.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Cesena conquered in the summer 1500.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Pesaro (governed by Giovanni Sforza, first husband of Lucrezia Borgia) conquered on 28 October 1500.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Rimini (governed by Pandolfo IV Malatesta) conquered on 30 October 1500.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Faenza (governed by Astorre III Manfredi) conquered, after a long siege, at the end of April 1501.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]On 15 May 1501 Cesare was created by Pope Alexander VI Dux Romandiole (Duke of Romandiola) and Papal Vicar for Pesaro and Fano. Cesare established his capital at Cesena. His first decisions were to verify the soundness of the fortresses and check the condition of the roads. To this end he called the best-known engineer and architect at the time: Leonardo da Vinci. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]At the same time, the King Ferdinand II of Aragon, in order to ingratiate himself with the Pope and to curry the Valentino, created Cesare Prince of Andria in the kingdom of Naples, and by an act of 20 May assured at the Borgia family all their the feuds in the kingdom.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]In June, Cesare threatened to get hold of Florence, but was dissuaded by an order of Louis XII; he continued on his way, going to put in siege and conquered Piombino, according to the orders of his father Alexander VI.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Senigallia, after the death of Giovanni Della Rovere on 6 November 1501.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The dukendom of Urbino (governed by Guidobaldo da Montefeltro) conquered on 20 June 1502.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Camerino (governed by Giovanni Maria da Varano) conquered on 21 June 1502.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Città di Castello (governed by Vitellozzo Vitelli, assassinated for order of Cesare during the night 31 December 1502) conquered on 5 January 1503.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]The lordship of Perugia (governed by Gian Paolo Baglioni) conquered on 6 January 1503.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]In the summer of 1503, Cesare was planning the conquest of the Tuscan cities of Siena, Pisa and Lucca, but on 18 August 1503 Pope Alexander VI died.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]You can also consult the following maps: [/FONT]
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Guerre_d%27Italia.png
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Grandi_Casate_Italiane_nel_1499.png
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][1] Mistranslated with with the modern term of «Romagna».[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][2] But King Frederick, who was well disposed to remove the feuds to the young Duke of Gandia to hand them over to Cesare, it was not equally to give his daughter Carlotta the «son of a Pope who was a cardinal». Failing with the King of Naples, the Pope, following the wishes of his son, turned to the king of France, who he needed the Pope to dissolve his marriage. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][3] Charlotte of Aragon (1479/1480-1506) was the only daughter of King Frederick of Naples (1452-1504) and his first wife Anne of Savoy (1455-1480). Stripped of his kingdom, Frederick was forced to implore the generosity of the King of France. Between 1470 and 1474 Frederick could seriously marry Mary of Burgundy, only heiress of Charles the Bold: interesting suggestion for a ucronia.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][4] Frederick of Naples lived with his young wife at the court of his maternal uncle, King Louis XI of France. After the death of his wife in 1480, occurred shortly after the birth of Charlotte, he returned to Naples. Their daughter Charlotte was raised in France and brought up at the French court. [/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][5] This annulment, described as «one of the seamiest lawsuits of the age», was not simple.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][6] Charlotte of d'Albret, daughter of Alain I of Albret, Lord of Albret, and Françoise of Châtillon, was a sister of John III, king jure uxoris of Navarre; from her mother suo jure Dame de Châlus.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif][7] The earldom of Valence, elevated to a dukedom, the earldom of Diois and the seigniory of Issoudun's Castle, as had been negotiated in the previous secret treaty between Alexander VI and Louis XII. [/FONT]
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[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]After the wedding in May 1499, Cesare accompanied King Louis in his invasion of Italy [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]two months later. Charlotte was pregnant; Cesare would never see his wife, nor would he ever met his daughter Louise, born in early 1500.[/FONT]
You can read this interesting work:
http://www.fmboschetto.it/Utopiaucronia/Fanta_Cesare_Borgia.htm
Querciagrossa proposes the cancellation of the wedding with Charlotte d'Albret and a new marriage with Camilla Bentivoglio, young daughter of the lord of the city, Giovanni Bentivoglio, in 1503. Then, in 1513, another marriage with Joanna of Castile (known as Joanna the Mad).
In the Querciagrossa's work the Queen Giovanna skillfully manages to foil the intrigues of his father for passing her with insane, and, given the lack of interest in her husband's policy, takes the power in Castile as his mother had done before her.
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