It was on this day in 1498, that the cardinal bishop of Pamplona resigned from the episcopacy and became the first person in history to renounce the rank of cardinal. He was twenty-three, or maybe it was twenty-four, records are a bit scanty.
Cesare Borgia was the son of Cardinal Roderick Llancol i de Borja, later Pope Alexander VI and his favorite mistress Vannozza del Cattanei. He had been named a bishop at fifteen, and a cardinal at eighteen.
After leaving the church Borgia was set up by dad as prince of a new realm carved out of the papal states, and commander of the papal armies. A ruthless ruler he would be the model for Machiavelli’s Prince. Eventually he lost his crown and after a while his life.
Later they made a television series about him and his family. Lots of beautiful people. Lots of blood on the floor.
I’m sure there’s a lesson in here somewhere.
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