Rodrigo Borgia (Cesare father)

"He is Rodrigo Borgia, one of the most powerful men in all of Europe, and leader of the Templar Order."
―Mario Auditore[src]
Rodrigo Borgia (1431 – 1503), born Roderic Llançol, later Roderic de Borja i Borja, was a Spanish Cardinal, and the leader of the Templar Order during the Italian Renaissance. He was the father of Juan, Cesare, Lucrezia, and Jofré Borgia, and grandfather to Giovanni Borgia.
Rodrigo was elected as Pope from 1492 to 1503, and was known as Alexander VI. He was one of the most controversial of the Renaissance Popes, and his surname became synonymous for the corrupt standards of the Papacy in that era.

Biography

Early life
Roderic Llançol was born at Xàtiva in the Kingdom of València, one of the component states of the Crown of Aragon, now Spain. His parents were Jofré Llançol i Escrivá, and his wife and relative Isabel de Borja. His family name is written Llançol in Valencian and Lanzol in Spanish. After the elevation of Roderic's maternal uncle Alonso de Borja to the Papacy as Calixtus III in 1455, Roderic was adopted into his mother's family name of Borja.[1]
Roderic de Borja studied law at Bologna, and was made successively bishop, cardinal and vice-chancellor of the church, all of which were nepotistic appointments characteristic of the age. He served in the Roman Curia under five Popes (his uncle, Pius II, Paul II, Sixtus IV and Innocent VIII) and acquired much administrative experience, influence, and wealth, though not great power.[1]