March 29: In 1500, Pope Alexander VI, Cesare Borgia's father, gives his illegitimate son the title of Captain General and Gonfalonier (a highly prestigious communal post in medieval Florence, and Papal States) after returning from his conquests in the Romagna.

Pope Alexander VI (Roderic Borja)

Cesare Borgia was one of the illegitimate children of Cardinal Roderic Borja who would be inaugurated as Pope Alexander VI, years later. Cesare was enrolled in the church school by order of his father and studied law and theology at the University of Perugia.

Portrait of a man traditionally said to be Cesare Borgia.

At the age of 15, Cesare, was consecrated Bishop of Pamplona and two years later he was appointed Archbishop of Valencia. When his father Roderic Borja was elected Pope as Alexander VI, immediately appointed his son Caesar as Cardinal of Valencia, at the age of 18.

Profile portrait of Cesare Borgia in the Palazzo Venezia in Rome, ca. 1500–10

Cesare was the first cardinal in the history to resign the cardinalate. But the day of his resignation, the King of France named him Duke of Valentinois. That peerage with the cardinal of Valencia, imposed the nickname "Valentino".