Cesare Borgia, born in 1475 as the illegitimate son of Pope Alexander VI, was initially placed in a church career, where he was appointed cardinal at a young age. However, ambitious by nature, Borgia quickly recognized that his clerical role would limit his aspirations and capabilities to assert control in the tumultuous political atmosphere of Renaissance Italy. On August 17, 1498, he made a historic decision to resign from his position as cardinal, thus becoming the first person in history to do so. This striking move was made possible by his father’s papal influence, but it also highlighted Borgia's desire to embrace a more direct path toward power and leadership.Later that same day, King Louis XII of France formally named him Duke of Valentinois, which represented a significant elevation in social status. The title provided Borgia not only with a territorial claim but also with a platform to engage actively in military commands and assert greater authority in a period marked by shifting allegiances and rampant political maneuvering. The combined effect of resigning his cardinalate while becoming Duke underlined a shift in the balance of power in Italy as Borgia set about consolidating his control across the region, leveraging both his familial connections and growing alliances with the French crown.