Cesare Borgia,  By killing his enemies, influencing the college of cardinals, pushing his conquests as far and as fast as possible, by buying the loyalty of the Roman nobles, he had hoped to make his position as independent as possible of the Pope's control. But in 1503 Alexander VI died, and Cesare  was struck by the same illness that killed his father. Cesare recovered and started maneuvering to make sure that the election of a new Pope would at least not be contrary to him.
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