Senigallia massacre

The Senigallia massacre (Italian: La strage di Senigallia) was a series of executions perpetrated on the orders of Cesare Borgia as revenge for the Magione conspiracy, where powerful princes, most of whom were Borgia's former military allies and commanders, plotted to remove him from power to prevent him from gaining too much influence over Italy. Borgia, having misled his enemies into believing he was seeking reconciliation, lured Oliverotto Euffreducci, Vitellozzo Vitelli, Paolo and Francesco Orsini to a dinner in Senigallia (then Sinigaglia) on 31 December 1502 to discuss military matters. At a signal, Borgia's guards captured the four men, with Vitellozzo and Oliverotto being garroted that same night by Michelotto Corella. The Orsini brothers were killed a few weeks later on 18 January 1503. Niccolò Machiavelli, who was himself a physical witness to many of the events, chronicled the killings in his works The Description and Il Principe.