Rodrigo Borgia is the historical Borgia leader who serves as Ezio Auditore's principal opponent in Assassin's Creed II.
Rodrigo appears in the game as a powerful Templar figure known as the Spaniard. His political ambition and role in the Templar conspiracy make him the major antagonist Ezio pursues across the Italian story. The game draws on the real Rodrigo Borgia, who became Pope Alexander VI in 1492, while adapting his biography for its fictional conflict between Assassins and Templars.
Cesare Borgia, Rodrigo's son, is also a major historical figure in the franchise, but he is chiefly associated with Assassin's Creed Brotherhood rather than serving as the principal opponent of Assassin's Creed II. This distinction is a common source of confusion because both men are central members of the Borgia family.
The game combines real Renaissance politics with fictional characters and events. Ezio's personal vendetta, the Templar plot, and the series' precursor mythology all intersect in the final stages of the campaign.