Pedro Luis de Borja

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Pedro Luis de Borja, Duke of Spoleto and Marquess of Civitavecchia (1432 – 26 September 1458) was the younger brother of Rodrigo Cardinal Borgia, who in 1492 became Pope Alexander VI, and nephew of Alonso Cardinal de Borja, who in 1455 became Pope Callixtus III. He was called Don Pedro Luis.

Biography

Although he was not a priest but a layman, soon after the

Luis Juan del Mila y Borja was also elevated to the cardinalate. Such rapid promotions of young relatives of the Spanish Pope Callixtus III were criticised by many older cardinals (e.g. Domenico Capranica) and met also with opposition of rather xenophobic Roman populace.[2] In particular, the Orsini family opposed the Borgias. Their enmity towards them increased when Don Pedro Luis was sent to recover for the Church some fortresses kept by Orsinis, and on 19 August 1457 was appointed Prefect of Rome in succession to Antonio Orsini.[3] To counterbalance Orsinis, Callixtus III aligned himself with Colonna family, opponents of Orsinis, but the plan of the marriage of Don Pedro Luis with Colonna had never been realized.[2]

It was said that Pope Callixtus III wanted to make him Emperor of Constantinople after its recovery from the Turks.[4]

Don Pedro Luis was hated by Romans, like almost all relatives and allies of Callixtus III, called "Catalans" due to their Spanish origin.[5] On 6 August 1458, the day his uncle the Pope died, he had to flee Rome because an open revolt against "Catalans" had broken out. He died en route at Civitavecchia, left by almost all of his companions, being only 26 years old.[6]

Marriage and issue

He married in 1450 Ana Borboun y Saminerez-Guerra, a Spanish noble. They had one son, Zosef Llancol Escriva (1457–1505).

Ancestry

Notes

  1. ^ L. Pastor, p. 460
  2. ^ a b L. Pastor, p. 461
  3. ^ L. Pastor, p. 462
  4. ^ L. Pastor, p. 468
  5. ^ L. Pastor, p. 463-465
  6. ^ L. Pastor, p. 476-478

References

Italian nobility
Preceded by
Guidantonio
Duke of Spoleto

1456–1458
Succeeded by