Lucrezia Borgia was born at Subiaco, near…
1497 CE
Lucrezia Borgia was born at Subiaco, near Rome, to Vannozza dei Cattanei, one of the mistresses of Lucrezia's father Rodrigo, who now reigns Pope Alexander VI.
A matrimonial arrangement had been drawn up on February 26, 1491, between Lucrezia and the Lord of Val D'Ayora in the kingdom of Valencia, Don Cherubino Joan de Centelles, which had been annulled less than two months later in favor of a new contract engaging Lucrezia to Don Gaspare Aversa, count of Procida.
When Rodrigo became pope later in 1491, he sought to be allied with powerful princely families and founding dynasties of Italy.
As such, he had called off Lucrezia's previous engagements and arranged for her to marry Giovanni Sforza, a member of the House of Sforza who is Lord of Pesaro and titled Count of Catignola.
Giovanni is an illegitimate son of Costanzo I Sforza and a Sforza of the second rank.
He had married Lucrezia on June 12, 1493 in Rome.
Before long, the Borgia family no longer needed the Sforzas, and the presence of Giovanni Sforza in the papal court has become superfluous.
Giovanni had refused to agree to an annulment of the marriage and accused Lucrezia of paternal and fraternal incest.
The pope asserted that his daughter's marriage had not been consummated and was thus invalid.
Giovanni was offered her dowry in return for his cooperation.
The Sforza family had threatened to withdraw their protection should he refuse.
In March 1497, Giovanni had finally signed confessions of impotence and documents of annulment before witnesses.