Pedro Luis de Borja
Encyclopedia
Pedro Luis de Borja was younger brother of Rodrigo Borgia and nephew of Cardinal Alonso de Borja, who in 1455 became Pope Callixtus III
. He was called Don Pedro Luis.
Although he was not a priest but a layman, soon after the elevation of his uncle to the papacy
he was loaded with several offices and honours. In the spring of 1456 he was named Captain-General of the Church and castellan
of Sant'Angelo
, in the autumn of the same year Pope made him Governor of Terni
, Narni
, Todi
, Rieti
, Orvieto
, Spoleto
, Foligno
, Nocera, Assisi
, Amelia
, Civita Castellana
, and Nepi
, and at the beginning of 1457 the governorships of the provinces of Patrimony and Tuscany were added to these. In the same time his older brother Rodrigo Borgia was created Cardinal Deacon, Commander-in-Chief of the papal troops and Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, while another relative 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. Particularly Orsini family
opposed Borgias. Their enmity towards them increased when Don Pedro Luis was sent to recover for the Church some fortresses kept by Orsinis, and on August 19, 1457 was appointed Prefect of Rome in succession to Antonio Orsini. To counterbalnce 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.
It was said that Pope Callixtus III wanted to make him Emperor of Contantinople after its recovering from Turks.
Don Pedro Luis was hated by Romans, as almost all relatives and allies of Callixtus III, called "Catalans" due to their Spanish origin. On August 6, 1458, the same day that his uncle Pope died, he had to fly away from Rome because an open revolt against "Catalans" had broken up. He died en route at Civitavecchia
, left by almost all of his companions, being only 26 years old.
Pope Callixtus III
Pope Callixtus III , né Alfons de Borja, was Pope from April 8, 1455 to his death in 1458.-Biography:...
. He was called Don Pedro Luis.
Although he was not a priest but a layman, soon after the elevation of his uncle to the papacy
Papal conclave, 1455
The papal conclave from April 4-8, 1455 elected Alfons Borja Pope Callixtus III following the death of Pope Nicholas V. The conclave was the first in the Apostolic Palace, the site of all but five papal conclave thereafter...
he was loaded with several offices and honours. In the spring of 1456 he was named Captain-General of the Church and castellan
Castellan
A castellan was the governor or captain of a castle. The word stems from the Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum "castle". Also known as a constable.-Duties:...
of Sant'Angelo
Castel Sant'Angelo
The Mausoleum of Hadrian, usually known as the Castel Sant'Angelo, is a towering cylindrical building in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family...
, in the autumn of the same year Pope made him Governor of Terni
Terni
Terni is a city in southern Umbria, central Italy, capital of the province of Terni, located in the plain of the Nera river. It is 104 km N of Rome, 36 km NW of Rieti, and 29 km S of Spoleto.-History:...
, Narni
Narni
Narni is an ancient hilltown and comune of Umbria, in central Italy, with 20,100 inhabitants, according to the 2003 census. At an altitude of 240 m , it overhangs a narrow gorge of the Nera River in the province of Terni. It is very close to the Geographic center of Italy...
, Todi
Todi
Todi is a town and comune of the province of Perugia in central Italy. It is perched on a tall two-crested hill overlooking the east bank of the river Tiber, commanding distant views in every direction.In the 1990s, Richard S...
, Rieti
Rieti
Rieti is a city and comune in Lazio, central Italy, with a population of c. 47,700. It is the capital of province of Rieti.The town centre rests on a small hilltop, commanding a wide plain at the southern edge of an ancient lake. The area is now the fertile basin of the Velino River...
, Orvieto
Orvieto
Orvieto is a city and comune in Province of Terni, southwestern Umbria, Italy situated on the flat summit of a large butte of volcanic tuff...
, Spoleto
Spoleto
Spoleto is an ancient city in the Italian province of Perugia in east central Umbria on a foothill of the Apennines. It is S. of Trevi, N. of Terni, SE of Perugia; SE of Florence; and N of Rome.-History:...
, Foligno
Foligno
Foligno is an ancient town of Italy in the province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river where it leaves the Apennines and enters the wide plain of the Clitunno river system...
, Nocera, Assisi
Assisi
- Churches :* The Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi is a World Heritage Site. The Franciscan monastery, il Sacro Convento, and the lower and upper church of St Francis were begun immediately after his canonization in 1228, and completed in 1253...
, Amelia
Amelia
-Places:* Amelia, Umbria, a town in Italy* Amelia, Louisiana, a census-designated place in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States* Amelia, Nebraska, an unincorporated community in Holt County, Nebraska, United States...
, Civita Castellana
Civita Castellana
Civita Castellana is a town and comune in the province of Viterbo, 65 km north of Rome.Mount Soracte lies about 10 km to the south-east.-History:...
, and Nepi
Nepi
Nepi is a town and comune in Italy in the province of Viterbo, region of Lazio. The town lies 30 km southeast of the city of Viterbo and about 13 km southwest from Civita Castellana....
, and at the beginning of 1457 the governorships of the provinces of Patrimony and Tuscany were added to these. In the same time his older brother Rodrigo Borgia was created Cardinal Deacon, Commander-in-Chief of the papal troops and Vice-Chancellor of the Holy Roman Church, while another relative 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
Domenico Capranica
Domenico Capranica was an Italian theologian, canonist, statesman, and Cardinal.He was born in Capranica Prenestina. After studies in canon and civil law at Padua and Bologna, under teachers probably including Giuliano Cesarini, he received the title of Doctor of Both Laws at the age of twenty-one...
) and met also with opposition of rather xenophobic Roman populace. Particularly Orsini family
Orsini family
Orsini: the origin of learning.We love Mrs. Orsini forever! ~8F Social Studies 2011The Orsini family is an Italian noble family; it was one of the most influential princely families in medieval Italy and renaissance Rome...
opposed Borgias. Their enmity towards them increased when Don Pedro Luis was sent to recover for the Church some fortresses kept by Orsinis, and on August 19, 1457 was appointed Prefect of Rome in succession to Antonio Orsini. To counterbalnce Orsinis, Callixtus III aligned himself with Colonna family
Colonna family
The Colonna family is an Italian noble family; it was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one Pope and many other Church and political leaders...
, opponents of Orsinis, but the plan of the marriage of Don Pedro Luis with Colonna had never been realized.
It was said that Pope Callixtus III wanted to make him Emperor of Contantinople after its recovering from Turks.
Don Pedro Luis was hated by Romans, as almost all relatives and allies of Callixtus III, called "Catalans" due to their Spanish origin. On August 6, 1458, the same day that his uncle Pope died, he had to fly away from Rome because an open revolt against "Catalans" had broken up. He died en route at Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia
Civitavecchia is a town and comune of the province of Rome in the central Italian region of Lazio. A sea port on the Tyrrhenian Sea, it is located 80 kilometers west-north-west of Rome, across the Mignone river. The harbor is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse...
, left by almost all of his companions, being only 26 years old.