Pedro Luis de Borja Lanzol de Romaní

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Pedro Luis de Borja Lanzol de Romaní, O.S.Io.Hieros. (1472–4 October 1511) was a Spanish-born cardinal and papal relative who served as a military leader for the papacy. Born in Valencia as the third of eight children, he became a Knight of the Order of Saint John (Hospitallers) and later a Knight of Rhodes. In 1498 he attempted to become head of the Aragonese branch of the Order, but King Ferdinand II blocked him; instead he was named Prior of Santa Eufemia. Pope Alexander VI created him cardinal deacon in 1500, and his title was publicly announced on 28 September 1500; his deaconry was S. Maria in Via Lata. He was also named Archbishop of Valencia in 1500, a post he held for life, though he never visited the diocese and it was managed by a procurator. He was ordained a priest in 1502 and became penitentiary major in 1503, while also becoming cardinal priest of S. Marcello in December 1503. He held various offices, including Governor of Spoleto and Bagnoregio, and abbot commendatario of the Cistercian Santa María de la Valldigna and of the Benedictine S. Simpliciano in Milan. He helped influence the University of Valencia’s creation in 1501. He participated in the papal conclaves of 1503, which elected Julius II, whom Borja opposed. After Julius II’s election, Borja fled Rome for Naples in December 1503 with Cardinal Remolins and was later invited back in 1504. He became archpriest of Santa Maria Maggiore in 1510. He died on 4 October 1511 from a fall from a horse while returning from Rome to Naples and was buried in the church of San Pietro a Majella in Naples without a funerary monument.