Giovanni Borgia (1474)
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- For the other Giovanni Borgia, see Giovanni Borgia (1498).
Giovanni Borgia, 2nd Duke of Gandia (1474 - June 14, 1497) was the brother of the famous Cesare Borgia.
Giovanni Borgia was born in Rome to Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. He married Maria Enriquez de Luna, the Spanish betrothed of his deceased older half-brother, Pedro Luis, in September of 1493. He was made 2nd Duke of Gandia, Duke of Sessa, Grand Constable of Naples, the Papal Gonfalonier and General Captain, and Governor of St.Peters.
He was murdered the night of June 14, 1497 near what would later become the Piazza della Giudecca (in the Ghetto of Rome). It has been speculated that his own brother Cesare Borgia had him murdered. His richly attired body with 30 golden ducats was untouched in the purse at his belt after his body was recovered from the Tiber River. To the immense grief of the Pope, this act occasioned the heartless epigram by Sannazzaro on the Pope as "fisher of men". Borgia's only attendant was slain, so there were no witnesses (Sabatini, II.4).
Although not proven, there is the possibilty that the Duke of Gandia died at the hands of one Antonio Pico della Mirandola whose "house was near the Tiber" and "who also had a young daughter" - which could explain Giovanni's remark that he was going to '"amuse himself" on his mysterious ride (Ibidem)
Giovanni and Maria had two children: Juan Borja y Enriquez (also known as Juan Borgia), who became the 3rd Duke of Gandia, and Francisca de Jesus Borja, who became a nun at a convent in Valladolid. This Juan was the father of Saint Francis Borgia.
