Editing Lucrezia Borgia (section)

===First marriage: Giovanni Sforza (Lord of Pesaro and Gradara)===
[[File:Giovanni Sforza coin.jpg|upright=0.7|thumb|Coin showing [[Giovanni Sforza]]]]
On 26 February 1491, a matrimonial arrangement was drawn up between Lucrezia and the [[Lord]] of [[Valle de Ayora|Val D'Ayora]], in the [[Kingdom of Valencia]], Don Cherubino Joan de [[Centelles]] (d. 1522). The arrangement was annulled, less than two months later, in favor of a new contract engaging Lucrezia to Don Gaspare Aversa, Count of [[Procida]] (1476–1534).<ref>{{cite book|last=Bellonci|first=Maria|title=Lucrezia Borgia|year=2000|publisher=Phoenix Press|location=London|isbn=1-84212-616-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/lifetimesoflucre0000bell/page/18 18]|url=https://archive.org/details/lifetimesoflucre0000bell/page/18}}</ref> When Rodrigo became Pope Alexander VI, he sought to be allied with powerful, princely families and founding dynasties of Italy. He, therefore, called off Lucrezia's previous engagements and arranged for her to marry [[Giovanni Sforza]], a member of the [[House of Sforza]] who was Lord of Pesaro and titled Count of Catignola.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bellonci|first=Maria|title=Lucrezia Borgia|year=2000|publisher=Phoenix Press|location=London|isbn=1-84212-616-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/lifetimesoflucre0000bell/page/23 23]|url=https://archive.org/details/lifetimesoflucre0000bell/page/23}}</ref> Giovanni was an illegitimate son of [[Costanzo I Sforza]] and, therefore, a Sforza of the second rank. He married Lucrezia on 12 June 1493 in Rome.<ref name=":0" />

Before long, the Borgia family no longer needed the Sforzas, and the presence of Giovanni Sforza, in the papal court, was superfluous. The Pope needed new, more advantageous political alliances, so he might have covertly ordered the execution of Giovanni: the generally accepted version is that Lucrezia was informed of this by her brother, [[Cesare Borgia|Cesare]], and she warned her husband, who fled Rome.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bellonci|first=Maria|title=Lucrezia Borgia|year=2003|publisher=Mondadori|location=Milan|isbn=978-88-04-45101-3|pages=121–122}}</ref>

Alexander asked Giovanni's uncle, Cardinal [[Ascanio Sforza]], to persuade Giovanni to agree to an annulment of the marriage. Giovanni refused and accused Lucrezia of paternal incest.<ref>{{cite book|last=Bellonci|first=Maria|title=Lucrezia Borgia|year=2003|publisher=Mondadori|location=Milan|isbn=978-88-04-45101-3|pages=139–141}}</ref> 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.<ref>{Some sources state that Giovanni returned the dowry. See, Durant, Will. "The Renaissance" Simon and Schuster (1953), page 429, {{ISBN|0-671-61600-5}}. See also Bradford, Sarah, "Lucrezia Borgia: Life, Love and Death in Renaissance Italy" Penguin Books (2005), Part 1, Ch. 3}</ref> The Sforza family threatened to withdraw their protection, should he refuse. Giovanni finally signed confessions of impotence and documents of [[annulment]], before witnesses.