This son was publicly acknowledged and cared for by the cardinal.
Seven years later--in 1467--he became the father of a daughter--Girolama de Borja--by a spinster, whose name again does not transpire.

Like Pedro Luis she too was openly acknowledged by Cardinal Roderigo.

It was widely believed that this child's mother was Madonna Giovanna de' Catanei, who soon became quite openly the cardinal's mistress, and was maintained by him in such state as might have become a maitresse en titre.

But, as we shall see later, the fact of that maternity of Girolama is doubtful in the extreme.

It was never established, and it is difficult to understand why not if it were the fact.
Meanwhile Paul II--Pietro Barbo, Cardinal of Venice--had succeeded Pius II in 1464, and in 1471 the latter was in his turn succeeded by the formidable Sixtus IV--Cardinal Francesco Maria della Rovere--a Franciscan of the lowest origin, who by his energy and talents had become general of his order and had afterwards been raised to the dignity of the purple.
It was Cardinal Roderigo de Lanzol y Borja who, in his official capacity of Archdeacon of Holy Church, performed the ceremony of coronation and placed the triple crown on the head of Pope Sixtus.