MISFORTUNES OF CATARINA SFORZA The jubilee year 1500 was a fortunate one for Caesar, but an unhappy one for Lucretia.

She began it January 1st with a formal passage to the Lateran, whither she went to make the prescribed pilgrimage to the Roman churches.

She rode upon a richly caparisoned jennet, her escort consisting of two hundred mounted nobles, men and women.

On her left was her consort, Don Alfonso; on her right one of the ladies of her court; and behind them came the captain of the papal guard, Rodrigo Borgia.
While she and her retinue were crossing over the Bridge of S.Angelo, her father stood in a loggia of the castle, feasting his eyes upon his beloved daughter.
The new year brought Alexander only good news--if we except that of the death of the Cardinal-legate Giovanni Borgia, Bishop of Melfi and Archbishop of Capua, who was known as the "younger," to distinguish him from another cardinal of the same name.

He died in Urbino, January 8, 1500, of a fever, according to a statement made by Elisabetta, consort of Guidobaldo, to her brother Gonzaga, in a letter written from Fossombrone on the same day.[74] Caesar was in Forli when he received the news of the cardinal's death, the very morning--January 12th--on which the stronghold surrendered to him.