her Spanish adventurers.

Like the Aragonese, the Borgias also played the part of conquerors in
Italy, winning for themselves honors and power, and deeply affecting the
destiny of the whole peninsula, where they extended the influence of
Spain and established numerous branches of their family. From the old
kings of Aragon they claimed descent, but so little is known of their
origin that their history begins with the real founder of the house,
Alfonso Borgia, whose father's name is stated by some to have been Juan,
and by others Domenico; while the family name of his mother, Francesca,
is not even known.

Alfonso Borgia was born in the year 1378 at Xativa, near Valencia. He
served King Alfonso of Aragon as privy secretary, and was made Bishop of
Valencia. He came to Naples with this genial prince when he ascended its
throne, and in the year 1444 he was made a cardinal.

Spain, owing to her religious wars, was advancing toward national unity,
and was fast assuming a position of European importance. She now, by
taking a hand in the affairs of Italy, endeavored to grasp what she had
hitherto let slip by,--namely, the opportunity of becoming the head of
the Latin world and, above all, the center of gravity of European
politics and civilization. She soon forced herself into the Papacy and
into the Empire. From Spain the Borgias first came to the Holy See, and
from there later came Charles V to ascend the imperial throne. From
Spain came also Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the most powerful
politico-religious order history has ever known.

Alfonso Borgia, one of the most active opponents of the Council of Basle
and of the Reformation in Germany, was elected pope in 1455, assuming
the name Calixtus III. Innumerable were his kinsmen, many of whom he had
found settled in Rome when he, as cardinal, had taken up his residence
there. His nearest kin were members of the three connected Valencian
families of Borgia, Mila (or Mella), and Lanzol. One of the sisters of
Calixtus, Catarina Borgia, was married to Juan Mila, Baron of Mazalanes,
and was the mother of the youthful Juan Luis. Isabella, the wife of
Jofre Lanzol, a wealthy nobleman of Xativa, was the mother of Pedro Luis
and Rodrigo, and of several daughters. The uncle adopted these two
nephews and gave them his family name,--thus the Lanzols became Borgias.

In 1456 Calixtus III bestowed the purple upon two members of the Mila
family: the Bishop Juan of Zamora, who died in