Thereupon the Infante of Rome again disappeared from view until the year
1530, when we find him in Rome, laying claim to the Duchy of Camerino.
The last Varano, Giammaria, had returned thither on Caesar's overthrow,
and had been recognized by Julius II as a vassal of the Church. In
April, 1515, Leo X made him Duke of Camerino and married him to his own
niece, the beautiful Catarina Cibo. Giammaria died in August, 1527,
leaving as his sole heir his daughter Giulia, who was not yet of age. An
illegitimate son of the house of Varano laid claim to Camerino, and he
was ready to enforce his demands with arms, but he was frustrated in his
attempt by a suit brought by Giovanni Borgia, the first duke, who was
supported by Alfonso of Ferrara in his efforts. He furnished him with
several documents dating from the time of Alexander VI which referred to
his rights to Camerino, and which had been placed by Lucretia in the
chancellery of the house of Este. Don Giovanni had even gone to Charles
V, in Bologna, where the famous congress had been sitting since
December, 1529. The emperor had advised him to endeavor to secure his
rights by process of law in Rome, through the Pope. From that city, in
1530, the infante wrote a letter to Duke Alfonso, in which he informed
him of his affairs, and asked him to have further search made in the
archives of the Este for documents concerning himself.

Don Giovanni began suit. In a voluminous document dated June 29, 1530,
he describes himself not only as Domicellus Romanus Principalis, but
also as "orator of the Pope." From this it appears that he--one of the
illegitimate sons of Alexander VI--was a prominent gentleman in Rome,
and was even in the Pope's service. The Roman Ruota decided the suit
against Giovanni, who had to pay the costs. In a brief dated June 7,
1532, Clement VII commanded him to cease annoying Giulia Varano and her
mother with any further claims.[232] From that time we hear nothing more
of this Borgia except from a letter written in Rome, November 19, 1547,
apparently by a Ferrarese agent to Ercole II, then reigning duke. In it
he mentions the death of Don Giovanni. The letter is as follows:

Don Giovanni Borgia has just died in Genoa; it is said he left many
thousand ducats in Valencia. Here (in Rome) he had a little
clothing, two horses, and a vineyard worth about three hundred
ducats. As he left no will the property will be divided between
your Excellen