, which Borja never visited during his tenure as
archbishop of Valencia, a post held by a Borja since 1429 On 20 March 1500 his grand uncle
Pope Alexander VI created him cardinal deacon
in pectore; Borja's cardinalate was published during another consistory on 28 September 1500 and he was formally given the
Red Hat on 2 October 1500; effective from 5 October 1500 his deaconry was
S. Maria in Via Lata. While already a cardinal, Borja was elected
archbishop of Valencia, a post he would hold until his death, on 29 July 1500, succeeding his brother, Juan. Borja would never visit the
diocese as archbishop; instead he took possession of it through a
procurator, Guillem Ramón de Centelles, on 29 August 1500. There is no evidence that he was ever consecrated, although he received the post of
penitentiary major on the condition that he receive priestly ordination, which he did in 1502, assuming the post on 7 December 1503; he would remain penitentiary until his death. After his ordination, he became cardinal priest
S. Marcello on 7 December 1503, retaining his deaconry (and its revenues)
in commendam. Through the influence of his grand uncle, Borja also was given the titles of
Governor of Spoleto (10 August 1500),
Governor of Bagnoregio,
Abbot commendatario of the
Cistercian Monastery of Santa María de la Valldigna, and of the Benedictine monastery of
S. Simpliciano in
Milan. Alexander VI's bull creating the
University of Valencia on 23 January 1501 is attributed to Borja's influence. When Borja reached Rome on 17 June 1501, (through the "
Popolo" gate), he was received by his brother Rodrigo, the captain of the
Palatine Guard. ==After the death of Alexander VI==