wɪððə hˈɛlp ʌv dʒəvˈɑːniz kˈʌzən, kˈɑːɹdɪnəl ɐskˈænɪˌoʊ ˈɛsfˈɔːɹzə, ðə fˈæmɪli fˈaɪnəlˌaɪzd mˈæɹɪdʒ nᵻɡˌoʊʃɪˈeɪʃənz ɪn fˈɛbɹuːˌɛɹi wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd fˈoːɹhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti tˈuː bᵻtwˌiːn dʒəvˈɑːni, ðˈɛn ɪn hɪz mˈɪdtwˈɛntiz, ænd luːkɹˈiːziə bˈoːɹdʒə, ðə twˈɛlvjˈɪɹˈoʊld ɪlədʒˈɪɾᵻmət dˈɔːɾɚɹ ʌv pˈoʊp ˌælɪɡzˈændɚ vˌiːˈaɪ.
With the help of Giovanni's cousin, Cardinal Ascanio Sforza, the family finalized marriage negotiations in February 1492 between Giovanni, then in his mid-twenties, and Lucrezia Borgia, the twelve-year-old illegitimate daughter of Pope Alexander VI.