He was the son of Sigismondo Pandolfo Malatesta, lord of Rimini, and Isotta degli Atti.
[2] At first, Isotta was Sigismondo's mistress, but after the death of his wife Polissena Sforza, they would marry.
[4] Roberto Malatesta, an illegitimate son of Sigismondo, opposed his father's decisions.
He would take control of Rimini with assistance from Milan, Florence, and Naples.
[5][6][1] Roberto would do the same to another of Sigismondo's sons, Valerio Galeotto Malatesta [it], in November of the same year.