Duke of Alba

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"Duchess of Alba" redirects here. For the late Duchess, see Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba.
"Dukedom of Alba" redirects here. Not to be confused with Kingdom of Alba.
For the 16th-century governor of the Spanish-ruled Low Countries, see Duke of Alva.

Dukedom of Alba de Tormes
Escudo del Ducado de Alba de Tormes.svg
Creation date1472
MonarchHenry IV of Castile
PeerageSpain
First holderGarcía Álvarez de Toledo y Carrillo de Toledo, 1st Duke of Alba
Present holderCarlos Fitz-James Stuart y Martínez de Irujo, 19th Duke of Alba[1]
Heir apparentFernando Fitz-James Stuart y Solís, 15th Duke of Huéscar
Seat(s)
Former seat(s)Castle of the Dukes of Alba (Alba de Tormes)
Palace of the Dukes of Alba (Ávila)
Standard of the Dukedom of Alba

Duke of Alba de Tormes (Spanish: Duque de Alba de Tormes), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain.[1] In 1472, the title of Count of Alba de Tormes, inherited by García Álvarez de Toledo, was elevated to the title of Duke of Alba de Tormes by King Henry IV of Castile.[2]

History[]

The dukedom of Alba de Tormes is one of the most significant noble titles of Spain and gives its name to the House of Alba. Over the centuries, members of three distinct family dynasties have held the title in succession – the  [es], the House of Silva (extinct in 1802) and the House of Fitz-James Stuart, which descends from an illegitimate son of King James II of England.

Famous holders of this dukedom include Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba, governor of the Spanish Netherlands (references to "Alba" (or "Alva" in Dutch), particularly in the context of Dutch history, are usually about him), and Doña María del Pilar de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba, a muse of the painter Francisco Goya.

Various dukes have married into the families of Christopher Columbus and Cosimo de Medici, as well as the line of the Dukes of Berwick, making them distant relatives of the Earls Spencer and the Dukes of Marlborough.

Today, the ducal family of Alba retains a large and valuable collection of art and historic documents. The largest part of this treasure is kept at the main residence of the family in Madrid, the Liria Palace.

Lords of Alba de Tormes (1429)[]

  • Don (also Bishop of Palencia, Archbishop of Seville, then Archbishop of Toledo)[3]
  • Don , nephew of Gutierre Álvarez de Toledo (created Count of Alba de Tormes in 1439)

Counts of Alba de Tormes (1439)[]

Dukes of Alba de Tormes (1472)[]

Arms of the Dukes of Alba of the House of Álvarez de Toledo
Arms of the Dukes of Alba of the House of Fitz-James Stuart

References[]

  1. ^ a b c Boletín Oficial del Estado: no. 143, p. 50250, 16 June 2015. Retrieved 28 December 2015 (in Spanish).
  2. ^ Hidalgos de España (2018). p. 36
  3. ^ Gutierre Álvarez de Toledo
  • Hobbs, Nicolas (2007). "Grandes de España" (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2008.
  • Instituto de Salazar y Castro (2012). Elenco de Grandezas y Títulos Nobiliarios Españoles (in Spanish). periodic publication. Hidalguia Ediciones. ISBN 9788493931339. Retrieved 11 January 2013.

Bibliography[]

  • Hidalgos de España, Real Asociación de (2018). Elenco de Grandezas y Títulos Nobiliarios Españoles. Ediciones Hidalguía. ISBN 978-84-94841-02-6.

External links[]

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