Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 7th Duke of Alburquerque facts for kids

Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y de la Cueva, 7th Duke of Alburquerque (born in Cuéllar, 1575 – died in Madrid, 18 July 1637) was an important Spanish nobleman, soldier, and government official. His full Spanish title was Spanish: Don Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y de la Cueva, séptimo duque de Alburquerque.

He was the son of Don Beltrán III de la Cueva y Castilla, who was the 6th Duke of Alburquerque, and Isabel de la Cueva y Córdoba.

Important Roles and Achievements

Francisco Fernández de la Cueva held many high-ranking positions during his life. He was known for being very strict and successful in his roles.

Viceroy of Catalonia

In 1617, he was appointed Viceroy of Catalonia. A Viceroy is like a governor who rules a region in the name of a king. In this role, he was known for being tough and effective in keeping order. He worked hard to stop "banditism" (groups of outlaws) and other problems. To do this, he sometimes had disagreements with the local government of Catalonia and even limited some of their local laws.

Viceroy of Sicily

Later, between 1627 and 1632, he served as Viceroy of Sicily. While in Sicily, he ordered two bronze statues to be built. These statues honored Kings Charles I and Philip IV.

Other Government Positions

Francisco Fernández de la Cueva was also a member of the Spanish Council of State. This was a very important group that advised King Philip IV on major decisions. He was also part of the War Council, which helped plan military actions.

He served as an Ambassador to the Holy See, which means he represented Spain to the Pope in Rome. Finally, he became the President of the Council of Italy and the Council of Aragon. These councils were important government bodies that managed affairs in different parts of the Spanish Empire.

Family Life

Francisco Fernández de la Cueva married three times and had ten children.

First Marriage

His first marriage was to Doña Antonia de Toledo-Beaumont. She was the sister of Antonio Álvarez de Toledo, 5th Duke of Alba, another important Spanish nobleman. They did not have any children together.

Second Marriage

He then married Ana María de Padilla. She was the daughter of Martín de Padilla y Manrique, 1st Count of Santa Gadea. Sadly, she passed away before 1614. Their only son, Beltran, died young on 12 December 1617, at the age of 17.

Third Marriage and Children

In 1614, the Duke married for the third time to Ana Enríquez de Cabrera y Colonna. She was the daughter of the Duke of Medina de Rioseco. Together, they had several children:

1. Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y Enríquez de Cabrera (1618–1676), who became the 8th Duke of Alburquerque after his father.
2. Gaspar de la Cueva y Enríquez de Cabrera, who became a General of the artillery (cannons) in the Army of Extremadura during a war with Portugal.
3. Melchor Fernández de la Cueva y Enríquez de Cabrera (1625–1686), who later became the 9th Duke of Alburquerque.
4. Baltasar de la Cueva, Count of Castellar (1627–1686), who served as a Viceroy of Peru.
5. José de la Cueva y Enríquez, who became a Canon (a type of priest).
6. Isabel de la Cueva y Enríquez, who married twice. Her first husband was Jorge de Cárdenas y Manrique de Lara, and her second was Pedro Nuño Colón de Portugal y Castro, who was a Viceroy of New Spain.
7. Ana de la Cueva y Enríquez, who married Juan Enríquez de Borja y Almansa.
8. María de la Cueva y Enríquez, who died when she was young.
9. Victoria de la Cueva y Enríquez, who also died when she was young.

See also

In Spanish: Francisco Fernández de la Cueva (m. 1637) para niños