Verdes-Montenegro family facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The coat of arms of the Verdes-Montenegro Family |
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| Adopted | 17th century (coronet probably added in the first quarter of the 19th century). |
| Blazon | Field: Per pale, an M crowned and a sash surrounded by eight saltires. |
| Other elements | The whole escutcheon surmounted by a Grandee of Spain coronet. |
The Verdes-Montenegro family was an important family from Galicia, a region in northern Spain. Many family members held important jobs in the government and church during the 1700s. Some even married into the highest levels of Spanish nobility, and their family members still live in Spain today.
Family History
The Verdes-Montenegro family name started in the mid-1600s in Galicia. Bartolome de Verdes, a nobleman called an hidalgo, married Juana de Sanjurjo-Montenegro. Her father was Captain Juan de Sanjurjo-Montenegro, also a nobleman.
Their son, Francisco de Verdes-Montenegro, was born in 1656. He and his five brothers were the first to use the double last name, Verdes-Montenegro. In 1710, Francisco left his hometown when he became a corregidor (a type of local governor) in Puebla de Sanabria. He was appointed by the Bourbon family, who wanted to rule Spain.
Sadly, Francisco died a few months later during a battle in the War of the Spanish Succession. This war was about who would be the next king of Spain. When the Bourbon ruler, King Philip V, finally won the throne in 1714, he rewarded Francisco's sons. They were given important jobs in the government and church.
Francisco de Verdes-Montenegro had married Antonia de Castro in 1678. They had seven sons. Three of them became priests: Francisco, Blas, and Gregorio. Francisco became a leader at the Monastery of San Xoán de Caaveiro. Blas was a leader at two different monasteries. Gregorio studied at important universities and became a "Noble Canon" at the Jaen cathedral.
Three other brothers became very important government officials. Fernando Verdes-Montenegro (1682-1741) worked for a powerful count. In 1716, he proved his noble background to join the Order of Calatrava, a special knightly order. He then worked for the king's financial office and became Secretary of Finance in 1724. Later, he joined the important Royal Council of the Indies, which managed Spain's colonies.
His younger brother, Juan Diego Verdes-Montenegro (1690-1763), also joined a knightly order, the Order of Santiago. He moved to Valencia and became the Treasurer for the area and its army. He was also part of the king's financial council.
Miguel Verdes-Montenegro (1697-1767) was another brother. He studied at Salamanca University and became a judge. He also became a Knight of the Order of Santiago and a leader in the Council of the Spanish military orders.
Fernando and Juan Diego Verdes-Montenegro married into very high-ranking noble families. In 1730, Juan Diego married Marianna Tarrega y Sanz de la LLosa. Her family was very old and important. Marianna later became the Marchioness of Benemejís. In 1731, Fernando married Jacinta de Gayoso Arias Ozores, whose family were counts. They lived in Madrid and had children.
Family Tree and Nobility
Because many Verdes-Montenegro brothers and their male descendants joined the Spanish military orders, we have very good information about their family history. To join these orders, people had to prove their noble background. Special investigators would travel to their ancestors' hometowns. They would talk to witnesses and check old documents like birth and marriage records. This process helped create a very accurate family tree for the Verdes-Montenegro family.
The Verdes-Montenegro family were known as hidalgos de sangre. This means they were nobles because of their family bloodline, not because they were given a special title. They did not have to pay taxes, owned land, and proudly displayed their family's coat of arms on their homes and burial sites.
By the early 1800s, the family had two main branches. One branch came from Fernando Verdes-Montenegro and lived in Madrid. The other came from Juan Diego Verdes-Montenegro and lived in Valencia.
Family Coat of Arms
The Verdes-Montenegro family had important homes in Cospeito, Lugo, and the Escrivà Palace in Valencia. On the front of each of these houses, you could see their family's coat of arms carved in stone.
The coat of arms is a shield divided into two parts. On the left side, there is a sash surrounded by eight crosses. These were the symbols of the Verdes family. On the right side, there is a crowned letter "M," which belonged to the Montenegro family.
On the Escrivà Palace in Valencia, the home of Juan Diego Verdes-Montenegro and his wife, the Marchioness of Benemejís, the coat of arms also had a special crown on top of the shield. This crown showed that the family had a "Grandee of Spain" title, which was a very high rank of nobility.
Images for kids
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The coat of arms of the Verdes-Montenegro Family
See also
In Spanish: Familia Verdes Montenegro para niños
