Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba, 18th Duchess of Medinaceli facts for kids

Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba, also known as the 18th Duchess of Medinaceli, was a very important Spanish noblewoman. She was born on April 16, 1917, and passed away on August 18, 2013, at the age of 96.

She was the leader of the famous Spanish noble family called the House of Medinaceli. She also looked after the Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation, which takes care of many historical buildings.

During her life, she held an amazing 50 different noble titles! This made her the second most titled noblewoman in all of Spain. A "Grandee of Spain" is a very high noble rank, and she had many of these titles too.

Early Life and Family

Victoria Eugenia was the oldest daughter of Luis Jesús Fernández de Córdoba y Salabert, who was the 17th Duke of Medinaceli. Her mother was Ana María Fernández de Henestrosa y Gayoso de los Cobos.

She was baptized in a very special place, the Royal Chamber of the Royal Palace of Madrid. Her godparents were none other than Queen Victoria Eugenie and King Alfonso XIII of Spain! She was even named after the Queen. Her family and close friends called her Mimí.

In 1938, she married Rafael de Medina y Vilallonga. When her father passed away in 1956, she became the Duchess of Medinaceli. Before that, her father had given her the courtesy title of 16th Duchess of Alcalá de los Gazules.

Protecting History

In 1980, the Duchess started the Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation. This foundation helps manage and preserve several important historical places in Spain.

• The Casa de Pilatos in Seville, which was her main home.
• The Hospital de San Juan Bautista in Toledo.
• The Palacio de Oca in Galicia.

These places are now open to the public, thanks to her efforts to protect Spain's heritage.

Her Family

The Duchess married Rafael de Medina y Vilallonga on January 12, 1938, in Seville. Rafael was a Knight and even served as the Mayor of Seville for a few years. They had four children together:

• Ana Luisa de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba (born 1940, died 2012). She was the 12th Marquise of Navahermosa. She married Prince Maximilian Emmanuel of Hohenlohe-Langenburg.
  • Her son, Prince Marco of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, later became the 19th Duke of Medinaceli after his grandmother, Victoria Eugenia.
• Luis de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba (born 1941, died 2011). He was the 9th Duke of Santisteban del Puerto.
• Rafael de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba (born 1942, died 2001). He was the 19th Duke of Feria.
• Ignacio de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba (born 1947). He is the 19th Duke of Segorbe.

Noble Titles

Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba held a total of 50 noble titles during her lifetime. Many of these titles came with the special rank of Grandee of Spain. This means she was one of the most important nobles in the country.

She was the 18th Duchess of Medinaceli, which was her most important title. She also held other ducal titles, such as Duchess of Segorbe, Duchess of Alcalá de los Gazules, and Duchess of Feria. Some of these titles she later passed on to her children during her lifetime.

The ducal arms, or coat of arms, of the House of Medinaceli.

Images for kids

• Blasón Armas Condes de Ricla.svg

  The coat of arms for the Counts of Ricla.

See also

In Spanish: Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba para niños

• Medinaceli