Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona
Encyclopedia
Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona, 5th Duke of Sessa, (Bellpuig
, Catalonia
, 2 December 1550 – Valladolid
, Spain
, 6 January 1606), was a Spanish nobleman. He held the titles of Duke of Sessa, Duke of Soma, and Duke of Baena
, among others.
, 3rd count of Palamós
, 3rd count of Trivento
, 3rd count of Avellino
, 6th barón of Bellpuig, Calonge
, Liñola and Uxafavá, and Great Admiral of Naples. Antonio's mother was Beatriz de Figueroa, a daughter of Elvira Fernández de Córdoba y Manrique
, the 2nd duchess of Sessa and the 2nd duchess of five other duchies won by her father, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
.
Although Beatriz would normally have borne the surname Fernández de Córdoba, she preferred to be known as Beatriz de Figueroa in honour of her maternal grandmother, whose surnames were Manrique de Lara and Figueroa. This practice of using a surname belonging to an ancestor, rather than the paternally inherited surname, was not unusual among the Spanish nobility of the time. Antonio's name was also affected by this practice. Ordinarily he would have been a Folch de Cardona, inheriting his father's surname, but his parents instead decided to give him the Fernández de Córdoba name, in memory of his famous ancestor, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba.
Beatriz died a nun in Barcelona in 1553, and Fernando died at Naples on 13 September 1571. Antonio's only brother Luis died in March 1574, and thereafter, Antonio inherited all their titles as 4th Duke of Soma, 5th consort Duke of Sessa, 3rd Duke of Baena, 7th Count of Cabra, plus many other counties and viscounties in Catalonia and in Italy as described above with other ancestors.
and Philip III of Spain
. He was also head of protocol for Queen Consort Margaret of Austria and a Knight and Commander at the Military Order of Calatrava. While in Rome, he was visited by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens.
, Catalunya, on 19 June 1578. She was the eldest daughter of Diego Fernández de Córdoba, 3rd marquis of Comares, Governor General of Oran and Mazalquivir. Her mother was Juana Folch de Cardona, 4th Duke of Cardona, countess of Ampurias
, countess of Prades
, marchioness of Pallars.
Juana de Córdoba Cardona y Aragón died in 1634.
The marriage of Antonio and Juana produced two male children:
Bellpuig
Bellpuig is a town in the comarca of l'Urgell in Catalonia, Spain.Nowadays Bellpuig is the third most important village in the area of Urgell....
, Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
, 2 December 1550 – Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 6 January 1606), was a Spanish nobleman. He held the titles of Duke of Sessa, Duke of Soma, and Duke of Baena
Baena
Baena is a town of Andalucia, southern Spain, in the province of Córdoba; 32 miles by road south east of the city of Córdoba. Population of the town is 20000 people. Baena is picturesquely situated near the river Marbella, on the slope of a hill crowned with a castle, which formerly belonged to the...
, among others.
Lineage
Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona was the son of Fernando Folch de Cardona Anglesola y Requesens, 2nd Duke of Soma, 2nd count of OlivetoOliveto
Oliveto , meaning olive grove, is a common component of Italian place-names:*Oliveto Citra, in the Province of Salerno*Oliveto Lario, in the Province of Lecco*Oliveto Lucano, in the Province of Matera...
, 3rd count of Palamós
Palamós
Palamós is a town and municipality in the Mediterranean Costa Brava, located in the comarca of Baix Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain....
, 3rd count of Trivento
Trivento
Trivento is a comune in the Province of Campobasso in the Italian region Molise, located about 25 km northwest of Campobasso...
, 3rd count of Avellino
Avellino
Avellino is a town and comune, capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains 42 km north-east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento.-History:Before the Roman conquest, the...
, 6th barón of Bellpuig, Calonge
Calonge
Calonge is a municipality in the comarca of the Baix Empordà in Catalonia, Spain.The town comprises two parts, a medieval hill village and modern seaside resort. The main urban centre and original village is about 4 km inland from the Bay of Sant Antoni...
, Liñola and Uxafavá, and Great Admiral of Naples. Antonio's mother was Beatriz de Figueroa, a daughter of Elvira Fernández de Córdoba y Manrique
Elvira Fernández de Córdoba y Manrique
Elvira Fernández de Córdoba y Manrique , was a Spanish noblewoman, the only daughter of Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, a Spanish general involved with the Italian Wars and Viceroy of Naples in 1503–1507....
, the 2nd duchess of Sessa and the 2nd duchess of five other duchies won by her father, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba known as The Great Captain, Duke of Terranova and Santangelo, Andria, Montalto and Sessa, also known as Gonzalo de Córdoba, Italian: Gonsalvo or Consalvo Ernandes di Cordova was a Spanish general fighting in the times of the Conquest of Granada and the Italian Wars...
.
Although Beatriz would normally have borne the surname Fernández de Córdoba, she preferred to be known as Beatriz de Figueroa in honour of her maternal grandmother, whose surnames were Manrique de Lara and Figueroa. This practice of using a surname belonging to an ancestor, rather than the paternally inherited surname, was not unusual among the Spanish nobility of the time. Antonio's name was also affected by this practice. Ordinarily he would have been a Folch de Cardona, inheriting his father's surname, but his parents instead decided to give him the Fernández de Córdoba name, in memory of his famous ancestor, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba.
Beatriz died a nun in Barcelona in 1553, and Fernando died at Naples on 13 September 1571. Antonio's only brother Luis died in March 1574, and thereafter, Antonio inherited all their titles as 4th Duke of Soma, 5th consort Duke of Sessa, 3rd Duke of Baena, 7th Count of Cabra, plus many other counties and viscounties in Catalonia and in Italy as described above with other ancestors.
Career
Fernández de Córdoba was the Spanish ambassador in Rome between 1590 and 1604, serving under Philip IIPhilip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
and Philip III of Spain
Philip III of Spain
Philip III , also known as Philip the Pious, was the King of Spain and King of Portugal and the Algarves, where he ruled as Philip II , from 1598 until his death...
. He was also head of protocol for Queen Consort Margaret of Austria and a Knight and Commander at the Military Order of Calatrava. While in Rome, he was visited by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens.
Marriage
Fernandez de Córdoba married Juana de Córdoba Cardona y Aragón in ToràTorà
Torà is a town and municipality in the North East of the comarca of Segarra, in the province of Lleida, Catalonia, Spain. The urban structure of the center has retained most of its original design, with narrow, twisting streets and blocks formed by rows of attached buildings. The Medieval town...
, Catalunya, on 19 June 1578. She was the eldest daughter of Diego Fernández de Córdoba, 3rd marquis of Comares, Governor General of Oran and Mazalquivir. Her mother was Juana Folch de Cardona, 4th Duke of Cardona, countess of Ampurias
Ampurias
Ampurias may refer to:* Empúries in Catalonia, Spain* Castelsardo on Sardinia, Italy...
, countess of Prades
Prades
-Places:* Prades, Ardèche, in the Ardèche département, France* Prades, Ariège, in the Ariège département, France* Prades, Haute-Loire, in the Haute-Loire département, France...
, marchioness of Pallars.
Juana de Córdoba Cardona y Aragón died in 1634.
Descendants
The descendants of Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona were given various combinations of surnames, such as Córdoba, Fernández de Córdoba, and Folch de Cardona, according to convenience or the whims of their families, making their genealogy difficult to follow. One such descendant was a Córdoba woman married to an Irish count from the Sullivan family, who was exiled to Madrid and assassinated there in 1618.The marriage of Antonio and Juana produced two male children:
- Luis Fernández de Córdoba, (1582–1642), 6th Duke of Sessa, 4th Duke of Baena and many other titles, protector of the famous theatrical writer, Felix Lope de Vega.
- Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba (1585–1635), Governor of the Duchy of Milan (1625–1629), 1st Prince of Maratea, SicilySicilySicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
(1624), Prince of the Holy Roman Empire (1625) by Holy Roman EmperorHoly Roman EmperorThe Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Ferdinand IIFerdinand II, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand II , a member of the House of Habsburg, was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Bohemia , and King of Hungary . His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War.- Life :...
. He was single and had no issue.