Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo y Enríquez, 2nd Duke of Alba (in full) (c. 1460 – 19 October 1531) was a Spanish nobleman, military leader and politician.
He was the son of
García Álvarez de Toledo, 1st Duke of AlbaGarcía Álvarez de Toledo y Carrillo, 1st Duke of Alba de Tormes was a Spanish nobleman, military leader and politician....
, and his wife María Enríquez de Quiñones y Cossines.
Fadrique was very close to the
Catholic MonarchsThe Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
. His father had fought in the
War of the Castilian SuccessionThe War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...
on the side of the future Queen Isabella I of Castille against her niece Juana la Beltraneja, and his mother was related to
Juana Enríquez y Fernandez de CordobaJuana Enriquez de Córdoba, 5th Lady of Casarrubios del Monte , was a Castilian noblewoman who became Queen of the Kingdoms of the Crown of Aragon.-Biography:...
, mother of
Ferdinand II of AragonFerdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
.
He participated in the conquest of
GranadaGranada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
, and already as Duke, he led the Spanish army against the French in
RoussillonRoussillon is one of the historical counties of the former Principality of Catalonia, corresponding roughly to the present-day southern French département of Pyrénées-Orientales...
in 1503. When Ferdinand II as regent of
CastillaA former kingdom, Castile gradually merged with its neighbours to become the Crown of Castile and later the Kingdom of Spain when united with the Crown of Aragon and the Kingdom of Navarre...
, decided to invade and conquer the
Kingdom of NavarreThe Kingdom of Navarre , originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, was a European kingdom which occupied lands on either side of the Pyrenees alongside the Atlantic Ocean....
, supported by a Papal bull, he put the Duke of Alba at the head of his army. Fadrique conquered Navarre in only two weeks time.
As a reward, he was promoted to capitan general of Andalucía and Duke of Huescar in 1513.
He was also a member of the
Consejo de Estado under
Charles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
. He accompanied the Emperor to Germany, Flanders and Italy and was made in 1520 a grandee of Spain and a knight in the
Order of the Golden FleeceThe Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
.
He married Isabel de Zúñiga (1470-after 1520), Condesa de Sevilla, in 1480 and had five children. His eldest son García was destined to be his successor, but predeceased his father, passing the title of third Duke of Alba to Fadrique's grandson, the infamous Iron Duke
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y PimentelDon Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
.
His offspring:
- 1) Doña Leonor Álvarez de Toledo, married Rodrigo Portocarrero.
- 2) Don Garcia Álvarez de Toledo y Zuniga (?-1512), Marqués de Coria, married Beatriz Pimentel:
- Doña Catalina Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, married Diego Enríquez de Velasco, 3º Conde de Alba de Liste.
- Doña Maria Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, married her cousin Enrique Enríquez de Toledo, 4º Conde de Alba de Liste.
- Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
, 3rd Duke of Alba.
- 3) Don Pedro Álvarez de Toledo y Zúñiga (?-1560), Viceroy of Naples, married Maria Osorio-Pimentel :
- García Álvarez de Toledo, 4th Marquis of Villafranca
García Álvarez de Toledo y Osorio, 4th Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo , was a Spanish military officer and politician.- Biography :...
), Viceroy of Naples.
- Eleanor of Toledo, married Cosimo I de' Medici
Cosimo I de' Medici was Duke of Florence from 1537 to 1574, reigning as the first Grand Duke of Tuscany from 1569.-Biography:...
, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
- 4) Doña Aldonza Leonor Álvarez de Toledo y Zuniga, married Diego Enríquez de Velasco, 3º Conde de Alba de Liste.
See also
- House of Alba
The House of Alba is an important Spanish aristocratic family who derive from the 12th century Mozarab nobility of post-conquest Toledo. Their claim to Alba traces to 1429, when the first Álvarez de Toledo was made Lord of the City of Alba de Tormes...
- Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
- Joanna La Beltraneja
- Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
- Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
- War of the Castilian Succession
The War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...
Sources