Antonio Álvarez de Toledo y Enríquez de Ribera, VII

Duke of Alba Duke of Alba de Tormes (), commonly known as Duke of Alba, is a title of Spanish nobility that is accompanied by the dignity of Grandee of Spain. In 1472, the title of ''Count of Alba de Tormes'', inherited by García Álvarez de Toledo, wa ...

(Madrid, 26 February 1615 – Madrid, 11 November 1690) was a Spanish noble and politician. He was

Viceroy of Navarre This is a list of Spanish Viceroys of Navarre from 1512 to 1840, when the function was abolished. *1512 : Diego Fernández de Córdoba y Arellano, marqués de Comares *1515 : Fadrique de Acuña, Conde de Buendía *1516 : Antonio Manrique de L ...

, president of the

Council of Italy The Council of Italy, officially the Royal and Supreme Council of Italy (, ), was a ruling body and key part of the government of the Spanish Empire in Early Modern Europe, Europe, second only to the monarch himself. It was based in Madrid and ...

and a Knight in the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece (, ) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in 1430 in Brugge by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, to celebrate his marriage to Isabella of Portugal, Duchess of Burgundy, Isabella of Portugal. T ...

Biography

He was the only son of Fernando Álvarez de Toledo Mendoza, VI Duke of Alba, and his first wife, Antonia Enríquez de Ribera Álvarez de Toledo, IV Marchioness of Villanueva del Río.
His mother already died in 1623. When his father died on 7 October 1667, Antonio also succeeded to the titles of

Duke of Huéscar Duke of Huéscar () is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1563 by Philip II to María Josefa Pimentel, daughter of the Dukes of Benavente, as a gift for her wedding to Fadrique Ál ...

(V), Count of Lerín (VII), Marquis of Coria (X), Marquis of Villanueva del Río (VI), Count of Salvatierra de Tormes (VII), Count of Piedrahíta (VI), Duke of Galisteo (IV) and Count of Osorno (IX). Due to his father's powerful personality, Antonio had long been aloof from political life, except in 1661, when he had been appointed

for a few months. When Antonio became the new Duke of Alba, he was a staunch supporter of the King's powerful illegitimate brother,

John Joseph of Austria John Joseph of Austria or John of Austria (the Younger) (; 7 April 1629 – 17 September 1679) was a Spanish general and political figure. He was the only illegitimate son of Philip IV of Spain to be acknowledged by the King and trained for m ...

. He became

Mayordomo mayor {{short description, High Steward of Spain The Mayordomo mayor (High Steward) was the Officer of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain in charge of the person and rooms of the King of Spain. The Office of “Mayordomo mayor” wa ...

of King

Charles II of Spain Charles II (6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700) was King of Spain from 1665 to 1700. The last monarch from the House of Habsburg, which had ruled Spain since 1516, he died without an heir, leading to a European Great Power conflict over the succ ...

in 1667, a member of the Councils of State and War in 1674 and President of the

in 1677. He was also awarded the

in 1675.

Marriage and children

He married first in 1626 to Mariana Fernández de Velasco, daughter of

Juan Fernández de Velasco y Tovar, 5th Duke of Frías Juan Fernández de Velasco, 5th Duke of Frías ( – 15 March 1613) was a Spanish nobleman and diplomat. Biography Juan Fernández de Velasco was the son of Íñigo Fernández de Velasco; and of Maria Angela de Aragón y Guzmán El Bueno. He i ...

. They had 2 children : *Antonio Álvarez de Toledo y Fernández de Velasco (1627–1721), VIII

*María Álvarez de Toledo y Fernández de Velasco, married Nicolás María de Guzmán y Caraffa, III

Duke of Medina de las Torres Duke of Medina de las Torres () is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility, Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1625 by Philip IV of Spain, Philip IV to Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, Gaspar de G ...

Widowed in 1650, he remarried in Madrid to Guiomar de Silva Mendoza Corella, on 22 September 1656, daughter of the 1st Marquis of Orani. They had one son: *Francisco Álvarez de Toledo y Silva (1662–1739), later X

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alvarez De Toledo, Antonio 07 1615 births 1690 deaths Viceroys of Navarre Dukes of Alba Dukes of Huéscar House of Alba Antonio II Knights of the Golden Fleece Grandees of Spain 17th-century Spanish nobility