Gregorio de Silva y Mendoza (1649 in Pastrana – 1693 in

Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...

) was a Spanish noble from the

House of Mendoza The Mendoza family was a powerful line of Spanish nobles. Members of the family wielded considerable power, especially from the 14th to the 17th centuries in Castile. The family originated from the village of Mendoza (Basque ''mendi+oza'', 'c ...

. He was the 5th Duke of Pastrana, 9th

Duke of the Infantado Duke of the Infantado ( es, Duque del Infantado) is a Spanish peerage title that was granted to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza y Figueroa, son of Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Santillana, by the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon ...

, 7th

Duke of Lerma Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, 1st Duke of Lerma, 5th Marquess of Denia, 1st Count of Ampudia (1552/1553 – 17 May 1625), was a favourite of Philip III of Spain, the first of the ''validos'' ('most worthy') through whom the later H ...

, 6th

Duke of Francavilla Duke of Francavilla ( es, Duque de Francavilla) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1555 by Charles I to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, Viceroy of Aragon and Catalonia and son of Cardin ...

, 5th Duke of Estremera, and the Prince of Eboli and Melito.

Family origins

He was the son of Rodrigo de Silva Mendoza y Guzmán, the 4th Duke of Pastrana and his wife, Catalina Gómez de Sandoval y Mendoza, the 8th Duchess of the Infantado. The Mendoza family rose to power when it merged with the

House of Lasso de la Vega The House de la Vega, Laso de la Vega or Lasso de la Vega (sometimes even Garci Lasso de la Vega or Garcilaso de la Vega depending on the family member referenced) is a Spanish noble line from the Kingdom of Castile. The family origins lie in the ...

through the marriage of

Leonor Lasso de la Vega Leonor Lasso de la Vega (b. before 1367 - d. 1432) was a Spanish noble woman from Cantabria and head of the prestigious House of Lasso de la Vega from 1367 - 1432. Family origins Leonor was the paternal great-granddaughter of Garci Lasso de ...

, the last direct member of that line, and Admiral Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, the admiral of Castile.

Biography

He inherited his noble titles after the deaths of his mother and father respectively. In 1679, he was sent to

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

with his brothers Gaspar and José to take the newly crowned Queen Marie Louise of Orléans her bridal gifts which consisted of a painting by

Juan Carreño de Miranda Juan Carreño de Miranda (25 March 1614 — 3 October 1685) was a Spanish painter of the Baroque period. Biography Born in Avilés in Asturias, son of a painter with the same name, Juan Carreño de Miranda. His family moved to Madrid in 1623, ...

Charles II of Spain Charles II of Spain (''Spanish: Carlos II,'' 6 November 1661 – 1 November 1700), known as the Bewitched (''Spanish: El Hechizado''), was the last Habsburg ruler of the Spanish Empire. Best remembered for his physical disabilities and the War o ...

. The painting's frame was embedded with diamonds. The group left Madrid on 30 July 1679 and arrived in the French Court on 14 September. The ostentatious gift was met with great happiness as is recounted in a contemporary Spanish recording from the day which refers to the Queen,

Elisabeth of France Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

's surprise. The following day, he delivered the present to Mari Louise, an occasion that brought about banquets and parties throughout Paris. In 1686, following the death of his mother, he became the 9th Duke of the Infantado. This officially united all of the family titles held under one name. In 1688, he was named Sumiller de Corps of

, who in 1693, just before his death, named Gregorio as a Knight of the

Order of the Golden Fleece The Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece ( es, Insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro, german: Orden vom Goldenen Vlies) is a Catholic order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, in 1430, to celebrate his marriage ...

where after he took a leading role in the royal court. He was also an art enthusiast, especially favoring the painter Juan Carreño de Miranda who painted the picture of Queen Marie Louise. Miranda immortalized Gregorio for his patronage in his famous painting which hangs in the

Museo del Prado The Prado Museum ( ; ), officially known as Museo Nacional del Prado, is the main Spanish national art museum, located in central Madrid. It is widely considered to house one of the world's finest collections of European art, dating from the ...

(see right).

Marriage and descendants

In 1666, Gregorio married Doña María de Haro y Guzmán (1644 – 1693), daughter of

Luis Méndez de Haro Luis Méndez de Haro, 6th Marquis of Carpio or Luis Méndez de Haro y Guzmán, Grandee of Spain (in full, es, Don (honorific), Don Luis Méndez de Haro Guzmán y Sotomayor de la Paz, sexto marqués del Carpio, segundo conde de Morente, quinto co ...

, the first minister of

Philip IV of Spain Philip IV ( es, Felipe, pt, Filipe; 8 April 160517 September 1665), also called the Planet King (Spanish: ''Rey Planeta''), was King of Spain from 1621 to his death and (as Philip III) King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. Philip is remembered f ...

and Catalina Fernández de Córdoba y Aragón. From this marriage were born: * Luisa María María de Silva y Haro (born 1670), married

Manuel Pérez de Guzmán, 12th Duke of Medina Sidonia Manuel Pérez de Guzmán y Pimentel, 12th Duke of Medina Sidonia (1671–1721) became Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1713. He was married in 1687, aged 16, to the 17-year-old Luisa Maria de Silva Mendoza. She was a daughter of Gregorio Maria Domingo, t ...

* Juan de Dios de Silva y Mendoza y Haro (b. 13 November 1672 - d. 9 December 1773) 10th Duke of the Infantado, 8th Duke of Lerma, 6th Duke of Pastrana, etc. * Manuel María de Silva Mendoza y Toledo, X conde Galve (1677-1728), married María Teresa Álvarez de Toledo y Haro, XI duchess of Alba de Tormes. ** Parents of

Fernando de Silva, 12th Duke of Alba Fernando de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, 12th Duke of Alba (27 October 1714 – 15 November 1776), was a Spanish politician and general who was Prime Minister of Spain in 1754.in full, es, Don Fernando de Silva Mendoza y Álvarez de Toledo, ...

(1714-1776), Prime Minister of Spain. * María Teresa de Silva y Méndez de Haro, a nun * Catalina María de Silva y Méndez de Haro, married Ginés Miguel Fernando Ruíz de Castro y Portugal (1666-1741), XI Count of Lemos.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gregorio Maria de Silva y Mendoza 1649 births 1693 deaths Dukes of Spain 9 House of Mendoza 17th-century Spanish nobility