Narciso Fernández de Heredia y Begines de los Ríos, ''

iure uxoris ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title ''suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could becom ...

'' Count of Ofalia, 2nd Count of Heredia-Spínola, 1st Marquess of Heredia, GE (1775–1847) was a Spanish nobleman,

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

who served as

Prime Minister of Spain The prime minister of Spain, officially president of the Government (), is the head of government of Spain. The prime minister nominates the Spanish government departments, ministers and chairs the Council of Ministers (Spain), Council of Mini ...

and as

Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

from 16 December 1837 to 6 September 1838, in the reign of

Isabella II Isabella II (, María Isabel Luisa de Borbón y Borbón-Dos Sicilias; 10 October 1830 – 9 April 1904) was Queen of Spain from 1833 until her deposition in 1868. She is the only queen regnant in the history of unified Spain. Isabella wa ...

Biography

Heredia was the eldest son of Narciso Fernández de Heredia, 1st Count of Heredia-Spínola, and his wife María de las Mercedes Begines de los Ríos y Bejarano. He married firstly in 1803 María de la Soledad Pontejos y Cerviño,Grandesp.org.uk. The Dukes of Ciudad Real
/ref> and had two daughters by this marriage: *Doña Narcisa Fernández de Heredia, 3rd Countess of Heredia-Spínola (1804–1828), married to Miguel Francisco Arízcun, 5th Marquess of Iturbieta. *Doña Josefa Fernández de Heredia y Cerviño, married her cousin Narciso Fernández de Heredia, 1st Count of Doña Marina. Heredia married secondly in 1820 María Dolores de Salabert, 4th Countess of Ofalia, second daughter of Félix de Salabert, 5th Marquess of la Torrecilla and Petra de Torres y Feloaga.

George Borrow George Henry Borrow (5 July 1803 – 26 July 1881) was an English writer of novels and of travel based on personal experiences in Europe. His travels gave him a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe, who figure strongly in his work. Hi ...

, in chapter 38 of his travelogue

The Bible in Spain ''The Bible in Spain'', published in London in 1843, is a travel book by the British writer George Borrow (1803–1881). It was a popular work when it appeared, running through several editions. Borrow tells of his travels through Spain while wor ...

, describes an 1838 meeting with Ofalia in which he presented the Prime Minister with a specially-bound Protestant New Testament: "Throughout the whole of our interview he evidently laboured under great fear, and was continually looking behind and around him, seemingly in dread of being overheard, which brought to my mind an expression of a friend of mine, that if there be any truth in metempsychosis, the soul of Count Ofalia must have originally belonged to a mouse. We parted in kindness, and I went away, wondering by what strange chance this poor man had become prime minister of a country like Spain."

Notes

References

*Cadenas y Vicent, Vicente de
Extracto de los Expedientes de la Orden de Carlos III
Madrid, Higalguía, 1982. , - , - Counts of Spain Marquesses of Spain Prime ministers of Spain Foreign ministers of Spain 1775 births 1847 deaths Moderate Party (Spain) politicians Grandees of Spain Ambassadors of Spain to the United Kingdom {{spain-diplomat-stub