Carlos María Fitz-James Stuart y Palafox, 16th Duke of Alba, 9th Duke of Berwick GE (December 4, 1849 – October 15, 1901) was a Spanish nobleman and diplomat, who held, amongst others, the Dukedom of Alba and Berwick.

Biography

He was born at Madrid, the only son of Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 15th Duke of Alba. His mother María Francisca was the daughter of Cipriano de Palafox y Portocarrero, Duke of Peñaranda, and sister of

Eugénie de Montijo Eugénie de Montijo (; born María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick; 5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920) was Second French Empire, Empress of the French from her marriage to Napoleon III on 30 January 1853 until he was overthrown on 4 ...

, Empress of the French.
During his father's lifetime he was styled Duke of Huéscar. On 16 September 1860 he succeeded his mother in all her titles except the Marquisate of the Bañeza and the Viscountcy of Palacios de la Valduerna, and on 10 July 1881 he succeeded to all his father's titles except the Dukedom of Galisteo, which went to his sister María de la Asuncíon Rosalía, 18th Duchess of Galisteo. As a result of this inheritance the Duke of Alba was a Grandee of the first class twelve times over. As heir-male of

James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick (21 August 1670 – 12 June 1734) was a French Royal Army officer and nobleman who was the eldest illegitimate son of James II of England by Arabella Churchill (royal mistress), Arabella Churchill, the ...

he also claimed the English title of Duke of Berwick, and used the title when staying with

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...

Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle () is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, west of Ballater and west of Aberdeen. The estate and its original castle were bought ...

. He married María del Rosario, 22nd Countess of Siruela on 10 December 1877 at Madrid. She was herself a Grandee of the first class, and daughter of Manuel Pascual Luis Carlos Felix Fortunato Falcó, Marquis of Almonazir by his wife María del Pilar, 3rd Duchess of Fernán Nuñez. His wife was born at Pau on 3 October 1854 and died at Paris on 27 March 1904. They had 3 children: * Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba * Eugenia Sol María del Pilar, married the Duke of Santoña, Lady-in-waiting of Queen Victoria Eugenia. * Hernando Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duke of Peñaranda de Duero. Like his father, he was educated at the

Salamanca University The University of Salamanca () is a public research university in Salamanca, Spain. Founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX, it is the oldest university in the Hispanic world and the fourth oldest in the world in continuous operation. It ha ...

and the military school of Paris. He was Spanish Ambassador in Brussels between 1872 and 1878, and in Saint Petersburg until 1885. Between 1887 and 1894 he was Grand Treasurer of Spain and diplomat in Istanbul. In 1895, he founded the

Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro (), commonly known as Puerta de Hierro, is a private country club based in Madrid, Spain. It owes its name to the nearby Puerta de Hierro (Madrid), iron memorial arch. Notorious for being associated with the Monar ...

along with a group of distinguished Spanish nobles and King

Alfonso XIII of Spain Alfonso XIII ( Spanish: ''Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; French: ''Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon''; 17 May 1886 – 28 February 1941), also ...

. The Duke of Alba was also a Senator of the Kingdom, Chamberlain to the Queen Regent Christina, and a

Knight of the Golden Fleece This article contains a list of knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece. Burgundian Golden Fleece 15th century !Year of induction!!Name!!Born!!Died!!Notes , - , rowspan=25, 1430, , Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, , 1396, , 1467, , Founde ...

. He died from cancer as Spanish Ambassador in the US in New York, aboard Sir Thomas Lipton's yacht, aged 51.

Ancestry

References

George Edward Cokayne George Edward Cokayne (29 April 1825 – 6 August 1911) was an English genealogist and long-serving herald at the College of Arms in London, who eventually rose to the rank of Clarenceux King of Arms. He wrote such authoritative and standard ...

, ed. Vicary Gibbs, ''

The Complete Peerage ''The Complete Peerage'' (full title: ''The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom Extant, Extinct, or Dormant''); first edition by George Edward Cokayne, Clarenceux King of Arms; 2nd edition re ...

'', volume II (London, 1912
page 167
* *

Titles

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alba, Carlos Maria Fitz-James Stuart, 16th Duke of 1849 births 1901 deaths Carlos Maria Carlos Maria Members of the Senate of Spain Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Marquesses of Carpio Berwick, Carlos María Fitz-James Stuart, 9th Duke of Deaths from cancer in New York (state) 19th-century Spanish nobility