Francisco Fernández de la Cueva y Fernández de la Cueva, (
Genoa
Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...
, Italy, 17 November 1666 –
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, Spain, 28 June 1724) was the 10th
Duke of Alburquerque, a
Grandee of Spain
Grandee (; , ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...
, a Knight of 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 ...
from 1707, and
Viceroy of New Spain
This article lists the viceroys who ruled the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1535 to 1821 in the name of the monarch of Spain.
In addition to viceroys, this article lists the highest Spanish governors of the viceroyalty, before the appointment o ...
from 27 November 1702 to 14 January 1711. He was viceroy during the
War of Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish ...
and his tenure as Viceroy of New Spain is commemorated in the namesake of
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), also known as ABQ, Burque, the Duke City, and in the past 'the Q', is the List of municipalities in New Mexico, most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico, and the county seat of Bernalillo County, New Mexico, Bernal ...
,
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
.
He was the nephew of
Francisco IV Fernández de la Cueva – Colonna, (*
Barcelona
Barcelona ( ; ; ) is a city on the northeastern coast of Spain. It is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second-most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within c ...
, 1618/1619 – †
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
(Palacio Real) 27 March 1676), 8th Duque de Alburquerque and many other lesser titles, also a
Viceroy of New Spain
This article lists the viceroys who ruled the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1535 to 1821 in the name of the monarch of Spain.
In addition to viceroys, this article lists the highest Spanish governors of the viceroyalty, before the appointment o ...
, (1653–1660), and
Viceroy of Sicily
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory.
The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...
, (1667–1670), and the son of the 9th Duke of Alburquerque, and many other lesser titles, the
cadet
A cadet is a student or trainee within various organisations, primarily in military contexts where individuals undergo training to become commissioned officers. However, several civilian organisations, including civil aviation groups, maritime ...
brother of the 8th Duke, and inheritor of the titles, (* Madrid, 2 March 1625 – † Madrid 12 October 1686).
His father, Melchor, the 9th Duke, had married in 1665 his niece Ana Rosolea Fernández de la Cueva, the 3rd Marchioness of
Cadreita, Navarre, daughter of the 8th Duke of Alburquerque
Francisco IV Fernández de la Cueva and Juana Francisca Díez de Aux y Armendáriz, herself daughter of
Lope Díez de Armendáriz,
Viceroy of Mexico (1635–1640).
This Spanish – Equatorian, Francisco Fernández de La Cueva y Fernandez de la Cueva, 10th Duke, was thus family connected through paternal and maternal links with 2 former
Viceroys of New Spain
This article lists the viceroys who ruled the Viceroyalty of New Spain from 1535 to 1821 in the name of the Monarchy of Spain, monarch of Spain.
In addition to viceroys, this article lists the highest Spanish governors of the viceroyalty, before ...
,
Viceroys of México, his uncle Francisco IV, the 8th Duke of Alburquerque and Lope Díez de Armendáriz.
He was captain general of the
Kingdom of Granada
The Emirate of Granada, also known as the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada, was an Islamic polity in the southern Iberian Peninsula during the Late Middle Ages, ruled by the Nasrid dynasty. It was the last independent Muslim state in Western Europe.
...
and captain general of the coast of
Andalusia
Andalusia ( , ; , ) is the southernmost autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain, located in the south of the Iberian Peninsula, in southwestern Europe. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomou ...
.
His administration
The French had received a concession of ten years for their establishment, in
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entit ...
, of a French trading post dealing in black slaves. Upon his arrival in Veracruz he enforced Spanish law, and allowed their stay, until their concession was over. After which point, the French trading post was to stop operating within the slave trade, as it was illegal to openly operate such facilities within Spanish territory.
He arrived in
Chapultepec
Chapultepec, more commonly called the "Bosque de Chapultepec" (Chapultepec Forest) in Mexico City, is one of the largest Nature Value Area´s in Mexico, measuring in total just over . Centered on a rock formation called Chapultepec Hill, one of ...
in November, 1702 and made his formal entry into
Mexico City
Mexico City is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Mexico, largest city of Mexico, as well as the List of North American cities by population, most populous city in North America. It is one of the most important cultural and finan ...
on 8 December 1702. He was a fervent supporter of the Bourbon monarchy and of King
Philip V of Spain
Philip V (; 19 December 1683 – 9 July 1746) was List of Spanish monarchs, King of Spain from 1 November 1700 to 14 January 1724 and again from 6 September 1724 to his death in 1746. His total reign (45 years and 16 days) is the longest in the ...
, and he worked in New Spain to suppress any kind of discontent that could result in support for the
Habsburg
The House of Habsburg (; ), also known as the House of Austria, was one of the most powerful dynasties in the history of Europe and Western civilization. They were best known for their inbreeding and for ruling vast realms throughout Europe d ...
party.
This viceroy's administration was known for its luxury and magnificence. On 6 January 1703 the palace guards in the viceregal palace appeared in uniforms of the French mode for the first time, three-cornered hats and all. This attracted much attention, and fashions at the court and beyond quickly followed along the same lines. This was a fashion of luxury, starkly contrasted with the poverty of the majority of the people.
Marriage
He married in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, 6 February 1684, 18-year-old Juana de la Cerda y de Aragón-Moncada (*
Puerto de Santa María, 27 March 1664 – †
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
28 June 1724), a daughter of
Juan Francisco II Tomás Lorenzo de la Cerda 8th Duke of
Medinaceli
Medinaceli () is a municipality and town in the province of Soria, in Castile and León, Spain. Built on a hilltop at about 1210 metres above sea level, the town oversees the Jalón valley. The municipality includes other villages like Torralba ...
, 8 Duke of
Alcalá de los Gazules, a Knight of 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 ...
, and many other lesser titles.
Their first son, inheritor of the titles, was named (*
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
28 September 1692 – †
Hortaleza
Hortaleza is one of the 21 Districts of Madrid, districts of the city of Madrid, Spain.
History
Origin
The first recorded human activity in the area of Hortaleza was the existence of a nomadic or semi-nomadic population in the Paleolithic ...
, 23. June 1757), 11th Duke of Alburquerque and many other lesser titles, who married in 1734 Agustina de Silva, deceased 10 years later, a daughter of
Juan de Dios de Silva y Mendoza, (1672–1737), 10th
Duque del Infantado, and María Teresa, a daughter of Francisco Domingo Gutiérrez de los Ríos, from Cordoba and Ambassador in France.
Military affairs
During his tenure as viceroy, Alburquerque significantly expanded New Spain's
coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a Maritime Security Regimes, maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with cust ...
to counter
piracy
Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and valuable goods, or taking hostages. Those who conduct acts of piracy are call ...
in the region. During the
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict fought between 1701 and 1714. The immediate cause was the death of the childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700, which led to a struggle for control of the Spanish E ...
, he directed the
military of New Spain to prevent
English and
Dutch inroads into the
Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal states that have a shoreline on the Gulf of Mexico are Tex ...
. After
St. Augustine, Florida
St. Augustine ( ; ) is a city in and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located 40 miles (64 km) south of downtown Jacksonville, the city is on the Atlantic coast of northeastern Florida. Founded in 1565 by Spani ...
was
besieged by English forces under the command of
James Moore Sr., Alburquerque sent military reinforcements and supplies to the settlement, which forced Moore to lift the siege. Alburquerque also confiscated the property owned by English and Dutch subjects in New Spain, using the proceeds from selling them to fund the Spanish war effort. He also devoted military resources to protect
Spanish missions in Mexico, including missions in
Baja California
Baja California, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California, is a state in Mexico. It is the northwesternmost of the 32 federal entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1952, the area was known as the North Territory of B ...
.
During the conflict, Alburquerque also devoted significant efforts to raising money within New Spain for the war effort as well. He demanded that New Spain's clergy turn over one tenth of their tithes to the colonial government, which
Juan Ortega y Montañés strongly objected to. When Alburquerque's term in office was extended, in gratitude he remitted two million ''
peso
The peso is the monetary unit of several Hispanophone, Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, as well as the Philippines. Originating in the Spanish Empire, the word translates to "weight". In most countries of the Americas, the symbol com ...
s'' to the
Spanish Crown
The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a Hereditary monarchy, hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country.
The Spanish ...
. To raise it, he resorted to illegal methods such as selling government offices. Alburquerque's remittances to the Crown were so large that the colonial government found itself unable to pay the salaries of many
law enforcement
Law enforcement is the activity of some members of the government or other social institutions who act in an organized manner to enforce the law by investigating, deterring, rehabilitating, or punishing people who violate the rules and norms gove ...
officers and other government employees, and they were laid off. As a result, much of New Spain's streets and highways became infested with
brigands
Brigandage is the life and practice of highway robbery and plunder. It is practiced by a brigand, a person who is typically part of a gang and lives by pillage and robbery.Oxford English Dictionary second edition, 1989. "Brigand.2" first record ...
.
Crime and rebellion
In 1701 the Tribunal de la (literally, ''Court of Agreement'') was founded. It received this name as the result of a proposal agreed to by the
Audiencia. It was an organization of volunteers intended to capture and quickly try bandits. From its creation to the beginning of the Mexican War of Independence in 1810, the delivered 57,500 verdicts to 62,850 accused. Of those, 35,058 were freed, 888 were hanged, 1,729 were whipped; 19,410 were sentenced to prison for one or two years and 263 to labor on public works; 777 were banished to camps in the north, and the remainder were sent on to regular judges. Three hundred forty died in hospitals and 1,280 in prison.
In 1704 the viceroy suppressed a rebellion of the
Pima Indians in
Nueva Vizcaya, using bloody methods. The Indians were terrorized and submitted, but in the long run this was a bad result for the Spanish. The Indians became distrustful and resisted evangelization and integration into the society of the viceroyalty.
Reputation
The Duke of Alburquerque was the namesake of the
Villa de Alburquerque, in
Nuevo México (now
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States. It is one of the Mountain States of the southern Rocky Mountains, sharing the Four Corners region with Utah, Colorado, and Arizona. It also ...
), which was founded under his administration on 23 April 1706.
On 12 October 1709 San Francisco de Cuéllar (now the city of
Chihuahua) was founded. Also in 1709 the Church of Santa María de Guadalupe was established.
In spite of his faults, Fernández de la Cueva had a reputation as an affable, moderate and capable governor who maintained tranquility and security in the viceroyalty. He turned over the government around January 1711 to his successor,
Fernando de Alencastre, 1st Duke of Linares. Afterwards, he returned to Spain during 1711, dying in
Madrid
Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
in June 1724, aged 57.
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
* Rosenmüller, Christoph. Patrons, Partisans, and Palace Intrigues: The Court Society of Colonial Mexico, 1702–1710.Calgary: University of Calgary Press, 2008.
* "Acordada, La," ''Enciclopedia de México'', v. 1. Mexico City, 1988.
* "Fernández de La Cueva Enríquez, Francisco," ''Enciclopedia de México'', v. 5. Mexico City, 1988.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernandez De La Cueva, Francisco
1666 births
1724 deaths
Counts of Ledesma
Counts of Huelma
110
Grandees of Spain
Knights of Santiago
Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain
Marquesses of Cuellar
Marquesses of Cadreita
Spanish generals
Viceroys of New Spain