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The Duke of Medinaceli | |
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 Don Luis byJacob Ferdinand Voet | |
| Born | (1660-08-02)2 August 1660 |
| Died | 26 January 1711(1711-01-26) (aged 50) |
| Title | 9th Duke of Medinaceli |
| Parent(s) | DonJuan Francisco de la Cerda and Doña Catalina de Aragón Folc de Cardona y Córdoba |
Luis Francisco de la Cerda y Aragón, 9th Duke of Medinaceli (2 August 1660, inEl Puerto de Santa María – 26 January 1711, inPamplona), 9thDuke of Medinaceli, was a Spanish noble and politician.
Eldest son ofValido DonJuan Francisco de la Cerda and Doña Catalina de Aragón Folc de Cardona y Córdoba, he inherited the titles of his father:Duke of Medinaceli, Duke ofAlcalá de los Gazules, Marquis of Cogolludo, Marquis of Tarifa and Marquis of Alcalá de la Alameda, and from his motherDuke of Segorbe,Duke of Cardona,Duke of Lerma,Count of Empúries, Marquis of Denia, Marquis of Comares, Marquis of Pallars, and twiceGrandee of Spain, making him one of the most important Spanish aristocrats of his time.
During the reign of KingCharles II of Spain he served in Italy, being ambassador to theHoly See ofPope Innocent XII, andViceroy and Captain General of Naples. From 1699 he was a member of theSpanish Council of State.
When Charles II died, he was appointed prime minister at the beginning of theWar of Spanish Succession by the newKing Philip V of Spain. More and more opposed to the strong French influence at the Spanish Court, he leaked in 1710 a secret French plan to the English about efforts to conclude a separate peace with theDutch Republic. For this, he was incarcerated in theAlcázar of Segovia and later transferred to the castle ofPamplona, where he died the next year.
He married María de las Nieves Girón y Sandoval, daughter ofGaspar Téllez-Girón, 5th Duke de Osuna, who survived him. There being no surviving children from the marriage, his titles went to his nephewNicolás Fernández de Córdoba, son of his sister Feliche María de la Cerda y Aragón.
His collection included paintings now in the collection of the Prado:[1]
| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Viceroy of Naples 1695–1702 | Succeeded by |
| Spanish nobility | ||
| Preceded by | Duke of Medinaceli 1691–1711 | Succeeded by |
