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Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria

Ana Francisca de Borja y Doria
Countess of Lemos and Viceroy of Peru
Reign Viceroy of Peru: 1667 – 1672
Born 1640
Gandia
Died Madrid
Buried Church of Santa Pedro, Madrid, Spain, called at that time, Church of St. Paul, Madrid, Spain
Noble family Borja or Borgia
Spouse(s) 1. ?-1663: Enrique Enriquez Pimentel, V Marquis of Tavara, Viceroy of Navarre and Viceroy of Aragon
2. 1664-1672: Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro, X Count of Lemos, VII Marquis of Sarria, grandee of Spain, XXVII
Father Francisco Pascual de Borja y Aragón and Centelles, VIII Duke of Gandia
Mother Artemisa María Ana Teresa Gertrudis Doria Colonna, princesa de Doria de Melfi

Ana Francisca Hermenegilda de Borja y Doria, condesa de Lemos (1640–1706) was the wife of Peruvian Viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro, conde de Lemos. During his five-month absence from the capital, she was governor of the colony. She thus became the first female governor of the Viceroyalty of Peru.

Ana was born into the House of Borja (Italian: Borgia). She was a distant relative of Francisco de Borja y Aragón, poet and viceroy of Peru from 1615 to 1621, and, like him, descended from Saint Francis Borgia.

She was the daughter of Francisco Diego Pascual de Borja y Aragón y Centelles, 8th duque de Gandía, and of Artemisa María Ana Teresa Gertrudis, princesa de Doria de Melfi. Her elder sister Magdalena was the wife of Philippe François, 1st Duke of Arenberg.

Her second marriage, on July 20, 1664, was to her cousin, Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro Andrade y Portugal, 8th conde de Villalba, 10th conde de Lemos, 7th marqués de Sarria. By this marriage she became the condesa (countess) de Lemos. Her husband was named viceroy of Peru on June 12, 1667, under the authority of Mariana of Austria, regent for her son Charles II of Spain.

The Count and Countess of Lemos arrived in Peru at the port of Callao on November 9, 1667. They were received by the Spanish of the colony with much pomp. The viceroy took possession of his office on November 21, 1667.

On June 7, 1668, Viceroy Pedro Antonio Fernández de Castro sailed from Callao for Islay, Arequipa and Puno, leaving his wife in charge of the government of Peru, as gobernadora (female governor). This was an official appointment. The royal decree by which the count held the position of viceroy provided that in his absence from the capital, the government would be entrusted to his wife. She was not a figurehead; she exercised real authority and ran the business of the colony during her husband's absence, making decisions and issuing decrees. Her authority was recognized by the Audiencia of Lima. She met with them and other officials on July 5, 1668.


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