De Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal family
| House of De Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal | |
|---|---|
 No pose quien mal posa. |
|
| Country | Spain, Portugal, Italy |
| Titles | Various |
| Founded | First hypothesis: 900 d.c.; second hypothesis: 1030 d.c. |
| Founder | First hypothesis: Aznar Fruela, Infante de Leon ; Second hypothesis: Gutierres Peláez de Silva (1030-1110). |
| Current head | Alfonso Martinez de Irujo y Fitz-James Stuart |
The House (Casa) de Silva Fernández de Híjar (or Ixar) Portugal had its origin from the marriage ties of the house de Silva, with the house of Fernández de Ixar [from doña Isabel (1620-1700) descendant of don Pedro Fernández de Ixar (1245-1299), natural child of the king don Jaime I d’Aragon called “The Conqueror” and of doña Bereguela Fernández, granddaughter of don Alfonso IX de Leon, by matrilineal descent] and the House de Portugal [from doña Ana (1570-1629) (descendant from doña Isabel de Portugal (1364-1395) natural child of don Fernando I of Borgogna king of Portugal]. Marriage ties which created one of the most ancient, important, and richest families of Spain and Portugal (probably descendant from Visigothic kings). A family which has given a great number of Grandes of Spain, viceroys, famous military figures, politicians, statesmen, clergymen, saints, scholars, artists, architects; to the kingdom first and to the Spanish Empire later, to nowadays.
Talking about this House, it is very important, in order to understand its history, to keep in mind that, as we can see from the genealogical account above, the inheritance of the primary lines of Ixar and of Portugal takes place by matrilineal descent thanks to the royal concession granted by Ferdinand the Catholic in 1483, to natural children, legally recognized, of kings.
The origins of the House de Silva, later on known as de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal, are, like all the origins of the ancient aristocratic families of the High Middle Ages, uncertain as far as documentation is concerned.
Gutierre Peláez de Silva, lord of Lugares, Alderete de Insam y Sufam y de la Quinta and Torre de Silva, was a knight who became ”Ricohombre”, noble and probably counsellor of Henry of Borgogna, thanks to his military bravery in the conquest of Portugal. He, probably, took part in the conquest of Cordoba, too, in 1064.
But whatever his historical origins were, one of the most famous descendants of don Gutierre Peláez de Silva was don Ruy Gomez II de Silva y Meneses (1517-1573) Grande of Spain, prince of Eboli, first duke of Pastrana, V lord of Ulme and Chamusca; great statesman and best friend/counsellor of Philip II of Asburgo king of Spain.
From his marriage with doña Ana de Mendoza de la Creda y de Silva Cifuentes [(1540-1592), one of the most beautiful women of Spain], there were born ten children. One of them, don Rodrigo de Silva y Mendoza (1562-1596) II duke of Pastrana, marrying doña Ana de Portugal y Borja (1570-1629), descendant from the king Ferdinand I of Portugal, gave origin to the lineage De Silva Portugal; whereas another son, don Diego de Silva y Mendoza (1564-1630), I marquess of Alenquer and III duke of Francavilla, gave origin to the lineage De Silva Alenquer. Lineage that from the marriage between his son don Rodrigo de Silva Mendoza y Sarmiento (1600-1664) and doña Isabel Fernández de Ixar [(1603-1642) V duchess of Ixar, who by her own decree created her husband duke of Ixar, became De Silva Fernández de Ixar.
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