Juan II Coloma, 1st Lord of Elda

Juan II Coloma, 1st Lord of Elda, Salinas and Petrer, 2nd Lord of Alfajarin, also known as Mosen Coloma (d. 1517) was a court functionary of the Spanish noble house.

Born into the House of Coloma, he was the son of Juan I Coloma, 1st Lord of Alfajarin. His first marriage was to Dona Isabel Díez de Aux. After her death he married dona María Pérez Calvillo, Lady of Malon and Bisimbre. She was from a wealthy Jewish house who converted to avoid expulsion. Therefore his descendants all had Jewish blood.

He had 1 legitimate son born in 1500: Juan III Francisco Coloma: 3rd Lord of Alfajarin, 2nd Lord of Elda, Salinas and Petrer. His illegitimate daughter became abbess of the monastery of Poor Clares in Zaragozza, where he is buried in the monastery that he founded.

At a young age, he was sent to the royal court of Juan II de Aragón; He became a close confidant to the king and from 1462 was his royal secretary. He took office between 1462 – 1479. His career continued during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, in which he accompanied the court during the war to Granada. There he designed one of his major acts, the Alhambra Decree.

He was requested to give counsel concerning the foundation of the Holy Inquisition in Aragon and sent a royal diplomat to the king of France Charles VIII. At the request of his patrons, he designed the conditions that Columbus could receive the royal patronage for his expedition. He concluded the important document with the royal approbation for Columbus in 1491. This concluded in the Capitulations of Santa Fe.

Ferdinand was grateful and bestowed noble status to his first wife in 1506. However he wanted to climb higher and bought the Barony of Elda, Salinas and Petrer in 1512. This made possible that his descendants could ascend the hierarchy of the Spanish nobility.

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