Fernando de Silva, 12th Duke of Alba

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Silva and the second or maternal family name is Álvarez de Toledo.

Fernando de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, 12th Duke of Alba (27 October 1714 – 15 November 1776), was a Spanish politician and general who was Prime Minister of Spain in 1754.^[1]

The Most Excellent Fernando de Silva 12th Duke of Alba GE
Portrait by Jean-Marc Nattier, 1749
Chief Minister of Spain
In office 9 April 1754 – 15 May 1754
Monarch	Ferdinand VI
Preceded by	José de Carvajal y Lancáster
Succeeded by	Ricardo Wall
Seat O of the Real Academia Española
In office 17 April 1754 – 15 November 1776
Preceded by	José de Carvajal y Lancáster
Succeeded by	José Joaquín de Silva-Bazán
Director of the Real Academia Española
In office 17 April 1754 – 15 November 1776
Preceded by	José de Carvajal y Lancáster
Succeeded by	José Joaquín de Silva-Bazán
Personal details
Born	Fernando de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo 27 October 1714 Vienna, Archduchy of Austria, Holy Roman Empire
Died	15 November 1776(1776-11-15) (aged 62) Madrid, Spain

Biography

Better known as the Duke of Huéscar, Fernando de Silva was a man of the Enlightenment and friend of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. He was Spanish ambassador to France between 1746 and 1749. On 8 November 1753 he was appointed Mayordomo mayor and chief of the Royal Household and, on 9 April 1754 he was made director of the Real Academia Española, a function he held until his death in 1776.

He was also Chief Minister of Spain between 9 April and 15 May 1754. As Duke of Alba, he was succeeded by his granddaughter María del Pilar de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba, who was a friend of Francisco de Goya, who visited their villa on several occasions and painted there in 1786 El verano and La vendimia.

Descendants

He had married Ana María Alvarez de Toledo y de Portugal, (1710–1738), daughter of the 9th Count of Oropesa. They had one son, who pre-deceased his father:

• Francisco de Paula de Silva Mendoza y Toledo, 10th Duke of Huéscar, (1733–1770) who had one daughter.
  • María del Pilar de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba (1762–1802).

Ancestry

Ancestors of Fernando de Silva, 12th Duke of Alba

16. Rui Gomes de Silva, 3rd Duke of Pastrana 8. Rodrigo de Silva y Mendoza, 4th Duke of Pastrana 17. Leonor de Guzmán el Bueno y Silva 4. Gregorio María de Silva y Mendoza, 9th Duke of the Infantado 18. Diego Gomez de Sandoval y de La Cerda 9. Catalina Gomez de Sandoval, 6th Marchioness del Cenete 19. Luisa de Mendoza, Countess of Saldaña 2. Manuel José de Sylva y Toledo, 10th Count of Galve 20. Diego Lopez de Haro, 5th Marquess of El Carpio 10. Luis Mendez de Haro, 1st Duke of Montoro (= 28) 21. Francisca de Guzman y Pimentel 5. María Mendez de Haro y Fernandez de Cordoba 22. Enrique de Aragón Folc de Cardona y Córdoba, 5th Duke of Segorbe 11. Catalina Fernandez de Cordoba y Folch de Cardona (= 29) 23. Catalina Fernández de Córdova Figueroa 1. Fernando de Silva, 12th Duke of Alba 24. Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, 6th Duke of Alba 12. António Alvarez de Toledo, 7th Duke of Alba 25. Antónia Enriquez, 5th Marchioness of Villanueva del Río 6. Francisco Álvarez de Toledo, 10th Duke of Alba 26. Diego Pedro de Sylva y Portugal, 1st Marquess of Orani 13. Guiomar de Sylva 27. Lucrécia Corella y Mendoza 3. María Teresa Álvarez de Toledo, 11th Duchess of Alba 28. Luis Mendez de Haro, 1st Duke of Montoro (= 10) 14. Gaspar Mendez de Haro, 7th Marquess del Carpio 29. Catalina Fernandez de Cordoba y Folch de Cardona (= 11) 7. Catalina Mendez de Haro, 8th marquesa del Carpio 30. Juan Gaspar Enriquez, 6th Duke of Medina de Rioseco 15. Teresa Enriquez de Cabrera y Alvarez de Toledo 31. Elvira Álvarez de Toledo Osorio Ponce de León

Notes

1. in full, Spanish: Don Fernando de Silva Mendoza y Álvarez de Toledo, décimo segundo duque de Alba de Tormes, noveno duque de Huéscar, quinto duque de Montoro, séptimo conde-duque de Olivares, décimo marqués del Carpio, décimo segundo marqués de Coria, octavo marqués de Eliche, décimo primer marqués de Villanueva del Río, quinto marqués de Tarazona, décimo conde de Monterrey, décimo tercer conde de Lerín, décimo tercer Condestable de Navarra, décimo primer conde de Galve, décimo tercer conde de Osorno, de jure duque de Galisteo, décimo conde de Ayala, octavo conde de Fuentes de Valdepero, señor del estado de Valdecorneja, señor de las baronías de Dicastillo, San Martín, Curton y Guissens

Sources

• Hobbs, Nicolas (2007). "Grandes de España" (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2008.
• Instituto de Salazar y Castro. Elenco de Grandezas y Titulos Nobiliarios Españoles (in Spanish). periodic publication.
• "DUQUES DE ALBA: Genealogía" (in Spanish). 2007. Archived from the original on 19 February 2009. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
• "Geneall.net" (in Spanish). 2007. Retrieved 15 October 2008.

Political offices
Preceded by José de Carvajal	First Secretary of State 1754	Succeeded by Ricardo Wall
Academic offices
Preceded by José de Carvajal	O seat of The Royal Spanish Academy 1774–1776	Succeeded by The Marquess of Santa Cruz
Spanish nobility
Preceded by María Teresa Álvarez de Toledo	Duke of Alba 1755–1776	Succeeded by María del Pilar de Silva
	Duke of Huéscar 1755–1776	Succeeded by Francisco de Silva
Italian nobility
Preceded by María Teresa Álvarez de Toledo	Count of Modica 1755–1776	Succeeded by María del Pilar de Silva