José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo, 18th Duke of Medina Sidonia

The duke of Medina Sidonia

Don José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo y Silva, 18th Duke of Medina Sidonia, 14th Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo, 14th Marquis of los Vélez, 12th Duke of Fernandina, 13th Marquis of Molina and 22nd Count of Niebla, Grandee of Spain, Knight of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla and of the Order of Alcántara (Madrid, Spain; 14 August 1826 - 15 February 1900) was a Spanish aristocrat and politician who served as Superior Chief of the Palace from 1885 until his death.

Background

The Duke was the elder son of Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Marquis of Villafranca and María del Pilar Joaquina de Silva, fifth daughter of José Gabriel de Silva, 12th Marquis of Santa Cruz and Joaquina Téllez-Girón y Pimentel, daughter of Pedro Téllez-Girón, 9th Duke of Osuna and María Josefa Pimentel, 14th Countess Duchess of Benavente. He was educated at the Theresian Military Academy, in Austro-Hungary, where his father was exiled for being a carlist sympathiser.

Politics

In 1847, Queen Isabella II lifted the seizure of the properties of the Medina Sidonias in Spain, and the family was able to return. The young Pepe, by then Marquis of los Vélez, started his political career, taking a seat in 1852 at the Parliament of the Two Sicilies, as Prince of Paternò. He succeeded in the dukedom in 1862, and following the Restoration of the monarchy in 1874, became senator in his own right in 1875 and for the province of Cádiz in 1876.

From 1885, he served as Superior Chief of Palace with King Alfonso XIII, and was part of the extraordinary embassy, headed by the Duke of Montpensier, sent to Russia in 1883 to represent Spain at the coronation of Tsar Alexander III. He received numerous honours and decorations, including the Golden Fleece, the Collar of the Order of Charles III and the Grand Cross of the Order of the Immaculate Conception of Vila Viçosa.

Family

Medina Sidonia married his first cousin Rosalía Caro y Álvarez de Toledo, daughter of Pedro Caro, 4th Marquis of la Romana and granddaughter of Pedro Caro, 3rd Marquis of la Romana, in Erpel, Austro-Hungary, the 26 September 1846. They had four children:

Ancestry

References

Spanish nobility
Preceded by
Pedro de Alcántara Álvarez de Toledo		 Marquis of los Vélez
1864 – 1868 		Succeeded by
Alonso Álvarez de Toledo
Duke of Medina Sidonia
10 January 1868 – 15 February 1900 		Succeeded by
José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo
Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo
10 January 1868 – 15 February 1900
Duke of Fernandina
10 January 1868 – 15 February 1900 		Dormant
Title next held by
Pilar González de Gregorio
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