Beltrán de la Cueva
Encyclopedia
Beltrán de la Cueva y Alfonso de Mercado, 1st Duke of Alburquerque
(in full) (c. 1443 – 1 November 1492) was a Spanish
nobleman and presumed lover of Queen Joan of Portugal
.
, in his second year as King, travelled to Úbeda
and stayed with Beltrán's father, Diego Fernández de la Cueva, 1st Viscount of Huelma
. When he left this house, he took Diego's second oldest son, Beltrán, with him to stay at Court to show his gratitude to Diego. (Diego offered Beltrán after Enrique asked for Diego's oldest son, whom Diego wanted to keep close by).
He married as his first wife Teresa de Molina de Quesada, of Úbeda
, daughter of Francisco Cazorla de Quesada and wife Guiomar Mayor de Molina y Vera, without issue.
Beltrán soon became the King's favourite
and married Cardinal Mendoza's niece, Doña Mencía Hurtado de Mendoza y Luna, daughter of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st Duke of the Infantado, by whom he had a son Francisco Fernández de la Cueva
.
. It was rumoured that Henry's only daughter, Juana of Castile was fathered by Beltrán and not by the King himself, who may have been impotent. This made Juana illegitimate in the eyes of some, which led to a four-year War of the Castilian Succession
, which was won by Isabella I of Castile
, Enrique's half-sister. It is unlikely that an agreement as to Juana's probable paternity will ever be reached by historians, as there is not enough evidence to support either possible father with certainty. Most of the extant contemporary sources about Henry's potency are suspect, as the royal chronicles of his reign were either written or revised under the influence of Isabel, whose personal interest in the succession caused her to take great pains to insist on Juana's illegitimacy. Much of Isabel's attention to Henry, in fact, was spent on harming his reputation in order to cement the legitimacy of her own reign. The question of Juana's paternity has, as a result, fascinated historians for centuries: If Juana was not in fact Beltran's daughter, and was actually legitimate, Isabel's tremendously influential reign would have been an illegal usurpation.
Royal chronicler Alfonso de Palencia
, known for his particularly venomous attitude toward Henry, made many allusions in his writings that can be interpreted as accusations concerning Beltran's sexuality. Palencia and other avid anti-Henryites often accused the two of pursuing a homosexual relationship, though it is not clear to what extent these accusations were based on fact, or whether they were a form of anti-Henry, pro-rebellion, pro-Isabelline propaganda.
and Chamberlain-Major
. In 1462 the King granted him the title of 1st Count of Ledesma. In 1463 Beltrán was removed from Court and received as compensation the title of Duke of Alburquerque
and Grandee of Spain by mercy of King Henry IV at Segovia
, Letter of 16 November or 26 November 1464. He was also created in 1464 1st Lord of Cuéllar
, Roa
, Atienza
, Torregalindo
, Codecera
, etc.
In 1467 he fought in the Second Battle of Olmedo
against the rebels supporting Alfonso of Castile, Prince of Asturias
. In the War of the Castilian Succession, he supported the Catholic Monarchs
against his presumed daughter Juana. As a reward he was also created 1st Count of Huelma
by Decree of the same King on August 20, 1474, later confirmed by Queen Isabella I of Castile
and King Ferdinand V of Castile on April 20, 1475. He also distinguished himself in the conquest of Granada
along with his son Don Francisco.
, Don Pedro Fernández de Velasco
. This marriage produced two sons. The first, Don Cristóbal de la Cueva y Velasco, was born in Cuéllar. He married Leonor de Velasco y Carrillo de Córdoba, 3rd Countess of Siruela
, who died in 1529, and had issue. The second son, Don Antonio de la Cueva y Velasco, 1st Lord of La Adrada
, married Elvira de Ayala and had issue.
He also had a bastard son named Manuel Beltrão, who went to Portugal and married Francisca da Mota, ancestors of the Beltrão family.
Beltrán de la Cueva died in 1492 and was buried at the Convent
of San Francisco de Cuéllar
.
Alburquerque, Badajoz
Alburquerque is a town in the province of Badajoz in Spain. It has 5,600 inhabitants. It is very close to the border with Portugal and was an ancient dominion of the kings of this country...
(in full) (c. 1443 – 1 November 1492) was a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
nobleman and presumed lover of Queen Joan of Portugal
Joan of Portugal
Joan of Portugal was Queen consort of Castile as the second wife of King Henry IV of Castile and a Portuguese infanta, the posthumous daughter of King Edward of Portugal and his wife Eleanor of Aragon...
.
Early life
King Enrique IVHenry IV of Castile
Henry IV , King of the Crown of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent , was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile...
, in his second year as King, travelled to Úbeda
Úbeda
Úbeda is a town in the province of Jaén in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia, with some 35,600 inhabitants. Both this city and the neighboring city of Baeza benefited from extensive patronage in the early 16th century resulting in the construction of a series of Renaissance style palaces...
and stayed with Beltrán's father, Diego Fernández de la Cueva, 1st Viscount of Huelma
Diego Fernández de la Cueva, 1st Viscount of Huelma
Diego Fernández de la Cueva, 1st Viscount of Huelma was a Spanish nobleman.Born in Úbeda, he was a merchant and banker of King Henry IV of Castile, who granted him the title of 1st Viscount of Huelma....
. When he left this house, he took Diego's second oldest son, Beltrán, with him to stay at Court to show his gratitude to Diego. (Diego offered Beltrán after Enrique asked for Diego's oldest son, whom Diego wanted to keep close by).
He married as his first wife Teresa de Molina de Quesada, of Úbeda
Úbeda
Úbeda is a town in the province of Jaén in Spain's autonomous community of Andalusia, with some 35,600 inhabitants. Both this city and the neighboring city of Baeza benefited from extensive patronage in the early 16th century resulting in the construction of a series of Renaissance style palaces...
, daughter of Francisco Cazorla de Quesada and wife Guiomar Mayor de Molina y Vera, without issue.
Beltrán soon became the King's favourite
Favourite
A favourite , or favorite , was the intimate companion of a ruler or other important person. In medieval and Early Modern Europe, among other times and places, the term is used of individuals delegated significant political power by a ruler...
and married Cardinal Mendoza's niece, Doña Mencía Hurtado de Mendoza y Luna, daughter of Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st Duke of the Infantado, by whom he had a son Francisco Fernández de la Cueva
Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 2nd Duke of Alburquerque
Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 2nd Duke of Alburquerque was a Spanish nobleman.He was the son of Don Beltrán de la Cueva, 1st Duke of Alburquerque, by first wife Doña Mencía Hurtado de Mendoza y Luna. He served the Catholic Monarchs Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand V of Castile in the Wars...
.
Royal affairs
Beltrán de la Cueva is, however, best known for having an affair with Enrique's second wife, Joan of PortugalJoan of Portugal
Joan of Portugal was Queen consort of Castile as the second wife of King Henry IV of Castile and a Portuguese infanta, the posthumous daughter of King Edward of Portugal and his wife Eleanor of Aragon...
. It was rumoured that Henry's only daughter, Juana of Castile was fathered by Beltrán and not by the King himself, who may have been impotent. This made Juana illegitimate in the eyes of some, which led to a four-year War of the Castilian Succession
War of the Castilian Succession
The War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...
, which was won by Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
, Enrique's half-sister. It is unlikely that an agreement as to Juana's probable paternity will ever be reached by historians, as there is not enough evidence to support either possible father with certainty. Most of the extant contemporary sources about Henry's potency are suspect, as the royal chronicles of his reign were either written or revised under the influence of Isabel, whose personal interest in the succession caused her to take great pains to insist on Juana's illegitimacy. Much of Isabel's attention to Henry, in fact, was spent on harming his reputation in order to cement the legitimacy of her own reign. The question of Juana's paternity has, as a result, fascinated historians for centuries: If Juana was not in fact Beltran's daughter, and was actually legitimate, Isabel's tremendously influential reign would have been an illegal usurpation.
Royal chronicler Alfonso de Palencia
Alfonso de Palencia
Alfonso Fernández de Palencia , was a Castilian pre-Renaissance historiographer, lexicographer, and humanist....
, known for his particularly venomous attitude toward Henry, made many allusions in his writings that can be interpreted as accusations concerning Beltran's sexuality. Palencia and other avid anti-Henryites often accused the two of pursuing a homosexual relationship, though it is not clear to what extent these accusations were based on fact, or whether they were a form of anti-Henry, pro-rebellion, pro-Isabelline propaganda.
Height of Power
Beltran was among Henry IV's most-popular favourites; throughout his time in court, Henry showered him with gifts—land, money, offices—of such magnitude that many nobles of higher background took offense. He was a Great-Master of the Order of SantiagoOrder of Santiago
The Order of Santiago was founded in the 12th century, and owes its name to the national patron of Galicia and Spain, Santiago , under whose banner the Christians of Galicia and Asturias began in the 9th century to combat and drive back the Muslims of the Iberian Peninsula.-History:Santiago de...
and Chamberlain-Major
Chamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
. In 1462 the King granted him the title of 1st Count of Ledesma. In 1463 Beltrán was removed from Court and received as compensation the title of Duke of Alburquerque
Duke of Alburquerque
For the Portuguese title: see Duke of Albuquerque .For the Spanish title: Duke of Alburquerque may refer to:*Beltrán de la Cueva, 1st Duke of Alburquerque*Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 2nd Duke of Alburquerque...
and Grandee of Spain by mercy of King Henry IV at Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
, Letter of 16 November or 26 November 1464. He was also created in 1464 1st Lord of Cuéllar
Cuéllar
Cuéllar is a large town and local government district in the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain. It had a population of 9,841 in 2008....
, Roa
Roa, Burgos
Roa is a Spanish town and municipality in the south of the province of Burgos. It has a population of roughly 3,000 people. The closest airport is in Valladolid....
, Atienza
Atienza
Atienza is a municipality located in the province of Guadalajara, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 437 inhabitants.There were ancient Celtiberian settlements in the Cerro del Padrastro.- Geology :...
, Torregalindo
Torregalindo
Torregalindo is a municipality located in the province of Burgos, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 126 inhabitants....
, Codecera
La Codosera
La Codosera is a municipality located in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 2,269 inhabitants....
, etc.
In 1467 he fought in the Second Battle of Olmedo
Second Battle of Olmedo
The Second Battle of Olmedo was fought on 20 August 1467 near Olmedo in Castile as part of the succession conflict between Henry IV of Castile and his half-brother Alfonso, Prince of Asturias....
against the rebels supporting Alfonso of Castile, Prince of Asturias
Alfonso of Castile, Prince of Asturias
Alfonso, Prince of Asturias was the figurehead of rebelling magnates against his brother Henry IV of Castile....
. In the War of the Castilian Succession, he supported the Catholic Monarchs
Catholic Monarchs
The Catholic Monarchs is the collective title used in history for Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. They were both from the House of Trastámara and were second cousins, being both descended from John I of Castile; they were given a papal dispensation to deal with...
against his presumed daughter Juana. As a reward he was also created 1st Count of Huelma
Huelma
Huelma is a city located in the province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2010 census , the city has a population of 6,208 inhabitants....
by Decree of the same King on August 20, 1474, later confirmed by Queen Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I of Castile
Isabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
and King Ferdinand V of Castile on April 20, 1475. He also distinguished himself in the conquest of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
along with his son Don Francisco.
Later life
A widower in 1474 he married in 1479 as her second husband Dona María Fernández de Velasco y Mendoza, daughter of the Constable of CastileConstable of Castile
Constable of Castile was a title created by John I, King of Castile in 1382, to substitute the title Alférez Mayor del Reino. The constable was the second person in power in the kingdom, after the King, and his responsibility was to command the military in the absence of the ruler.In 1473 Henry IV...
, Don Pedro Fernández de Velasco
Pedro Fernández III de Velasco
Pedro Fernández de Velasco, 2nd Count of Haro was a Spanish nobleman and military figure of the last stages of the Reconquista....
. This marriage produced two sons. The first, Don Cristóbal de la Cueva y Velasco, was born in Cuéllar. He married Leonor de Velasco y Carrillo de Córdoba, 3rd Countess of Siruela
Siruela
Siruela is a municipality located in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, Spain. According to the 2006 census , the municipality has a population of 2,214 inhabitants....
, who died in 1529, and had issue. The second son, Don Antonio de la Cueva y Velasco, 1st Lord of La Adrada
La Adrada
La Adrada is a municipality located in the province of Ávila, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 2,155 inhabitants....
, married Elvira de Ayala and had issue.
He also had a bastard son named Manuel Beltrão, who went to Portugal and married Francisca da Mota, ancestors of the Beltrão family.
Beltrán de la Cueva died in 1492 and was buried at the Convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
of San Francisco de Cuéllar
Cuéllar
Cuéllar is a large town and local government district in the autonomous community of Castile and León, in Spain. It had a population of 9,841 in 2008....
.
See also
- Henry IV of CastileHenry IV of CastileHenry IV , King of the Crown of Castile, nicknamed the Impotent , was the last of the weak late medieval kings of Castile...
- Joan of PortugalJoan of PortugalJoan of Portugal was Queen consort of Castile as the second wife of King Henry IV of Castile and a Portuguese infanta, the posthumous daughter of King Edward of Portugal and his wife Eleanor of Aragon...
- Joanna La Beltraneja
- Isabella I of CastileIsabella I of CastileIsabella I was Queen of Castile and León. She and her husband Ferdinand II of Aragon brought stability to both kingdoms that became the basis for the unification of Spain. Later the two laid the foundations for the political unification of Spain under their grandson, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor...
- Alfonso of Castile, Prince of AsturiasAlfonso of Castile, Prince of AsturiasAlfonso, Prince of Asturias was the figurehead of rebelling magnates against his brother Henry IV of Castile....
- War of the Castilian SuccessionWar of the Castilian SuccessionThe War of the Castilian Succession was the military conflict contested from 1475 to 1479 for the succession of the Crown of Castile fought between the supporters of Juana la Beltraneja, daughter of the late monarch Henry IV of Castile, and those of Henry's half sister, Isabella, who was ultimately...