Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba, 18th Duchess of Medinaceli

Doña Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba y Fernández de Henestrosa, 18th Duchess of Medinaceli, GE (pronounced [biɣˈtoɾja ewˈxenja feɾˈnandeθ ðe ˈkoɾðoβaj feɾˈnandeθ ðe enesˈtɾosa]; 16 April 1917 – 18 August 2013) was a Spanish noblewoman and Grandee of Spain. She was the head of the Spanish noble House of Medinaceli and patron of the Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation. In addition to her most senior title of Duchess of Medinaceli, she held an additional 49 other hereditary noble titles during her lifetime, making her the second-most titled noblewoman in Spain, just after Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba. She died in Seville on 18 August 2013, aged 96.[2]


Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba
Grandee of Spain (more...)
Duchess of Medinaceli
Reign13 July 1956 – 18 August 2013
PredecessorLuis Fernández de Córdoba, 17th Duke of Medinaceli
SuccessorPrince Marco of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 19th Duke of Medinaceli[1]
Full name
María Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba, Fernández de Henestrosa, Salabert y Gayoso de los Cobos
Born(1917-04-16)16 April 1917
Medinaceli Palace, Madrid, Spain
Died(2013-08-18)18 August 2013 (aged 96)
Pilatos Palace, Seville, Spain
BuriedTavera Hospital, Toledo, Spain
FamilyHouse of Medinaceli
House of Cordoba
Spouse(s)Rafael Medina y Vilallonga (m. 1938; d. 1992)
IssueAna Luisa de Medina, 12th Marquise of Navahermosa
Luis de Medina, 9th Duke of Santisteban del Puerto
Rafael de Medina, 19th Duke of Feria
Ignacio de Medina, 19th Duke of Segorbe
FatherLuis Fernández de Córdoba, 17th Duke of Medinaceli
MotherAna María Fernández de Henestrosa y Gayoso de los Cobos

Background

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Doña Victoria was born as the eldest daughter of Don Luis Jesús Fernández de Córdoba y Salabert, 17th Duke of Medinaceli, and Doña Ana María Fernández de Henestrosa y Gayoso de los Cobos. She was baptized in the Royal Chamber of the Royal Palace of Madrid, with Queen Victoria Eugenie and King Alfonso XIII of Spain serving as her godparents. She was named after the Queen.[3] She was known by the nickname Mimí to her family and close friends.[4]

She married Rafael de Medina y Vilallonga in 1938, and she succeeded to the dukedom in 1956, upon her father's death. Before that, she was styled as 16th Duchess of Alcalá de los Gazules, a courtesy title granted by her father. She was the second-most titled noblewoman in Spain, and holder of one of its most ancient dukedoms.[5]

In 1980, the Duchess established the Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation, which manages the Casa de Pilatos in Seville, her principal residence, as well as the Hospital de San Juan Bautista in Toledo and the Palacio de Oca in Galicia.[6]

Marriage and issue

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The Duchess married, on 12 January 1938 in Seville, Rafael de Medina y Vilallonga, Knight of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla and Mayor of Seville from 1943–47. The Duke was the son of Luis de Medina y Garvey, a son of the 4th Marquis of Esquivel, and Amelia de Vilallonga e Ybarra. They had 4 children:

  • Doña Ana Luisa de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 12th Marquise of Navahermosa (b. 2 May 1940 - d. 7 March 2012), who married firstly at Seville, the 3 June 1961, Prince Maximilian Emmanuel of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, of the Hohenlohe princely family, brother of Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Divorced in 1982, she married secondly, in 1985, Jaime de Urzáiz y Fernández del Castillo, Minister of Culture. Children from her first marriage:
    • Prince Marco of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 19th Duke of Medinaceli (b. 8 March 1962 - d. 19 August 2016), married at Ronda, on 1 June 1996, Sandra Schmidt-Polex, daughter of Hans Carl Schmidt-Polex, and Karin Goepfer, having issue.
    • Prince Pablo of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (b. 5 March 1963), married at Tavera Monastery, Toledo on 6 June 2002, María del Prado y Muguiro, daughter of Juan Carlos del Prado, 11th Marquis of Caicedo, and Teresa de Muguiro y Pidal, having issue.
    • Princess Flavia of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (b. 9 March 1964), married at Seville, on 10 November 1990, her second cousin José Luis de Vilallonga y Sanz, having issue.
  • Don Luis de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 9th Duke of Santisteban del Puerto, Grandee of Spain (b. 4 June 1941 - d. 9 Feb 2011), who married at Seville, on 1 December 1985, Mercedes Conradi y Ramírez. Daughters:
  • Don Rafael de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 19th Duke of Feria, Grandee of Spain (b. 10 August 1942 - d. 5 August 2001), married at the Hermitage of El Rocío, Almonte, Natividad Abascal y Romero-Toro (divorced in 1989). Children:
  • Don Ignacio de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 19th Duke of Segorbe, Grandee of Spain (b. 23 February 1947), married at Seville, on 24 October 1985, Princess Maria da Glória of Orléans-Braganza, daughter of Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza and wife Princess Maria de la Esperanza of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and ex-wife of Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia. Daughters:
    • Doña Sol María de la Blanca de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, 54th Countess of Ampurias (b. 8 August 1986).
    • Doña Ana Luna de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, 17th Countess of Ricla (b. 4 May 1988).

Titles

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Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba held a total of 50 hereditary noble titles during her lifetime, 14 of which accompanied by the dignity of Grandee.

Dukedoms

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Ducal arms of Medinaceli

Marquessates

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  • 17th Marchioness of Priego, Grandee of Spain
  • 17th Marchioness of Camarasa, Grandee of Spain
  • 14th Marchioness of Aitona, Grandee of Spain
  • 11th Marchioness of la Torrecilla, Grandee of Spain
  • 17th Marchioness of Denia
  • 20th Marchioness of Pallars
  • 17th Marchioness of Comares
  • 19th Marchioness of Tarifa
  • 17th Marchioness of las Navas
  • 15th Marchioness of Villalba -Ceded to her son Don Rafael
  • 14th Marchioness of Alcalá de la Alameda
  • 15th Marchioness of Villafranca
  • 14th Marchioness of Malagón
  • 15th Marchioness of Montalbán
  • 13th Marchioness of Solera -Ceded to her son Don Luis
  • 11th Marchioness of Navahermosa -Ceded to her daughter Doña Ana
  • 14th Marchioness of Cilleruelo
  • 9th Marchioness of San Miguel das Penas and la Mota

Countships

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  • 17th Countess of Santa Gadea, Grandee of Spain
  • 52nd Countess of Ampurias -Ceded to her son Don Ignacio
  • 26th Countess of Prades
  • 22nd Countess of Osona
  • 22nd Countess of Castrojeriz
  • 20th Countess of Cocentaina
  • 19th Countess of Medellín
  • 19th Countess of the Risco
  • 24th Countess of Buendía
  • 19th Countess of the Molares, Adelantada Mayor of Andalusia
  • 14th Countess of Villalonso
  • 16th Countess of Castellar
  • 15th Countess of Ricla -Ceded to her son Don Ignacio
  • 14th Countess of Aramayona
  • 15th Countess of Amarante
  • 12th Countess of Alcoutim
  • 12th Countess of Valenza and Valladares
  • 10th Countess of Moriana del Río -Ceded to her son Don Luis
  • 8th Countess of Ofalia -Ceded to her daughter Doña Ana

Viscountcies

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  • 46th Viscountess of Bas
  • 44th Viscountess of Cabrera
  • 42nd Viscountess of Vilamur
  • 12th Viscountess of Linares

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Boletín Oficial del Estado
  2. ^ "Fallece la duquesa de Medinaceli", elmundo.es; accessed 18 February 2015.
  3. ^ farodevigo.es. "La aristócrata que abrió Oca". Retrieved 30 August 2013.
  4. ^ Hemeroteca ABC
  5. ^ www.casareal.es
  6. ^ Fundación Casa Ducal de Medinaceli, retrieved 18 February 2015
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Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba
Born: 16 April 1917 Died: 18 August 2013
Spanish nobility
Preceded by Duchess of Medinaceli, etc.
1956-2013
Succeeded by
Prince Marco of Hohenlohe-Langenburg
Duchess of Feria; Marchioness of Villalba
1956-1969
Succeeded by
Duchess of Santisteban del Puerto
Marchioness of Solero

1956-1969
Succeeded by
Duchess of Segorbe
Countess of Ampurias; Countess of Ricla
Countess of Moriana del Río

1956-1969
Succeeded by
Marchioness of Navahermosa
Countess of Ofalia

1956-1969
Succeeded by