page_title: De Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal family
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: De Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal family / History
caption_attribution_description: Castle of Barcience, near Maqueda, in the province of Toledo, Spain. It was built in the 15th c. by the counts of Cifuentes, whose emblem was the lion. It was used for artillery in the 16th century.
context_page_description: The House de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal had its origin from the marriage ties of the house de Silva, with the house of Fernández de Ixar [from doña Isabel descendant of don Pedro Fernández de Ixar, natural child of the king don Jaime I d’Aragon called “The Conqueror” and of doña Bereguela Fernández, granddaughter of don Alfonso IX de Leon, by matrilineal descent] and the House de Portugal [from doña Ana
context_section_description: Talking about this House, it is very important, in order to understand its history, to keep in mind that, as we can see from the genealogical account above, the inheritance takes place by matrilineal descent thanks to the royal concession granted by Ferdinand the Catholic in 1483, to natural children, legally recognized, of Kings.
  The origins of the House de Silva, are, like all the origins of the ancient aristocratic families of the High Middle Ages, uncertain as far as documentation is concerned.
  Gutierre Peláez de Silva, Lord of Lugares, Alderete de Insam y Sufam y de la Quinta and Torre de Silva, was a knight who became ”Ricohombre”, who probably, took part in the conquest of Cordoba, too, in 1064.
  But whatever his historical origins were, one of the most famous descendants of Don Gutierre Peláez de Silva was Don Ruy Gomez II de Silva y Meneses (1517-1573) Grande of Spain, Prince of Eboli, first Duke of Pastrana, V Lord of Ulme and Chamusca; great statesman and best friend/counsellor of Philip II of Asburgo, King of Spain.
  From his marriage with Doña Ana de Mendoza de la Creda y de Silva Cifuentes [(1540-1592), one of the most beautiful women of Spain], there were born ten children. One of them, Don Rodrigo de Silva y Mendoza (1562-1596) II Duke of Pastrana, marrying Doña Ana de Portugal y Borja (1570-1629), descendant from the King Ferdinand I of Portugal, gave origin to the lineage De Silva Portugal; whereas another son, Don Diego de Silva y Mendoza (1564-1630), I Marquess of Alenquer and III Duke of Francavilla, gave origin to the lineage De Silva Alenquer. Lineage that from the marriage between his son Don Rodrigo de Silva Mendoza y Sarmiento (1600-1664) and Doña Isabel Fernández de Ixar [(1603-1642) V Duchess of Ixar, who by her own decree created her husband Duke of Ixar, became De Silva Fernández de Ixar.
  The union of the two lineages, which brought to the birth of the House de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal, took place when don Fabrique III de Silva (1672-1700) IV Marquess of Orani, in the second half of the 17th century, married his IV degree cousin Doña Juana Petronilla de Silva Fernández de Ixar (1669-1710) VII Duchess de Ixar or Híjar.
  The following division of the House De Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal into three lineages (two Spanish and one Italian), was due to three children born from the two marriages of Don Andres Avelino de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal y Fernández de Cordoba (1806-1885) XIV Count-Duke of Aliaga and Count of Palma del Rio. From the first wedding with Doña Josefina de Ferrari y Bonet (1819-1876) (daughter of Don Jeronimo de Ferrari of Parma, “Kapellmeister” of King Ferdinando VII of Borbone) was born Doña Josefa Maria del Carmen de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal (1837-1906); who, with her daughter -doña María Dolores (1861-1923)- and with Doña María Dolores's son Don Vittorio Umberto de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal (1881/1954) [illegitimate son whom Doña Maria Dolores de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal had with Don Carlos Maria Fitz James Stuart y Portocarrero Palafox (1849-1901)XVI duke of Alba] by matrilineal descent gave origin to the Italian lineage still in existence.
  From his second wedding with Doña Mary Caroline Elisabeth Campbell y Vincent (1820-1894) were born ten children of whom two, [Alfonso I (1848-1930) and Jaime (1852-1925)], gave origin to the two Spanish lineages still in existence, too. The Spanish lineage of Alfonso I, like it had already happened to the House De Silva Fernández de Ixar Portugal with two unions between the De Silva and the Fitz James Stuart, rejoined the descendants of James Fitz-James I Duke of Berwick (1670-1734) [illegitimate son, who James II Stuart (1633-1701) King of England had with Arabella Churchill y Drake (1648-1730) sister of John Churchill I Duke of Marlborough] when Doña Maria del Rosario de Silva Fernández de Híjar Portugal y Guterbey (1900-1934) married Don Jacob Fitz James Stuart (1878-1953) IX Duke of Berwick and XVII Duke of Alba. In this way, by matrilineal descent, the Spanish lineage of the De Silva join
caption: Tower of the Castle of Barcience with the rampant Lion of the House De Silva.
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