The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-05-01
THE DUKE OF vERAGuA.

Probably the most conspicuous parsonage
at the opening OF the Worlds Fair viii he
the Duke of Versgua, who represents the
family of the discoverer He is a dgnifed
and in posing gentleman who bears his hon.
ors beeomingly; the memory of Columbus
will suffer no detrilnent while he represents
it. And it is right and proper that he
should receive respectful attention from all
who believe that the history of the past is
worth recollecting. Some OF the papers are
publishing his pedigree; their account does
not tally with the record as closely as it
might.
The wife Of Columbus was not Philippa
Moniz. as is stated, but Dona Philippa de
PeEestrello, the daughter of an old sea cap
tain, who had acquired fortune and had
obtained some Office under Government. II
was she who gave birth to Don Diego, who
nursed his father so tenderly during his last
Illness, and through the SORROWS brought
on him by the cupidity of King Ferdinand
aud the iBtrigues OF Archbishop Fonseca.
On the death of che discoverer the King
declared that the privileges which he had
granted to Columbus in consideration of bis
discovery had lapsed and that his titles of
viceToy and admiral expired with him. But
while Diego was battling for his rights he
had the good fortune to win the heart of
Maria de Toledo, who was member of one
of the very highest families in Spain. Her
father was commander of Leon, her brother
was the famous Duke of Alva, afterward
Infamous as the butcher Of the Low Coun-
tries. 1t was not safe even for the King to
trifle with such personages as these; Don
Diego was permitted to bring suit for resti-
tuition of his revenue and his rank, and he
got them both.
By Maria Don Diego left five children. the
eldest of whom. Don Luis, Of whom the
newspaper geneaogists do not seem to have
heard, succeeded him and was tie first of
the family to assume the title of Duke
of Veragua. He died young, leaving an
Legitimate son and TWO legitimate daugh-
ters. A suit to determine the heir was in
stituted. 1t dragged for many years through
the courts. At length it was decided that
the male line Of Columbus was extinct. but
that the titles and revenues. such as they
were. should 60 20 the posterity of Don
Diego's daughter. Dona Isabella, who had
married Don George of Portugal. Don
George was member of a junior branch of
the house of Braganza, which reigns in
Portugal to this day. The books of geneal-
ogy say that the line of Columbus, involv-
ing the title Of the Duke of Veragua; was
thencefOTth merged into the line of Bra
CANA, but the ancestors Of the present Duke
in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries
appear to have preserved separate lineage
of their own, so that the title has never
been extingushed, nor has the male line
disappeared.
The present Duke. however, cannot be
classed with grandees of Spain like the
Dukes of Medina Sldonia. who were more
powerful in the great days of Spain than
reigning princes. He rather belongs to the
minor nobility. which furnishes officers to
The Spanish army and clerks TO the depart
ments OF the Government at Madrid. II
he Is an able man, as he is reported to be.
the less he says about his ancestors, except
Columbus, the better. The founders of
many Of the families were valiant and
most punctilious on questions of honor their
children have not done so much to eniitle
them TO the respect Of mankind. In France
and England the nobility has always man.
aged 10 produce two or three bright men
IN each generation who left their stamp Oh
the age in which they lived But In Ger
many and Spain the chief service which the
aristocracy has rendered in the past two
centuries has been to furnish an argument
against hereditary privilege. Owing to
various causes Spanish noblemen have