José Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is de Toledo Osorio and the second or maternal family name is Gonzaga.

Don José Álvarez de Toledo Osorio y Gonzaga, 11th Marquess of Villafranca, Grandee of Spain, jure uxoris Duke of Alba de Tormes, Grandee of Spain (16 July 1756 – 9 June 1796) was a patron of the artist Francisco Goya.

José Álvarez de Toledo
Duke of Alba, Marquess of Villafranca (etc...)
The Duke of Alba by Francisco de Goya, 1795
Full name	José María del Carmen Francisco Manuel Joaquín Pedro Juan Andrés Avelino Cayetano Venancio Francisco de Paula Gonzaga Javier Ramón Blas Tadeo Vicente Sebastián Rafael Melchior Gaspar Baltasar Luis Pedro de Alcántara Buenaventura Diego Andrés Apostol Isidro
Born	(1756-07-16)16 July 1756 Madrid, Spain
Died	9 June 1796(1796-06-09) (aged 39) Seville, Andalusia, Spain
Noble family	House of Toledo
Spouse(s)	María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva Alvarez de Toledo, 13th Duchess of Alba
Issue	María de la Luz (Adopted)
Signature

Biography

Álvarez de Toledo was born in 1756 in Madrid as son of the X Marquess of Villafranca del Bierzo. He became chamberlain, at thirteen, to King Charles IV of Spain. He, originally XI Marquess of Villafranca, married his kinswoman Doña María del Pilar Teresa Cayetana de Silva y Álvarez de Toledo, 13th Duchess of Alba, who was the legendary "Duchess of Alba" in Goya's paintings, thus becoming de jure uxoris Duke of Alba. Their marriage made them the wealthiest couple in the kingdom; they competed against the Osuna family. A year after his marriage, he inherited the dukedom of Medina-Sidonia (by the 21st century the oldest extant dukedom in the kingdom) and joined two of the most important Houses of the Spanish nobility.

The failed attempt of his friend Alejandro Malaspina to oust Queen María Luisa's favourite Manuel de Godoy in favour of the Duke of Alba put an early end to the political career of the progressive aristocrat.

Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga died on 9 June 1796, in Seville.
As the couple had no children, Álvarez de Toledo y Gonzaga was succeeded by his brother Francisco de Borja. His wife held the title of Duchess of Alba until her death in 1802 and she was succeeded by a relative Carlos Miguel Fitz-James Stuart.

In a famous portrait by Goya, the duke is clad in elegant riding clothes. With an air of melancholy he looks up from the music book he is holding in his hands, including the "Four songs/with piano accompaniment/by Mr. Haydn". The duke commissioned several works from Joseph Haydn and was a gifted musician himself. In his painting, Goya subtly combines the symbols of his model's passion for music and equestrian skills (viola or violin, riding boots and riding hat) with the neoclassical interior of the ducal residence.

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  José Álvarez de Toledo around 1795 by Goya
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  María Antonia Gonzaga, his mother.
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  The 14th Duke of Medina Sidonia, his cousin and predecessor.
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  The 12th Marquess of Villafranca, his brother and successor.

Ancestry

Ancestors of José Álvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba

8. José Fadrique de Toledo Osorio, 8th Marquess of Villafranca 4. Fadrique Vicente de Toledo Osorio, 9th Marquess of Villafranca 9. Catalina Moncada de Aragón, 9th Duchess of Montalto 2. Antonio Álvarez de Toledo, 10th Marquess of Villafranca 10. Manuel Pérez de Guzmán, 12th Duke of Medina Sidonia 5. Juana Pérez de Guzmán y Silva 11. Luisa María de Silva y Haro 1. José María Álvarez de Toledo, 15th Duke of Medina Sidonia 12. Ferdinando Gonzaga, 3rd Prince of Castiglione 6. Francesco Gonzaga, 1st Duke of Solferino 13. Princess Laura Picco della Mirandola 3. Princess Maria Antonia Gonzaga 14. Carmine Caracciolo, 5th Prince of Santo Buono 7. Giulia Caracciolo di Santo Buono 15. Giovanna Ruffo di Bagnara

Sources

• Real Academia de la Historia