Carlos María Fitz-James Stuart y Palafox, 16th Duke of Alba, 9th Duke of Berwick GE (4 December 1849 – 15 October 1901) was a Spanish nobleman and diplomat, who held, amongst others, the Dukedom of Alba and Berwick.
Contents
Biography
He was born at Madrid, the only son of Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 15th Duke of Alba. His mother María Francisca was the daughter of Cipriano de Palafox y Portocarrero, Duke of Peñaranda, and sister of Eugénie de Montijo, Empress of the French.
During his father's lifetime he was styled Duke of Huéscar. On 16 September 1860 he succeeded his mother in all her titles except the Marquisate of the Bañeza and the Viscountcy of Palacios de la Valduerna, and on 10 July 1881 he succeeded to all his father's titles except the Dukedom of Galisteo, which went to his sister María de la Asunción Rosalía, 18th Duchess of Galisteo. As a result of this inheritance the Duke of Alba was a Grandee of the first class twelve times over. As heir-male of James FitzJames, 1st Duke of Berwick he also claimed the English title of Duke of Berwick, and used the title when staying with Queen Victoria at Balmoral Castle.
He married María del Rosario, 22nd Countess of Siruela on 10 December 1877 at Madrid. She was herself a Grandee of the first class, and daughter of Manuel Pascual Luis Carlos Felix Fortunato Falcó, Marquis of Almonazir by his wife María del Pilar, 3rd Duchess of Fernán Nuñez. His wife was born at Pau on 3 October 1854 and died at Paris on 27 March 1904.
They had 3 children:
Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba
Eugenia Sol María del Pilar, married the Duke of Santoña, Lady-in-waiting of Queen Victoria Eugenia.
Hernando Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duke of Peñaranda de Duero.
Like his father, he was educated at the Salamanca University and the military school of Paris. He was Spanish Ambassador in Brussels between 1872 and 1878, and in Saint Petersburg until 1885. Between 1887 and 1894 he was Grand Treasurer of Spain and diplomat in Istanbul. In 1895, he founded the Real Club de la Puerta de Hierro along with a group of distinguished Spanish nobles and King Alfonso XIII of Spain.
The Duke of Alba was also a Senator of the Kingdom, Chamberlain to the Queen Regent Christina, and a Knight of the Golden Fleece. He died from cancer as Spanish Ambassador in the US in New York, aboard Sir Thomas Lipton's yacht, aged 51.
Titles
The titles he inherited from his father
16th Duke of Alba, Grandee of Spain
14th Duke of Huéscar, Grandee of Spain
9th Duke of Berwick, Grandee of Spain
9th Duke of Liria and Jérica, Grandee of Spain
9th Duke of Montoro, Grandee of Spain
12th Count-Duke of Olivares, Grandee of Spain
12th Marquess of Elche
15th Marquess of Villanueva del Río
14th Marquess of Carpio, Grandee of Spain
16th Count of Gelves
19th Count of Modica
The titles inherited from his mother:
17th Duke of Peñaranda de Duero, Grandee of Spain
11th Marquess of Valderrábano
18th Marquess of Villanueva del Fresno and Barcarrota,
14th Marquess of la Algaba
16th Marquess of La Bañeza
16th Marquess of Mirallo
15th Marquess of Valdunquillo
10th Count of Montijo, Grandee of Spain
12th Count of Baños