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Scienze della comunicazione Università degli Studi di TeramoPhD Program in Historical studies
Scienze della comunicazione Università degli Studi di TeramoPhD Program in Historical studies

Cristóbal Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, the Duke of Uceda

Cristóbal Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas (1581-1624) was the eldest son of the fifth Marquis of Denia, then the Duke of Lerma. Thanks to his father, who became favourite of King Philip III (1578-1621), he obtained the title of Duke of Uceda in 1609. Allied with the royal confessor Luis de Aliaga, he led a long internal opposition to the faction in power against his father. Linked by personal friendship with Philip III who was almost of the same age, he became valido in 1618 after the departure of the Duke of Lerma from the court. Uceda, however, did not enjoy the same paternal power, since the  twenty year general delegation of powers to his predecessor was not recognized. After the death of Philip III (1621), was subjected to a trial on account of favours which were against public interest, which had been given to the Duke of Osuna, who was married to his daughter. Having gotten off with a light sentence, however, he retired from public life until his death, in Alcalá de Henares, in 1624.

Read more :

  • F. Benigno, L’ombra del re. Ministri e lotta politica nella Spagna del Seicento, Venezia 1992.
  • R.M. Pérez Marcos, El Duque de Uceda, in J.A. Escudero (ed.), Los validos, Madrid 2004, pp. 177-241.