Ducado de Bejar
Item
Country
ES
Name of institution (English)
Historical Archive of the Nobility
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
spa
Contact information: postal address
Calle Duque de Lerma 2, 45003 Toledo
Contact information: phone number
0034 925210354
Contact information: email
nobleza@cultura.gob.es
Reference number
ES.45168.AHNOB/1
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
Duchy of Bejar
Title (official language of the state)
Ducado de Bejar
Language of title
spa
Creator / accumulator
Duchy of Osuna
Duchy of Bejar
Date(s)
1095/1891
Language(s)
spa
Extent
495 boxes, and 28 books
Type of material
Textual Material
Physical condition
Good
Scope and content
The Archive of the Dukes of Osuna is composed of seven different archives gathered together through the accumulation of titles by the Tellez Giron family, especially during the 18th century. This group of documentary fonds is the largest in the Historical Archive of the Nobility and the most important aristocratic archive in Spain regarding information about medieval Jews. It has 7,581 boxes, which contain abundant and varied information on topics and places in Spain in addition to many other territories and countries, due to the power that this family accumulated over time. It is a relevant collection for the history of Spain from the 12th to the 19th centuries.
The third section of the collection, titled “Ducado de Bejar” (OSUNA,F.3), contains documents from the following aristocratic titles (OSUNA,F.3,SF.1-25): Duchy of Arevalo, Duchy of Mandas y Villanueva, Marquisate of Aguilafuente, Marquisate of Ayamonte, Marquisate of Gibraleon, Marquisate of Valero, County of Bañares, County of Belalcazar, County of Ledesma, Counties of Plasencia y Trujillo, Lordship of Berantevilla, Lordship of Burguillos del Cerro, Lordship of Candeleda, Lordship of Capilla, Lordships of Curiel y Pesquera del Duero, Lordship of Guzman de Burgos, Lordship of Talamanca de Jarama, Lordship of Valdearcos de la Vega, Lordship of Villaconancio, Lordship of Zuñiga y Mendavia, Lordship of Castañares de Rioja, Marquisate of Villamanrique, Marquisate of Mondejar, Lordship of La Algaba, and County of Lemos.
The documents contained in this section are related to the Zuñiga (Stuñiga) family. This family stood out in the wool business, as owners of merino and grassland sheep and cloth manufacturers. Its patrimonial estate covered an extensive area from La Rioja to Andalusia, through Castilla la Vieja and Extremadura, in addition to the Lordships of Mandas and Terranova, the most important in the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Dukes of Bejar, and other collateral branches, were viceroys in Spain, Italy, and the Indies. The preserved correspondence informs us of their involvement in the administration of the Castilian government, their appointment as captains-general in the successive wars with Portugal during the 17th century, their participation in military ventures in both Flanders and the Habsburg Empire, and in the War of Spanish Succession. They also established and funded convents, chaplaincies, and pious works.
The documents are classified in several series according to their type:
1) Genealogy, noble titles, and entailed estate (“mayorazgo”).
2) Nobiliary jurisdiction.
3) Estate.
4) Estate administration.
5) Private.
6) Staff.
7) Board of pious works (documents related to charitable works and expenses related to religious worship).
8) Collections.
Concerning Jews, the Duchy of Bejar subsection contains a letter of sale issued by the “Mayordomo Mayor” of the King of Castile in favor of the I Lord of Bejar for half of the synagogues with their respective assets and property, as well as assets of the Jewish Aljama located in the city of Seville (1396). There are deeds of sale granted by different individuals, among them Jews, of land, vineyards and houses in Bejar (1491). In relation to the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, there is an inventory of the assets left by the Jews in the town of Hervas (1493). Another document from the Catholic Monarchs is addressed to the Judge in charge of the confiscation of property from the Jews in Sevilla, so that he could decide if some assets should belong to the II Duke of Bejar (1495). There is also an order by the II Duke of Bejar stating that within nine days the residents of Bejar should deliver to the former’s representatives the assets left by the Jews (1495).
The Lordship of Burguillos del Cerro subsection preserves the copy of a sentence issued by the Dean of the Church of Badajoz addressed to the Judge of Burguillos del Cerro to punish a Jew (1487).
The County of Bañares subsection contains a royal letter by Juan II confirming to Bañares (La Rioja) the exemption from taxes and debts contracted with Jews (1420). The County of Belalcazar subsection contains a document issued by the town council of La Puebla de Alcocer to the local Jewish Aljama concerning debts and ownership of vineyards (1344).
The third section of the collection, titled “Ducado de Bejar” (OSUNA,F.3), contains documents from the following aristocratic titles (OSUNA,F.3,SF.1-25): Duchy of Arevalo, Duchy of Mandas y Villanueva, Marquisate of Aguilafuente, Marquisate of Ayamonte, Marquisate of Gibraleon, Marquisate of Valero, County of Bañares, County of Belalcazar, County of Ledesma, Counties of Plasencia y Trujillo, Lordship of Berantevilla, Lordship of Burguillos del Cerro, Lordship of Candeleda, Lordship of Capilla, Lordships of Curiel y Pesquera del Duero, Lordship of Guzman de Burgos, Lordship of Talamanca de Jarama, Lordship of Valdearcos de la Vega, Lordship of Villaconancio, Lordship of Zuñiga y Mendavia, Lordship of Castañares de Rioja, Marquisate of Villamanrique, Marquisate of Mondejar, Lordship of La Algaba, and County of Lemos.
The documents contained in this section are related to the Zuñiga (Stuñiga) family. This family stood out in the wool business, as owners of merino and grassland sheep and cloth manufacturers. Its patrimonial estate covered an extensive area from La Rioja to Andalusia, through Castilla la Vieja and Extremadura, in addition to the Lordships of Mandas and Terranova, the most important in the Kingdom of Sardinia. The Dukes of Bejar, and other collateral branches, were viceroys in Spain, Italy, and the Indies. The preserved correspondence informs us of their involvement in the administration of the Castilian government, their appointment as captains-general in the successive wars with Portugal during the 17th century, their participation in military ventures in both Flanders and the Habsburg Empire, and in the War of Spanish Succession. They also established and funded convents, chaplaincies, and pious works.
The documents are classified in several series according to their type:
1) Genealogy, noble titles, and entailed estate (“mayorazgo”).
2) Nobiliary jurisdiction.
3) Estate.
4) Estate administration.
5) Private.
6) Staff.
7) Board of pious works (documents related to charitable works and expenses related to religious worship).
8) Collections.
Concerning Jews, the Duchy of Bejar subsection contains a letter of sale issued by the “Mayordomo Mayor” of the King of Castile in favor of the I Lord of Bejar for half of the synagogues with their respective assets and property, as well as assets of the Jewish Aljama located in the city of Seville (1396). There are deeds of sale granted by different individuals, among them Jews, of land, vineyards and houses in Bejar (1491). In relation to the expulsion of the Jews in 1492, there is an inventory of the assets left by the Jews in the town of Hervas (1493). Another document from the Catholic Monarchs is addressed to the Judge in charge of the confiscation of property from the Jews in Sevilla, so that he could decide if some assets should belong to the II Duke of Bejar (1495). There is also an order by the II Duke of Bejar stating that within nine days the residents of Bejar should deliver to the former’s representatives the assets left by the Jews (1495).
The Lordship of Burguillos del Cerro subsection preserves the copy of a sentence issued by the Dean of the Church of Badajoz addressed to the Judge of Burguillos del Cerro to punish a Jew (1487).
The County of Bañares subsection contains a royal letter by Juan II confirming to Bañares (La Rioja) the exemption from taxes and debts contracted with Jews (1420). The County of Belalcazar subsection contains a document issued by the town council of La Puebla de Alcocer to the local Jewish Aljama concerning debts and ownership of vineyards (1344).
Archival history
Over the centuries, the parchments and papers of the Zuñiga family were accumulated, and the archives of the titles were incorporated. Up to the 17th century, there was a network of archives scattered in the capital towns of the different lordships of the Zuñiga family. Nevertheless, towards 1692 the documents of the peripheral archives were sent to the Ducal Palace of Bejar (Salamanca). In the first third of the 18th century, the XI Duke of Bejar ordered the transfer of documents related to the House's rights, royalties, income, and assets to Bejar; most of these documentary fonds were inventoried in 1736. In 1777, the Zuñiga archives were incorporated into the House of Osuna, and they were catalogued between the 18th and 19th centuries.
Administrative / Biographical history
The State of Bejar was supported by the House of Stuñiga/Estuñiga/Zuñiga, a Navarrese lineage. Diego Lopez de Estuñiga was I Lord of Zuñiga, Mendavia, Las Cuevas, Bañares, Bejar, Curiel and other towns, and he benefited from the grants given by the Trastamara dynasty. In his wills of 1399 and 1417, he instituted seven entailed estates for each of his sons with the towns of Bañares (granted in 1379 by Juan I), Capilla (purchased in 1382) and Burguillos del Cerro (acquired in 1394). At that time, the wealth of the Zuñiga family was based on the Mesta, the Castilian sheep-raisers association active from the 13th to the 19th centuries. In 1442, Juan II granted Pedro de Zuñiga jurisdiction over Plasencia (1442). Thus, his son inherited Bejar and Plasencia. During the reign of the Catholic Monarchs, Alvaro de Zuñiga y Guzman held the titles of I Count of Bañares (1469), I Duke of Arevalo, I Duke of Plasencia (1479) and I Duke of Bejar (1485) and Plasencia; while Juan de Zuñiga Pimentel was Master of the Order of Alcantara, Archbishop of Sevilla and Cardinal. Teresa de Zuñiga, III Duchess of Bejar, married Francisco de Sotomayor, V Count of Belalcazar and Vizconde de Puebla de Alcocer, extending the power of the Zuñiga family throughout southern Extremadura and northern Cordoba. Already in the 17th century, through the marriage of Francisco Diego Lopez de Zuñiga and Sotomayor, VII Duke de Bejar, and Ana de Mendoza, III Duchess of Mandas and Villanueva, V Marquise de Terranova, such domains were integrated into the House of Bejar. As a consequence of the War of Spanish Succession, the owner of the House lost his privileges up to 1732, when he was pardoned. The XII Duke of Bejar died without heirs, and all his titles were incorporated into the House of Benavente, which ended up being absorbed by the House of Osuna.
Access points: locations
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
This documentary section is classified thusly: 1.3 Bejar, ducado de, 1095-1891; 1.3.1 Arevalo, ducado de, 1433-1763; 1.3.2 Mandas y Villanueva, ducado de, 1230-1870; 1.3.3 Aguilafuente, marquesado de, 1534-1691; 1.3.4 Ayamonte, marquesado de, 1411-1829; 1.3.5 Gibraleon, marquesado de, 1264-1888; 1.3.6 Valero, marquesado de, 1411-1745; 1.3.7 Bañares, condado de, 1370-1844; 1.3.8 Belalcazar, condado de, 1231-1880; 1.3.9 Ledesma, condado de, 1406-1634; 1.3.10 Plasencia y Trujillo, condados de, 1416-1788; 1.3.11 Berantevilla, señorio de, 1370-1743; 1.3.12 Burguillos del Cerro, señorio de, 1373-1871; 1.3.13 Candeleda, señorio de; 1.3.14 Capilla, señorio de, 1236-1875; 1.3.15 Curiel y Pesquera del Duero, señorios de, 1386-1881; 1.3.16 Guzman de Burgos, señorio de, 1425-1793; 1.3.17 Talamanca de Jarama, señorio de, 1521-1869; 1.3.18 Valdearcos de la Vega, señorio de, 1654-1761; 1.3.19 Villaconancio, señorio de, 1394-1769; 1.3.20 Zuñiga y Mendavia, señorio de, 1394-1549; 1.3.21 Castañares de Rioja, señorio de, 1358-1837; 1.3.22 Villamanrique, marquesado de, 1536-1737; 1.3.23 Mondejar, marquesado de, 1486-1822; 1.3.24 La Algaba, señorio de, 1304-1723; 1.3.25 Lemos, condado de, 1462-1826.
Access, restrictions
Free access regulated by the current legal environment on access to Spanish historical archives (law 16/1985 of Spanish Historical Patrimony).
Finding aids
Data on the collection are also available at the website of the Spanish National Archives (PARES).
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
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| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archivo Historico de la Nobleza | Collections (official language of the state) |