Beltrán de la Cueva

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Don Beltrán de la Cueva y Alfonso de Mercado, 1st Duke of Alburquerque (Úbeda, 1443 - November 1^[1], 1492), was a Spanish nobleman and presumed lover of Queen Joan of Portugal.

King Enrique IV, in his second year as King, travelled to Úbeda and stayed with Beltrán's father, Diego Fernández de la Cueva, 1st Viscount of Huelma. When he left this house, he took Diego's second oldest son, Beltrán, with him to stay at Court to show his gratitude to Diego. (Diego offered Beltrán after Enrique asked for Diego's oldest son, whom Diego wanted to keep close by).

He married as his first wife Teresa de Molina de Quesada, of Úbeda, daughter of Francisco Cazorla de Quesada and wife Guiomar Mayor de Molina y Vera, without issue.

Beltrán soon becomes the King's favourite and marries Cardinal Mendoza's niece, Doña Mencía Hurtado de Mendoza y Luna, daughter of the 1st Dukes del Infantado, by whom he had a son Francisco Fernández de la Cueva. He is, however, best known for having an affair with Enrique's second wife, Joan of Portugal. It was rumoured that her only daughter, Juana, princess of Castile was fathered by Beltrán and not by the King himself, who was considered impotent. This made Juana illegitimate in the eyes of some, which led to a four-year War of the Castilian Succession, which was won by Isabella I of Castile, Enrique's half-sister.

He was a Great-Master of the Order of Santiago and Chamberlain-Major. In 1462 the King granted him the title of 1st Count of Ledesma.

In 1463 Beltrán is removed from Court and receives as compensation the title of 1st Duke of Alburquerque Grandee of Spain by mercy of King Henry IV at Segovia, Letter of November 16 or November 26, 1464. He was also created in 1464 1st Lord of Cuéllar, Roa, Atienza, Torregalindo, Codecera, etc.

In 1467 he fights in the Battle of Olmedo against the rebels supporting Alfonso of Castile, Prince of Asturias.

In the War of the Castilian Succession, he supports the Catholic Kings against his presumed daughter Juana. As a reward he was also created 1st Count of Huelma by Decree of the same King on August 20, 1474, later confirmed by Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand V of Castile on April 20, 1475.

He also distinguished himself in the conquest of Granada along with his son Don Francisco.

A widower in 1474 he married in 1479 as her second husband Dona María Fernández de Velasco y Mendoza, duaghter of the Constable of Castile, Don Pedro Fernández de Velasco, and had two sons, Don Cristóbal de la Cueva y Velasco, born in Cuéllar and married to Leonor de Velasco y Carrillo de Córdoba, 3rd Countess of Siruela, who died in 1529, and had issue, and Don Antonio de la Cueva y Velasco, 1st Lord of La Adrada, married to Elvira de Ayala, and had issue.

He had a bastard son named Manuel Beltrão, who went to Portugal and there he married Francisca da Mota, ancestors of the Beltrão family.

Beltrán de la Cueva died in 1492 and was buried at the Convent of San Francisco de Cuéllar.

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[edit] Sources

• Summarized and Translated from "Don Beltrán de la Cueva" http://www.castillosdejirm.com/beltrancueva.htm
• Instituto de Salazar y Castro, Elenco de Grandezas y Titulos Nobiliarios Españoles". Various (periodic publication)
• Sousa, Dom António Caetano de, História Genealógica da Casa Real Portuguesa. Atlântida-Livraria Editora, Lda, 2ª Edição, Coimbra, 1946. Tomo VI - p. 323
• Cunha, Fernando de Castro Pereira Mouzinho de Albuquerque e (1906-1998), Instrumentário Genealógico - Linhagens Milenárias. MCMXCV, pp. 329-30
• Genealogy
• Genealogy
• Gaio, Manuel José da Costa Felgueiras, Nobiliário das Famílias de Portugal, Tomo Setimo, Beltroens