Gonzalo II Fernández de Córdoba (Cartagena, 27 July 1520 – 3 December 1578 in Odón), 3rd duke of Sessa, was the grandson of famous Viceroy of Naples, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba, 1st duke of Sessa. He was twice a Governor of the Duchy of Milan, 1554–1560, Knight 217 of the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1555, and was awarded the title of 1st duke of Baena by king Philip II of Spain on 19 August 1566. Apparently, in 1552, he was pressed for money, selling his title of 3rd duke of Andria to Fabrizio Carafa, count of Rufo.
His mother died when he was 4 and his father when he was 6. He married at Valladolid, Spain, on 30 November 1538 the lady described, to honour aristocratic female ancestors of her family, countesses of Rivadavia, as María Sarmiento de Mendoza, but being the sister of Diego de los Cobos y Hurtado de Mendoza, 1st marquis of Camarasa, both being the children of Ubeda born Francisco de los Cobos, powerful Secretary of State and Financial Accountant of king Charles I of Spain, a.k.a. Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. There was no issue however from this marriage.
He kept since his lonely childhood a very close friendship with a black descendant of slaves and first black University professor in the world Juan Latino, who married the white Italian daughter of one of the City of Granada town accountants, having "mulato" descent, indeed.
Gonzalo II, holder of several dukedoms and many other lesser titles, Spanish and Italian, was Captain General of the Spanish Troops in Italy, Great Admiral of the Kingdom of Naples, and a member of the Spanish king Royal Council for Italy and the Royal War Council, too.
In 1578, on his death without issue, the succession to many of these titles, including the 4th dukedom of Sessa, 6th title of Countess of Cabra and the 2nd dukedom of Baena was for his sister, describing herself till then as Francisca Fernámdez de Córdoba.
Youngest sister Francisca had married in 1542 Álvaro de Zúñiga y Sotomayor, 4th marquis of Gibraleón, 6 count of Belalcázar, deceased 24 February 1559. This name Zúñiga belonged to her husband mother, "Teresa de Zúñiga", deceased 25 November 1565, 2nd marchioness of Ayamonte, Lady of Lepe and Redondela, 3rd duchess of Béjar on her own rights, 4th countess of Bañares, 2nd marchioness of Gibraleón while the husband , a "Sotomayor", from Córdoba, was also a member of the nobility but not as wealthy or as important as his wife.
Once more, the inherited name was no necessarily always "transmitted" by the father exclusively, things depending on personal circumstances, something washed away later by the rational small minded modernized prejudices.
There was no issue either however from this marriage between a "Fernández de Córdoba" woman and a "Zuñiga" family man, name grafted however from his much more wealthy and illustrious mother.
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| Preceded by Cristoforo Madruzzo |
Governor of the Duchy of Milan (1st time) 1558–1560 |
Succeeded by Francesco Ferdinando d'Ávalos |
| Preceded by Francesco Ferdinando d'Ávalos |
Governor of the Duchy of Milan (2nd time) 1563–1564 |
Succeeded by Gabriel de la Cueva, 5th Duke of Alburquerque |