House of Silva

The House of Silva [English pron.: /ˈSill-vah'/] is an aristocratic family of Portuguese origin.

Juan de Mena's work of the first half of the 15th century was giving families their ancestral monarchy and royal power to link them to the glorious past. Juan de Mena indicated that the Silva were "very noble Royals and noblemen of high rank" with some writings claiming for them descent from the mythical Latin kings of Alba Longa (and hence from Aeneas of Troy). He adds the claim that a member of the family fought with Pelagius of Asturias.[1] Luis de Salazar y Castro repeated these and other similar traditions of ancient Italian origin in his Historia genealógica de la Casa de Silva, published in 1685, as well as other equally unfounded derivation from the royal house of Asturias.[2]

In Portugal, one branch of the family came to hold Vagos, Tentugal and Boarceos. One of this line, Diego Gomes da Silva, was appointed alfarez mayor in 1416.[3] Of his line came Ruy Gómez de Silva, one of the chief nobles of the court of Philip II of Spain, being made Prince of Éboli, Duke of Pastrana, Duke of Estremera, and Count of Melito.

A branch of the family became established in the Castile after Arias Gomes da Silva, was name Prince of Cordoba. He was forced to settle in Toledo where he married a relative of Archbishop Pedro Tenorio. His son Alfonso Tenorio de Silva intermarried with the city gentry to establish his family as one of the most powerful in the city as well as serving in the courts of successive Trastámara monarchs.[4] His son Juan de Silva was made count of Cifuentes, which title the family held until the early 17th century, some of the offsprings of Silva de Cifuentes immigrated to Latin America, while younger branches were lords of Montemayor and Corral, while a younger kinsman of ambassador, likewise named Arias Gomes da Silva, followed his cousin to Toledo and established a line which were lords of the Mayorazgo of Toledo.[5]

The current position of the House of Silva is followed by the footsteps of several member of Silva, from the off-spring of the royals and monarchs. •Lord Martin Silva •Lordess Francisca Silva •Carmen Silva •Lordess (Th) Francisca Silva II •Prince Ignacio Silva of Granada •Prince Pablo Silva •Archbischop Charles •Prince Michael Silva •Viscount Martin Silva III •Elena Silva of Villanueva •Paula Silva of Villanueva II •Viscount Miguel Silva II •Sergio Silva II of Toledo •Countess Cayetana Silva •Count Pablo Silva II •Th. Humbert Silva •Th. William Silva •Th. Camilla Silva •Th. Marcus Silva •Th. Martina Silva •Th. Mauricio Silva

See also

References

  1. ↑ Robert Folger, «Generations y Semblanzas»: Memory and Genealogy in Medieval Iberian Historiography, Gunter Narr Varlag Tübingen, 2003, pp. 221-222.
  2. ↑ Luis de Salazar y Castro, Historia genealogica de la Casa de Silva, Malchor Alvarez y Mateo, Madrid, 1685, vol. 1, chapters 7,8.
  3. ↑ James M. Boyden, The Courtier and the King: Ruy Gómez de Silva, Philip II, and the Court of Spain, University of California Press, 1995, p. 8-9
  4. ↑ Candelaria, Lorenzo (2008). The Rosary Cantoral: ritual and social design in a chantbook from early Renaissance Toledo. University Rochester Press. pp. 24–. ISBN 9781580462051. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  5. ↑ Martz, Linda (2003). A network of converso families in early modern Toledo: assimilating a minority. University of Michigan Press. pp. 5–9. ISBN 9780472112692. Retrieved 20 May 2013.