María del Rosario de Silva, Duchess of Alba


María del Rosario de Silva
Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco
Duchess consort of Alba
Portrait of the Duchess of Alba, wearing Spanish mantilla, by Ignacio Zuloaga.
Full name
María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay
Born4 April 1900
Madrid, Spain
Died11 January 1934(1934-01-11) (aged 33)
Madrid, Spain
BuriedMonastery of Inmaculada Concepción (Loeches)
Noble familyHouse of Híjar, House of Silva
Spouse
IssueCayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba
FatherAlfonso de Silva, 16th Duke of Híjar
MotherMaría del Rosario Gurtubay y González de Castejón

Doña María del Rosario de Silva y Gurtubay, Duchess of Alba de Tormes, 9th Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco, GE (4 April 1900 – 11 January 1934) was a Spanish aristocrat and socialite.

Early life

María was born in Madrid, Spain on 4 April 1900. She was the sole heiress of all the titles of her father, Alfonso de Silva, 16th Duke of Híjar, and of the fortune of her mother, María del Rosario Gurtubay, the young Marchioness was one of the beauties of her time.

Personal life

She married in London, on 7 October 1920, to Jacobo Fitz-James Stuart, 17th Duke of Alba, thus becoming the Duchess of Alba. Before her death, they were the parents of a daughter:[1]

The Duke and Duchess travelled to the United States in 1924, visiting Chicago, New York, Washington, and Long Island.[3]

She stayed with her family in the Liria Palace in Madrid and died there of tuberculosis on 11 January 1934, aged only 33.[3]

Ancestry

Ancestors of María del Rosario de Silva, Duchess of Alba
8. Andrés de Silva, 13th Duke of Aliaga
4. Alfonso de Silva, 15th Duke of Híjar
9. María Isabel Campbell
2. Alfonso de Silva, 16th Duke of Híjar
10. Luis Fernández de Córdoba, 15th Duke of Medinaceli
5. María del Dulce Nombre Fernández de Córdoba y Pérez de Barradas
11. Ángela Pérez de Barradas, 1st Duchess of Denia and Tarifa
1. María del Rosario de Silva, 9th Marchioness of San Vicente del Barco
12. José María Simón Gurtubay y Zubero
6. Juan Gurtubay y Meaza
13. Rosalía Meaza y Basterra
3. María del Rosario Gurtubay y González de Castejón
14. Luis González de Castejon y Gil-Delgado
7. Adelaida González de Castejón y Torre
15. Adelaida Torre de Lequerica y Uríbarri

References