Doña Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba y Fernández de Henestrosa, 18th Duchess of Medinaceli, GE (pronounced [biɣˈtoɾja ewˈxenja feɾˈnandeθ ðe ˈkoɾðoβaj feɾˈnandeθ ðe enesˈtɾosa]; 16 April 1917 – 18 August 2013) was a Spanish noblewoman and Grandee of Spain. She was the head of the Spanish noble House of Medinaceli and patron of the Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation. In addition to her most senior title of Duchess of Medinaceli, she held an additional 49 other hereditary noble titles during her lifetime, making her the second-most titled noblewoman in Spain, just after Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba. She died in Seville on 18 August 2013, aged 96.^[2]

Background

Doña Victoria was born as the eldest daughter of Don Luis Jesús Fernández de Córdoba y Salabert, 17th Duke of Medinaceli, and Doña Ana María Fernández de Henestrosa y Gayoso de los Cobos. She was baptized in the Royal Chamber of the Royal Palace of Madrid, with Queen Victoria Eugenie and King Alfonso XIII of Spain serving as her godparents. She was named after the Queen.^[3] She was known by the nickname Mimí to her family and close friends.^[4]

She married Rafael de Medina y Vilallonga in 1938, and she succeeded to the dukedom in 1956, upon her father's death. Before that, she was styled as 16th Duchess of Alcalá de los Gazules, a courtesy title granted by her father. She was the second-most titled noblewoman in Spain, and holder of one of its most ancient dukedoms.^[5]

In 1980, the Duchess established the Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation, which manages the Casa de Pilatos in Seville, her principal residence, as well as the Hospital de San Juan Bautista in Toledo and the Palacio de Oca in Galicia.^[6]

Marriage and issue

The Duchess married, on 12 January 1938 in Seville, Rafael de Medina y Vilallonga, Knight of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla and Mayor of Seville from 1943–47. The Duke was the son of Luis de Medina y Garvey, a son of the 4th Marquis of Esquivel, and Amelia de Vilallonga e Ybarra. They had 4 children:

• Doña Ana Luisa de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 12th Marquise of Navahermosa (b. 2 May 1940 - d. 7 March 2012), who married firstly at Seville, the 3 June 1961, Prince Maximilian Emmanuel of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, of the Hohenlohe princely family, brother of Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Divorced in 1982, she married secondly, in 1985, Jaime de Urzáiz y Fernández del Castillo, Minister of Culture. Children from her first marriage:
  • Prince Marco of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 19th Duke of Medinaceli (b. 8 March 1962 - d. 19 August 2016), married at Ronda, on 1 June 1996, Sandra Schmidt-Polex, daughter of Hans Carl Schmidt-Polex, and Karin Goepfer, having issue.
  • Prince Pablo of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (b. 5 March 1963), married at Tavera Monastery, Toledo on 6 June 2002, María del Prado y Muguiro, daughter of Juan Carlos del Prado, 11th Marquis of Caicedo, and Teresa de Muguiro y Pidal, having issue.
  • Princess Flavia of Hohenlohe-Langenburg (b. 9 March 1964), married at Seville, on 10 November 1990, her second cousin José Luis de Vilallonga y Sanz, having issue.
• Don Luis de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 9th Duke of Santisteban del Puerto, Grandee of Spain (b. 4 June 1941 - d. 9 Feb 2011), who married at Seville, on 1 December 1985, Mercedes Conradi y Ramírez. Daughters:
  • Doña Victoria Francisca de Medina y Conradi y Ramírez (b. 4 October 1986), 10th Duchess of Santisteban del Puerto, Grandee of Spain, married at Sevilla in 2014, Miguel José Coca y Barrionuevo.
  • Doña Casilda de Medina y Conradi y Ramírez (b. 16 May 1989), 16th Marchioness of Solera.
• Don Rafael de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 19th Duke of Feria, Grandee of Spain (b. 10 August 1942 - d. 5 August 2001), married at the Hermitage of El Rocío, Almonte, Natividad Abascal y Romero-Toro (divorced in 1989). Children:
  • Don Rafael de Medina, 20th Duke of Feria, Grandee of Spain (b. 25 September 1978).
  • Don Luis de Medina y Abascal (b. 31 August 1980).
• Don Ignacio de Medina y Fernández de Córdoba, 19th Duke of Segorbe, Grandee of Spain (b. 23 February 1947), married at Seville, on 24 October 1985, Princess Maria da Glória of Orléans-Braganza, daughter of Prince Pedro Gastão of Orléans-Braganza and wife Princess Maria de la Esperanza of Bourbon-Two Sicilies and ex-wife of Alexander, Crown Prince of Yugoslavia. Daughters:
  • Doña Sol María de la Blanca de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, 54th Countess of Ampurias (b. 8 August 1986).
  • Doña Ana Luna de Medina y Orléans-Braganza, 17th Countess of Ricla (b. 4 May 1988).

Titles

Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba held a total of 50 hereditary noble titles during her lifetime, 14 of which accompanied by the dignity of Grandee.

Dukedoms

Ducal arms of Medinaceli

• 18th Duchess of Medinaceli, Grandee of Spain
• 18th Duchess of Segorbe, Grandee of Spain -Ceded to her son Don Ignacio
• 16th Duchess of Alcalá de los Gazules, Grandee of Spain
• 18th Duchess of Feria, Grandee of Spain -Ceded to her son Don Rafael
• 12th Duchess of Camiña, Grandee of Spain
• 8th Duchess of Santisteban del Puerto, Grandee of Spain -Ceded to her son Don Luis
• 13th Duchess of Ciudad Real, Grandee of Spain
• 4th Duchess of Denia, Grandee of Spain
• 4th Duchess of Tarifa, Grandee of Spain

See also

• Medinaceli

References

External links

• Ducal House of Medinaceli Foundation website, fundacionmedinaceli.org; accessed 18 February 2015.
• Profile, grandesp.org.uk; accessed 18 February 2015.