Spanish nobility & aristocracy

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I start with the picture named The IX Duke of Osuna and his family, by Goya. It shows don Pedro de Alcántara Téllez-Girón y Pacheco with his wife Josefa countess-duchess of Benavente and their four children Josefa Manuela, Joaquina, Francisco de Borja and Pedro, prince of Anglona.

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Goya painted at least three of the siblings as adults many years later.

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The duchess of Abrantes

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The X Duke of Osuna.

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The marchioness of Santa Cruz.

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The ducal house of Osuna is one of the most important of the spanish aristocracy. The title refers to the village of Osuna in the province of Seville.

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The IX Duke of Osuna.

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His wife María Josefa Pimentel y Téllez-Girón. Countess-duchess of Benavente. She belonged to a spanish family of portuguese background.

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One of the most important leaders of Madrid society, there was a kind of rivalry with queen María Luisa and the duchess of Alba.

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Among her ancestors was the V Duke of Benavente, painted by El Greco.

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And the VII Duke of Benavente painted by Velásquez.

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The palace and garden that Josefa Pimentel made built for her in the outskirts of Madrid at the beginnings of the XIX century is now a public garden called El Capricho.

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