The House of Osorio is an old and influential Spanish noble family, which originated from the

Kingdom of Castile The Kingdom of Castile (; : ) was a polity in the Iberian Peninsula during the Middle Ages. It traces its origins to the 9th-century County of Castile (, ), as an eastern frontier lordship of the Kingdom of León. During the 10th century, the Ca ...

History

They descend from count Osorio Martínez, a prominent nobleman in the first half of the 12th century who was member of the Flagínez family and husband to a granddaughter of king

Alfonso VI of León Alphons (Latinized ''Alphonsus'', ''Adelphonsus'', or ''Adefonsus'') is a male given name recorded from the 8th century ( Alfonso I of Asturias, r. 739–757) in the Christian successor states of the Visigothic Kingdom in the Iberian Peninsula. ...

. It was from his grandson, Osorio González, that the family derived its

patronymic A patronymic, or patronym, is a component of a personal name based on the given name of one's father, grandfather (more specifically an avonymic), or an earlier male ancestor. It is the male equivalent of a matronymic. Patronymics are used, b ...

surname. His son Rodrigo Osorio is relatively obscure, but had two sons who accompanying king

Ferdinand III of Castile Ferdinand III (; 1199/120130 May 1252), called the Saint (''el Santo''), was King of Castile from 1217 and King of León from 1230 as well as King of Galicia from 1231. He was the son of Alfonso IX of León and Berengaria of Castile. Through his ...

on his conquest of

Seville Seville ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Spain, Spanish autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia and the province of Seville. It is situated on the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, River Guadalquivir, ...

, receiving lands there, and who used Osorio as a surname: Rodrigo Rodríguez Osorio and Álvar Rodríguez Osorio. The son of Rodrigo Rodríguez, also named Álvar Rodríguez Osorio, rose to prominence in the service of king

Sancho IV of Castile Sancho IV of Castile (12 May 1258 – 25 April 1295) called the Brave (''el Bravo''), was the king of Castile, León and Galicia (now parts of Spain) from 1284 to his death. Following his brother Ferdinand's death, he gained the s ...

. He had three sons, Juan Álvarez Osorio, a court official and ancestor of the later noble family, Gonzalo Osorio,

Bishop of Mondoñedo A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of dioceses. The role ...

(d. 1326), and Álvar Núñez Osorio,

Count of Trastámara Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, Lemos and Sarria, and '' mayordomo mayor'' before being executed by king

Alfonso XI Alfonso XI (11 August 131126 March 1350), called the Avenger (''el Justiciero''), was King of Castile and León. He was the son of Ferdinand IV of Castile and his wife Constance of Portugal. Upon his father's death in 1312, several disputes en ...

in 1329. Later descendants would be

Grandees of Spain Grandees of Spain () are the highest-ranking members of the Spanish nobility. They comprise nobles who hold the most important historical landed titles in Spain or its Spanish Empire, former colonies. Many such hereditary titles are held by extend ...

and would hold numerous titles, including

Marquess of Astorga Marquess of Astorga () is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility, Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1465 by Henry IV of Castile, Henry IV to Álvar Pérez Osorio, 2nd Count of Trastámara and captain gener ...

and

Duke of Alburquerque Duke of Alburquerque () is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and granted in 1464 by Henry IV to Beltrán de la Cueva, his "royal favourite" and grand master of the Order of Santiago. It makes ref ...

. The Osorio shield is gold with two wolves.

References

Sources

*J. M. Canal Sánchez-Pagín. "El Conde Osorio Martinez y los Marqueses de Astorga". ''Astorica'' 7:11–31 (1988). *J. de Salazar y Acha. "Los Osorio: Un linaje de más de mil años al servicio de la Corona". ''Anales de la Real Academia Matritense de Heráldica y Genealogía'', 4:143–82 (1996–97). {{DEFAULTSORT:Osorio Spanish noble families