The Caballerizo mayor (Great Equerry) was the Officer of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain. This role included oversight of the trips, the mews, and the hunt of the King of

Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...

Regime during the 16th to 18th centuries

The Office of “Caballerizo mayor” was one of the main Offices of the Royal Household in charge of the Royal Stables and everything related to the transportation of the Monarch. When the King sorted out from the Royal Palace, the Caballerizo had the main position behind him and the major rang over the other Court Officials. He managed as well the stables, the carriages, and the horses. He was assisted by the “Primeros Caballerizos” (First Equerries) who were nominated by him. He was in charge of the Royal hunt as “Montero mayor” (Great Hunter) holding, in many cases, the “Alcaldias” (Majorships) of the Spanish royal sites.

Regime during the 19th and 20th centuries

During the reigns of the last two Kings before the proclamation of the

Second Spanish Republic The Spanish Republic (), commonly known as the Second Spanish Republic (), was the form of democratic government in Spain from 1931 to 1939. The Republic was proclaimed on 14 April 1931 after the deposition of Alfonso XIII, King Alfonso XIII. ...

Alfonso XII Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as ''El Pacificador'' (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 D ...

and

Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; French language, French: ''Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon''; 17 May ...

, the “Caballerizo”, which joined to his function that of the “Montero mayor” (Great Hunter) of the King (which was an Office created during the reign of Isabella II), was the second person in category after the Mayordomo mayor having the sole authority so soon the Monarch left the Royal Palace. Only a peer that had the rank of

Grandee of Spain Grandee (; , ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neither country did they ha ...

could be nominated for this Office. His annual wages were 15.000 pesetas, the same ones that had the “Mayordomo” and, equally, he had the right to a private office at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Under his command they were the "Primer Caballerizo" (First Equerry) and the "Primer Montero" (First Hunter) with wages, both, of 7.500 pesetas per year. Under them they were situated the "Caballerizos de campo" (Equerries), who, usually, were officers of the Army. The “Caballerizo” accompanied the King in all his trips or, as it was called, "days" and sat close to him in every carriage, in car or in the trips by train or by ship throughout

or foreign countries. The “Caballerizo mayor”, with assistance of the First Caballerizo, was the chief of the Royal Mews. Also, he was the chief of the Armory of the Royal Palace of Madrid. As “Montero mayor”, with the help of the First Montero, he managed the hunting lodges of the Heritage of the Crown and organized the hunts attended by the King on the hunting-grounds of the Crown as the Royal forests of El Pardo, the Royal Hunting Lodge of la Encomienda de Mudela or the Royal forests of Valsaín. In the hunts organized by others, and attended also by the King, the “Montero mayor” was always accompanying him in that condition. As “Montero mayor” equally, his uniform was of green very dark cloth with own embroideries in form of branches of oak. In the Public Chapels and official ceremonies he normally stood right behind the Mayordomo mayor. He was styled “Excelentísimo señor Caballerizo y Montero mayor de Su Majestad”. This Office was suppressed after the proclamation of the

in 1931 and never re-created after the restoration of the Monarchy in 1975.

List of “Caballerizos mayores” (Great Equerries) to the King of Spain between 1515 and 1931

“Caballerizos mayores” to the Emperor
Charles V Charles V may refer to: Kings and Emperors * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise Others * Charles V, Duke ...
, 1515-1556

* 1515-1522: Charles de Lannoy,

* 1522–1526: Cesare Ferramosca * 1526–1529: Adrien de Croy, Count of Roeulx * 1529–1530: Guillermo de Monfort, Lord of Montfort * 1530–1556: Jehan Lenin-Liéthard, Count of Bossu,

* 1556: Sieur de Dandelot

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip II, 1556-1598

* 1556–1579: Antonio de Toledo * 1598: Diego Fernández de Córdoba, Lord of Armuña

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip III, 1598-1621

* 1598–1618: Francisco de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma,

* 1618–1621: Cristóbal Gómez de Sandoval y de la Cerda, Duke of Uceda,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip IV, 1621-1665

* 1621–1624: Juan Hurtado de Mendoza, Consort- Duke of the Infantado,

* 1624–1643: Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares,

* 1643–1648: Diego López de Haro Sotomayor y Guzmán,

Marquess of Carpio Marquess of Carpio () is a hereditary title in the Spanish nobility, Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee, granted in 1559 by Philip II of Spain, Philip II to Diego López de Haro y Sotomayor, Diego López de Haro, Lord of El C ...

* 1648–1661: Luis Méndez de Haro,

* 1661–1665: Fernando de Borja, Prince of Squillace and Count of Mayalde,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Charles II, 1665-1701

* 1667–1669: Pedro Portocarrero de Córdoba y Aragón, Duke of Camiña,

* 1669–1675: Francisco de Moura Corte-Real y Melo, Marquess of Castel-Rodrigo,

* 1675–1683: Juan Gaspar Enríquez de Cabrera y Sandoval, Duke of Medina de Rioseco, Admiral of Castile,

* 1683–1687: Juan Francisco de la Cerda,

Duke of Medinaceli Duke of Medinaceli () is an hereditary title in the peerage of Spain, accompanied by the dignity of Grandee. The Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile, created the title and awarded it on 31 October 1479 to Luis ...

* 1687–1688: Francisco Fernández de Córdoba, Duke of Sessa,

* 1693–1701: Juan Tomás Enriquez de Cabrera, Duke of Medina de Rioseco, Admiral of Castile,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip V, 1701-1724

* 1701–1713: Juan Clarós Pérez de Guzmán y Fernández de Córdoba, Duke of Medina Sidonia,

* 1715–1721: Francesco Maria Pico, Duke of la Mirandola,

* 1721–1724: Alonso Manrique de Lara, Duke of Arco,

“Caballerizo mayor” to the King
Louis I Louis I may refer to: Cardinals * Louis I, Cardinal of Guise (1527–1578) Counts * Ludwig I, Count of Württemberg (c. 1098–1158) * Louis I of Blois (1172–1205) * Louis I of Flanders (1304–1346) * Louis I of Châtillon (died 13 ...
, 1724

* 1724: Alonso Manrique de Lara, Duke of Arco,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip V, 1724-1746

* 1724: Alonso Manrique de Lara, Duke of Arco,

* 1737–1746: Manuel de Benavides y Aragón, Duke of Santisteban del Puerto,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Ferdinand VI, 1746-1759

* 1746–1749: Francisco VI Fernández de la Cueva y de la Cerda, Duke of Alburquerque,

* 1749–1759: Luis Fernández de Córdoba y Spínola,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King
Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...
, 1759-1788

* 1759–1768: Luis Fernández de Córdoba y Spínola,

* 1768–1777: Pedro de Alcántara Pérez de Guzmán y Pacheco, Duke of Medina Sidonia,

* 1780–1788: Felipe López Pacheco de la Cueva, Marquess of Villena,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Charles IV, 1788-1808

* 1788–1798: Felipe López Pacheco de la Cueva, Marquess of Villena,

* 1798–1801: Juan de la Cruz Belbis de Moncada y Pizarro, Marquess of Bélgida * 1801–1808: Vicente Joaquín Osorio de Moscoso y Guzmán,

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 ...

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King
Ferdinand VII Ferdinand VII (; 14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was King of Spain during the early 19th century. He reigned briefly in 1808 and then again from 1813 to his death in 1833. Before 1813 he was known as ''el Deseado'' (the Desired), and af ...
, 1808 and 1814-1808

* 1808: Vicente Joaquín Osorio de Moscoso y Guzmán,

* 1814–1822: Juan de la Cruz Belbis de Moncada y Pizarro, Marquess of Bélgida * 1822–1823: Vicente Isabel Osorio de Moscoso y Álvarez de Toledo,

* 1823–1833: Juan de la Cruz Belbis de Moncada y Pizarro, Marquess of Bélgida

“Caballerizos mayores” to the Queen Isabella II, 1833-1868

* 1833–1838: Fernando de Aguilera y Contreras, Marquess of Cerralbo,

* 1838–1839: Ángel María de Carvajal y Fernández de Córdoba y Gonzaga, Duke of Abrantes,

* 1839–1854: Joaquín Fernández de Córdoba Pacheco, Duke of Arión,

* 1854: Mariano Patricio de Guillamas y Galiano, Marquess of San Felices,

* 1854–1856: Vicente Pío Osorio de Moscoso y Ponce de León, Duke of Montemar,

* 1856–1859: Francisco Javier Arias Dávila y Matheu, Count of Puñonrostro,

* 1860–1868: Fernando Díaz de Mendoza y Valcárcel, Count of Lalaing,

“Caballerizo mayor” to the King Amadeo I, 1871-1873

* 1871: Carlos O'Donnell, Duke of Tetuan,

(1)

“Caballerizo mayor” to the King
Alfonso XII Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as ''El Pacificador'' (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 D ...
, 1875-1885

* 1875–1885: José Isidro Osorio y Silva-Bazán, Marquess of Alcañices,

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King
Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; French language, French: ''Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon''; 17 May ...
, 1885-1931

* 1885–1900: José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo y Silva, Duke of Medina Sidonia,

(1) * 1903–1906: Manuel Felipe Falcó y Ossorio, Marquess of la Mina,

* 1906–1927: José de Saavedra y Salamanca, Marquess of Viana,

* 1927–1931: Baltasar de Losada y Torres, Count of Maceda,

(1) From 1871 to 1873 this Office was suppressed. From 1900 to 1903 it remained vacant

List of “Primeros Caballerizos” (First Equerries) to the King of Spain between 1875 and 1931

“Primeros Caballerizos” to King
Alfonso XII Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as ''El Pacificador'' (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 D ...
, 1875-1885

* 1875-1876: Ricardo Castellví e Ibarrola, Count of Carlet * 1876-1885: Ignacio de Arteaga y Puente, Count of el Pilar

“Primeros Caballerizos” to King
Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; French language, French: ''Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon''; 17 May ...
, 1885-1931

* 1885-1894: Ignacio de Arteaga y Puente, Count of el Pilar * 1894-1903: Bernardo Ulibarri * 1903-1912: Rodrigo Álvarez de Toledo * 1912-1914: Fernando Moreno de Tejada y Díaz de Cabria, Count of Fuenteblanca * 1914-1931: Miguel Tacón y Calderón, Duke of la Unión de Cuba,

List of "Primeros Monteros" (First Hunters) to the King of Spain between 1875 and 1931

“Primer Montero” to King
Alfonso XII Alfonso XII (Alfonso Francisco de Asís Fernando Pío Juan María de la Concepción Gregorio Pelayo de Borbón y Borbón; 28 November 185725 November 1885), also known as ''El Pacificador'' (Spanish: the Peacemaker), was King of Spain from 29 D ...
, 1875-1885

* 1875-1885: Honorio de Samaniego y Pando, Count of Villapaterna

“Primeros Monteros” to King
Alfonso XIII Alfonso XIII (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Alfonso León Fernando María Jaime Isidro Pascual Antonio de Borbón y Habsburgo-Lorena''; French language, French: ''Alphonse Léon Ferdinand Marie Jacques Isidore Pascal Antoine de Bourbon''; 17 May ...
, 1885-1931

* 1885-1893: Honorio de Samaniego y Pando, Count of Villapaterna * 1903-1927: Baltasar de Losada y Torres, Count of Maceda * 1927-1931: Alonso Alvarez de Toledo y Samaniego, Marquess of Valdueza

Bibliography

Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana __NOTOC__ The ''Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana'' (also called ''Enciclopedia Espasa'', or ''Enciclopedia Espasa-Calpe'', after its publisher, founded by José Espasa Anguera) is a Spanish encyclopedia. It comprises 72 volume ...

. Volume 49. Hijos de J. Espasa, Editores.1923 * Martínez Millán José. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Departamento de Historia Moderna. La Corte de Carlos V. 2000 * Martinéz Millán (dir). José. La Corte de Felipe II. Madrid. Alianza 1994 * Martínez Millán, José y Visceglia, Maria Antonietta (Dirs.). La Monarquía de Felipe III. Madrid, Fundación Mapfre, 2008/2009 * Archivo General de Palacio (AGP

Patrimonio Nacional. Sección Personal Royal households Monarchy of Spain Spanish courtiers