Ducal House of Medinaceli

Description

The origin of the Ducal House of Medinaceli lies in the complex succession dispute of the Infantes de la Cerda, sons of Fernando de la Cerda and Blanca de Francia, whose firstborn, Alfonso, after initially prevailing in the dispute, assumed the title of King of Castile and Leon. Although he maintained prolonged litigation for the Crown with Sancho IV and Fernando IV, he ended up recognizing his nephew Alfonso XI as the legitimate monarch in exchange for the cession of various territories. The extinction of his direct line meant that these possessions fell to Isabel de la Cerda, who in 1368 married Bernardo de Bearne, Count of Medinaceli, definitively linking those domains to the new lineage. From then on, the family adopted the name of Ducal House of Medinaceli.