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Francisco Gómez de Sandoval, 1st Duke of Lerma

Tordesillas, 1553 – Valladolid, 17 May 1625

17 facts3 sources

Facts and their sources

  • Born1553, Tordesillasnot verified1 source
  • Titlecardinalor Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • Titlecount of Lermaor Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinalnot verified1 source
  • TitleViceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597or favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • Titlefavourite, 1598–1618or Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • Titlecaballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618or Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • Titleviceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600or Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • TitleDuke of Lerma, 1599–1625or Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • TitleSumiller de Corps, 1599–1618or Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · cardinal priest, 1618–1625 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • Titlecardinal priest, 1618–1625or Viceroy of Valencia, 1595–1597 · favourite, 1598–1618 · viceroy of Portugal, 1598–1600 · caballerizo mayor del rey, 1598–1618 · Duke of Lerma, 1599–1625 · Sumiller de Corps, 1599–1618 · cardinal · count of Lermanot verified1 source
  • Died17 May 1625, Valladolidnot verified1 source
  • MotherIsabel de Borja y Castronot verified1 source
  • FatherFrancisco Gómez de Sandoval y Zúñiganot verified1 source

A life in time

  1. 1553

    Born in Tordesillas

  2. 28 Aug 1579

    A daughter is born

  3. 1595–1597

    Viceroy of Valencia

  4. 1598–1618

    Favourite

  5. 1598–1618

    Caballerizo mayor del rey

  6. 1598–1600

    Viceroy of Portugal

  7. 1599–1625

    Duke of Lerma

  8. 1599–1618

    Sumiller de Corps

  9. 1618–1625

    Cardinal priest

  10. 17 May 1625

    Dies in Valladolid

Family

See the tree

Parents

Partner

Children · 1

During his lifetime

He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Tordesillas.

General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.

The 1550s · Francisco is born in Tordesillas

What people wore

Festive Accessories for Women

On feast days, rural women decorated their modest outfits with modest silver crosses, necklaces made of jet, coral, or amber, and ribbons that adorned their chests. While they often worked barefoot, these festive accessories allowed them to appear much more elegant than on regular working days.

Daily life

Water access was a major daily effort

Most ordinary homes lacked a private well, forcing residents to carry water from the nearest public fountain. Having a private well was considered a significant luxury.

Work

Women's daily wages were strictly limited

In mid-16th-century Requena, women worked the same sun-to-sun hours as men but were paid only half a real (17 maravedíes) daily, regardless of the season.

Music

Home music and the vihuela

The vihuela was a widely played instrument at home, and seven printed songbooks published between 1536 and 1576 contain hundreds of secular works including ballads, sonnets, and villancicos. These books were instrumental in spreading music beyond elite courtly circles into ordinary households.

At the table

Wine and simple carob drinks

Wine was considered a fundamental, energy-providing beverage for all, though commoners often drank poor-quality or adulterated versions compared to the wealthy. Aloja, a drink made from carob fruits, was another popular, rudimentary beverage served in taverns.

Getting around

The postal relay system

The postal service system, established in the 16th century, allowed travelers to change horses at relay stations, which was considered the fastest and most advanced method of transport.

What it cost

Daily wages in Seville in the 1550s

A casual laborer in Seville typically earned about 74 maravedíes per day during the 1550s.