Medina Sidonia: The Duke Who Defended Cádiz from the English Attack
In the tumultuous waters of Spanish history, the name Medina Sidonia resonates with a mix of grandeur and decay, of overwhelming power and imminent ruin. The Duke of Medina Sidonia, a title that evokes images of dazzling castles and opulent banquets, became an unexpected bastion in the defense of Cádiz against the fierce English attack in 1587. This episode, marked by bravery, extravagance, and the internal struggles of the nobility, not only reveals the magnitude of the duke's power but also the winds of change blowing through 16th-century Spain.
A Duke in His Splendor: Power and Wealth
The Duke of Medina Sidonia, Don Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y el Bueno, was a man of extreme wealth and undeniable power. His title, inherited since 1368, not only conferred upon him a vast expanse of lands in Andalusia but also essential influence at the court of King Philip II. The Medina Sidonia family was one of the most prominent in Spain, with a lineage that traced back to the Reconquista. At the height of their splendor, the Guzmán family amassed colossal wealth, thanks to agriculture on their lands and trade with the Americas. It is said that the duke lived in a palace where banquets were so grand that rumors of his opulence reached the courts of Europe, where the nobility whispered about the family's magnificence and extravagance.
Historical documents from the General Archive of the Indies reveal that the duke possessed around 80,000 ducats annually, allowing him to lead a life of excess. According to chronicles from the time, "the duke's tables were covered with the most exquisite delicacies, and the wines of Jerez flowed like rivers." Yet behind the facade of wealth lay a story of family tensions and alliances that often turned into rivalries. The Andalusian nobility, filled with ambitions and rivalries,