Caballerizo mayor

The Caballerizo major (Great Equerry) was the Officer of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain in charge of the trips, the mews and the hunt of the King of Spain.

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, Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII, 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 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 Spain 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 Second Spanish Republic 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, 1515-1556
  • 1515-1522: Charles de Lannoy, Grandee of Spain
  • 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, Grandee of Spain
  • 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

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

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

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

“Caballerizo mayor” to the King Louis I, 1724

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip V, 1724-1746
  • 1724: Alonso Manrique de Lara, Duke of el Arco, Grandee of Spain
  • 1737-1746: Manuel de Benavides y Aragón, Count and then Duke of Santisteban del Puerto, Grandee of Spain

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

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Charles III, 1759-1788

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Charles IV, 1788-1808
  • 1788-1798: Felipe López Pacheco de la Cueva, Marquess of Villena, Grandee of Spain
  • 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, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Ferdinand VII, 1808 and 1814-1808
  • 1808: Vicente Joaquín Osorio de Moscoso y Guzmán, Marquess of Astorga, Grandee of Spain
  • 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, Marquess of Astorga, Grandee of Spain
  • 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, Grandee of Spain
  • 1838-1839: Ángel María de Carvajal y Fernández de Córdoba y Gonzaga, Duke of Abrantes, Grandee of Spain
  • 1839-1854: Joaquín Fernández de Córdoba Pacheco, Duke of Arión, Grandee of Spain
  • 1854: Mariano Patricio de Guillamas y Galiano, Marquess of San Felices, Grandee of Spain
  • 1854-1856: Vicente Pío Osorio de Moscoso y Ponce de León, Duke of Montemar, Grandee of Spain
  • 1856-1859: Francisco Javier Arias Dávila y Matheu, Count of Puñonrostro, Grandee of Spain
  • 1860-1868: Fernando Díaz de Mendoza y Valcárcel, Count of Lalaing, Grandee of Spain

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

“Caballerizo mayor” to the King Alfonso XII, 1875-1885
  • 1875-1885: José Isidro Osorio y Silva-Bazán, Marquess of Alcañices, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Alfonso XIII, 1885-1931

(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, 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, 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, Grandee of Spain

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

“Primer Montero” to King Alfonso XII, 1875-1885
  • 1875-1885: Honorio de Samaniego y Pando, Count of Villapaterna

“Primeros Monteros” to King Alfonso XIII, 1885-1931
  • 1885-1893: Honorio de Samaniego y Pando, Count of Villapaterna
  • 1903-1927: Baltasar de Losada y Torres, Count of San Roman
  • 1927-1931: Alonso Alvarez de Toledo y Samaniego, Marquess of Villanueva de Valdueza

References
  • Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana. 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
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