Íñigo Melchor de Velasco, 7th Duke of Frías

Íñigo Melchor Fernández de Velasco, 7th Duke of Frías, GE, KOS (16 April 1629 – 27 September 1696), was a Spanish nobleman and Governor-General of the Spanish Netherlands.

Biography His father was Bernardino Fernández de Velasco, 6th Duke of Frías and his mother was Isabel Maria de Guzmán. King John IV of Portugal was his cousin.

He was a very influential political figure during the reign of Carlos II of Spain. He inherited the title of Constable of Castile from his father, was a member of both the State council and the War Council, Governor of Galicia, and became Governor of the Spanish Netherlands between 1668 and 1670. In 1676 he was appointed as Mayordomo mayor to the King, chief of his Household.

Marriage and children He married twice: first to Josefa Fernández de Córdoba and then to Maria Teresa de Benavídes Dávila y Corella, daughter of Diego de Benavides, 8th Count of Santisteban. They had one daughter : María Remigia, VII Marquesa de Berlanga (c. 1678 to 1734), married to Francisco Téllez-Girón, 6th Duke of Osuna.

He also had an illegitimate son : Francisco Fernández de Velasco y Tovar, marquis of Carvajal (1646–1716), Viceroy of Catalonia.

After his death in 1696, the title of Duke of Frías went to his nephew José Fernández de Velasco, 8th Duke of Frías (circa 1665 – 1704).

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