Don Alonso Pérez de Guzmán

Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Zúñiga-Sotomayor, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia, (1 September 1550 – 26 July 1615), Grandee of Spain, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece since 1581, is the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armada.

His grand mother was Ana de Aragón y de Gurrea, deceased 1528, one of the daughters, "born out of sin", of Archbishop of Zaragoza, Royal bastard of king Ferdinand II of Aragón, known as Alonso de Aragón y Ruiz de Iborra, Archbishop of Zaragoza.

She married twice in the year 1518 with the Medina Sidonia dukes, first with the 5th duke,a.k.a.

Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y Girón, deceased childless, 1548, formally declared "mentecato", (out of his mind, unfit to reason properly), then, again, in the same year of 1518 with the 5th Duke brother, her former brother in law, the 6th Duke, known as Juan Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y Girón, (24 March 1502, + Sanlúcar de Barrameda, province of Cádiz, Spain, 26th November 1558).

A World famous natural park, "Coto", in Spanish language, is known today as "Coto de Doña Ana = (in short), Coto de Doñana" nowadays, and is located near the Ocean Atlantic Spanish Coast, province of Cádiz, as his motherand father loved to hunt in their lands.

His father was Juan Claros de Guzmán y de Aragón, deceased 1556, two years before his father, Juan Alonso, 6th Duke, died and not inheriting the ducal title therefore, being thus only, 9th Count of Niebla.

His mother was a most powerful and wealthy lady, Leonor de Zúñiga y Sotomayor, daughter of a powerful duchess, Teresa de Zúñiga, 2nd marchioness of Ayamonte, 3rd duchess of Béjar, 4th countess of Bañares, 2nd marchioness of Gibraleón, so it was her name Zúñiga, the one to be passed to the family, as she was married to a "Sotomayor", less endowed with noble titles, county of Belalcázar, something by no means unique in the High Spanish Nobility of the time.

His father, Juan Claros, died in 1555/1556.

On the death of his grandfather in 1559, Don Alonso, at around 9 years old, becomes duke, and master of one of the greatest fortunes in Europe.

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