PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Aguilera Ruiz de Contreras, Fernando (1784-1838)Other forms

Fechas de existencia:

Madrid (España) 1784-08-20 - Madrid (España) 1838-05-02

History:

Spanish noble. Knight of the Order of Alcántara. Born in Madrid. Marquis of Cerralbo and Almarza. President of the Consejo de las Órdenes (in English, "Council of the Orders"). Son of Manuel Isidro Aguilera Galarza and Josefa Contreras Vargas. In 1800, he joined the former Royal Guard called Guardia de Corps. In 1807, he inherited his title as Marquis of Cerralbo after the death of his brother Manuel.

Throughout the Peninsular War he was appointed President of the Military Supreme Junta of Salamanca, even though he did not keep that position for too long, as he soon moved to Portugal. In 1819, he was the commissioner for the dialogue given to negotiate the King's third marriage with María Amalia de Sajonia. Once he was back in Spain, Aguilera became part of the Governing Board of Banco de San Carlos. At the same time he was appointed Knight of the Order of Alcántara and took over the Presidency of the Consejo de las Órdenes Militares.

He was fully involved in the Trienio Liberal (in English, "Liberal Triennium") period. He was political chief of Madrid between 1820 and 1821. Furthermore, he was one of the founding members of the Ateneo of Madrid, belonged to the Sociedad del Anillo, was President of the Supreme Junta of Charity and was guardian of the National Museum of Natural Sciences. He withheld his public activity in the absolutist six-year-term and did not come back until the death of Ferdinand VII. Due to the Royal Statute of 1834, he became a member of the House of Peers and in 1838 he was granted with the Golden Fleece.

Married to María Magdalena Fernández de Córdoba, from the House of Malpica. He had no legitimate descendants and so it was his brother who inherited all his titles. Aguilera passed away on 2 May 1818, in Madrid.

Guerra de Independencia Española, 1808-1814

Liberal Triennium, 1820-1823

Date of the event: 1820 - 1823