The
dukedom of
Alba de Tormes is one of the most significant noble titles of Spain and gives its name to the
House of Alba. Over the centuries, members of three distinct family dynasties have held the title in succession – the , the
House of Silva (extinct in 1802) and the
House of Fitz-James Stuart, which descends from an illegitimate son of King
James II of England. Famous holders of this dukedom include
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba, governor of the
Spanish Netherlands (references to "Alba" (or "Alva" in Dutch), particularly in the context of Dutch history, are usually about him), and
Doña María del Pilar de Silva, 13th Duchess of Alba, a
muse of the painter
Francisco Goya. When they first met, Francisco Goya was much older than the Duchess of Alba. Goya was in his late 40s and the Duchess was in her early 30s. Various dukes have married into the families of
Christopher Columbus and
Cosimo de Medici, as well as the line of the
Dukes of Berwick, making them distant relatives of the
Earls Spencer and the
Dukes of Marlborough. Today, the ducal family of Alba retains a large and valuable collection of art and historic documents. The largest part of this treasure is kept at the main residence of the family in Madrid, the
Liria Palace. ==Lords of Alba de Tormes (1429)==