Eleanor de Moura
Eleanor de Moura | |
|---|---|
Leonor de Moura y Moncada | |
| Viceroy of Sicily | |
| In office 18 April 1677 – 13 May 1677 | |
| Monarch | Charles II |
| Preceded by | Anielo de Guzmán, Marquis of Castel Rodrigo |
| Succeeded by | Luis Manuel Fernández de Portocarrero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. 1642 |
| Died | 7 January 1707 (age about 64) Madrid, Spain |
| Spouse(s) | Anielo de Guzmán, Marquis of Castel Rodrigo Carlos Homoide, Señor de Almonacid |
| Children | 1 |
Eleanor de Moura (Spanish: Leonor de Moura y Corterreal y Moncada de Aragón, Italian: Eleonora de Moura; c. 1642 – 1 January 1707) was a Spanish noblewoman of the 17th and 18th centuries, notable for serving as Viceroy of Sicily for one month in 1677.[1][2]
Her father was Francisco de Moura Corte Real, 3rd Marquis of Castelo Rodrigo and her mother was Anna Maria Moncada y Aragón. Her father had served as a viceroy of Sardinia and Catalonia, and later as governor of the Habsburg Netherlands. In 1664 Leonor married Aniello (Angelo) de Guzmàn Carafa.[3]
When Eleanor's father died in 1675, she inherited his title of Marquise of Castel Rodrigo and Duchess of Nocera. In 1676 Aniello was named interim Viceroy of Sicily and so the couple moved into Castello a Mare, Palermo. When Aniello died on 18 April 1677, he named his widow his successor in a letter. She was sworn in before the Royal Ministers and quickly passed a large number of progressive reforms:
- re-establishing the Conservatorio per le Vergini pericolanti (collegium for endangered girls), such as girls (especially orphans) who were vulnerable to exploitation and at risk of prostitution
- offering a royal dowry so poor girls could marry
- re-establishing an asylum for older prostitutes
- establishing the Conservatorio delle Ripentite (Collegium of the Penitents), to help prostitutes who wanted to give up their profession.
- cutting taxes on men with large families
- lowering the price of bread
- establishing the Magistrate of Commerce[4]
Eleanor's actions earned her the opposition of the established power-brokers of Sicily, and they were able to force her out by pointing out that the Viceroy was also the papal legate, a role that could not be fulfilled by a woman; she was dismissed, and a law was passed forbidding the viceroy from passing his role on to his wife.[4]
Eleanor returned to Spain; in 1679 she married Carlos Homo-Dei Lasso de la Vega, second Marquis of Almonacid de los Oteros, Superior Commander of the Military Order of Christ. They had one son, who died young. When she died in 1707, her titles went to her sister Juana.[4][5]
Cultural depictions
Eleanor's story is retold in the 2013 Andrea Camilleri novel The Revolution of the Moon.[6][7]
References
- ^ "Índice de la colección de don Luis de Salazar y Castro. Tomo XIV". Real Academia de la Historia – via Google Books.
- ^ "The Revolution of the Moon by Andrea Camilleri (translated by Stephen Sartarelli)". Lonesome Reader.
- ^ Antonelli, Attilio (December 3, 2012). Cerimoniale del viceregno spagnolo e austriaco di Napoli 1650 - 1717. Rubbettino Editore. ISBN 9788849834840 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c "Leonor de Moura y Corterreal y Moncada de Aragón". Garden of Kore.
- ^ "Portugal Heads". guide2womenleaders.com.
- ^ "The Revolution of the Moon by Andrea Camilleri: book review". martinasblogs.blogspot.com.
- ^ Camilleri, Andrea (April 20, 2017). The Revolution of the Moon. Europa Editions (UK) Limited. ISBN 9781787700208 – via Google Books.