Caballerizo mayor

Caballerizo major (Great Equerry) was the Office of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain in charge of the trips, the mews and the hunt of the King of Spain.

Regime during the 19th and 20th centuries

During the reigns of the last two Kings before the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic, Alfonso XII and Alfonso XIII, the “Caballerizo”, which joined to his function that of the “Montero mayor” (Great Hunter) of the King (which was an Office created during the reign of Isabella II), was the second person in category after the Mayordomo mayor having the sole authority so soon the Monarch left the Royal Palace. Only a peer that had the rank of Grandee of Spain could be nominated for this Office. His annual wages were 15.000 pesetas, the same ones that had the “Mayordomo” and, equally, he had the right to a private office at the Royal Palace of Madrid. Under his command they were the First Caballerizo and the First Montero with wages, both, of 7.500 pesetas per year. Under them they were situated the "Caballerizos de campo", who, usually, were officers of the Army.

The “Caballerizo” accompanied the King in all his trips or, as it was called, "days" and sat close to him in every carriage, in car or in the trips by train or by ship throughout Spain or foreign countries.

The “Caballerizo mayor”, with assistance of the First Caballerizo, was the chief of the Royal Mews. Also, he was the chief of the Armory of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

As “Montero mayor”, with the help of the First Montero, he managed the hunting lodges of the Heritage of the Crown and organized the hunts attended by the King on the hunting-grounds of the Crown as the Royal forests of El Pardo, the Royal Hunting Lodge of la Encomienda de Mudela or the Royal forests of Valsaín. In the hunts organized by others, and attended also by the King, the “Montero mayor” was always accompanying him in that condition.

As “Montero mayor” equally, his uniform was of green very dark cloth with own embroideries in form of branches of oak.

In the Public Chapels and official ceremonies he normally stood right behind the Mayordomo mayor.

This Office was suppressed after the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931and never recreated after the restoration of the Monarchy in 1975.

List of “Caballerizos mayores” (Great Equerries) of the King of Spain between 1833 and 1931

“Caballerizos mayores” to Queen Isabella II, 1833-1868

• 1833-1839: Ángel María de Carvajal y Fernández de Córdoba y Gonzaga, Duke of Abrantes, Grandee of Spain
• 1840-1855: Joaquín Fernández de Córdoba Pacheco, Duke of Arión, Grandee of Spain
• 1856-1859: Francisco Javier Arias Dávila y Matheu, Count of Puñonrostro, Grandee of Spain
• 1860-1868: Fernando Díaz de Mendoza y Valcárcel, Count of Lalaing, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizo mayor” to King Alfonso XII, 1875-1885

• 1875-1885: José Isidro Osorio y Silva-Bazán, Marquis of Alcañices, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizos mayores” to King Alfonso XIII, 1885-1931

• 1885-1900: José Joaquín Álvarez de Toledo y Silva, Duke of Medina Sidonia, Grandee of Spain
• 1903-1906: Manuel Felipe Falcó y Ossorio, Marquis of la Mina, Grandee of Spain
• 1906-1927: José Saavedra y Salamanca, Marquis of Viana, Grandee of Spain
• 1927-1931: Baltasar de Losada y Torres, Count of Maceda, Grandee of Spain

References

• Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeo-americana. Tomo XLIX. Hijos de J. Espasa, Editores.1923

• Guia Oficial de España. Sucesores de Ribadeneyra. Madrid. 1930