House of Herrera
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The House of Herrera is a union of notable families with diverse nationalities since the 14th century.[1] Known for their roles as landowners, lords,[2] conquerors,[3] merchants, and later, bankers,[4] the family's influence spans Spain, the Canaries, Latin America, Germany, and England. The House of Herrera was established in recognition of the trust and responsibilities conferred upon them through centuries of partnerships.[5]
The Herrera Dynasty
[edit]The House of Herrera has played a significant role in international trade and is largely responsible for pioneering the earliest known banking system in Latin America.
The Herrera dynasty met the Velutini dynasty,[6] a noble family with roots in Italy and Germany, and in 1890 the Velutini family founded the Bank of Venezuela and the Bank of Caracas.[7] The Velutini family helped set in place the Venezuelan Central Bank and created their own currency, backed by a large gold mine.[8] Even today the Herrera Velutini family is one of the largest landowners in Venezuela;[9] this includes one of the biggest oil reserves in the world.[10]
Notable estates of the Herrera Family
[edit]Hacienda La Vega (Caracas)
[edit]
The Hacienda La Vega is a historical monument in Caracas, Venezuela, and one of the first family properties of the Herrera family in Latin America.[11] Today, it remains as a symbolic place for current generations and is open to the public as a historical landmark.[12]
Castle St. Barbara, Teguise in Lanzarote (Canary Islands)
[edit]
The Castle of Santa Barbara, built by Don Sancho de Herrera in the 16th century,[13] is the oldest fortification on the island of Lanzarote, protecting the historic capital of the island, the town of Teguise.
Castle of Gleichen (Germany)
[edit]
Gleichen Castle,[14] part of the "Drei Gleichen" castles, is famous for the legend of the bigamous Count von Gleichen, who returned home from the Crusades with a second wife.[15]
Castle of Ampudia (Palencia, Spain)
[edit]
A Gothic noble fortress built in the 15th century by the descendants of Pedro García Herrera,[16] the Castle of Ampudia is shaped as a trapezoid with four square turrets in the corners and a symmetrical front.
Castle of Freudenthal (Uslar, Germany)
[edit]The Castle of Freudenthal, built in 1599, burned down in 1612. In 1819, other parts of the town of Uslar were also destroyed by fire.
Uslar-Gleichen Castle (Gleichen, Germany)
[edit]
Built around 1100 by the Counts of Reinhausen,[17] Uslar-Gleichen Castle changed hands several times before being transferred back to the House of Uslar in the wake of the Vienna Congress.[18]
Orders of Herrera
[edit]The House of Herrera holds numerous noble titles, including the Marquisate de Lanzarote, Marquisate of Herrera and Vallehermoso, Conde de Palomar, Marquisate of Torre Casa, Marques de Fuerteventura, and Marques de Herrera.[19]
Bibliography
[edit]The House of Herrera has been the subject of various books, texts, novels, and stories, which cover the family's influence and strategic investments in properties across two continents.
Los Amos del Valle (Masters of the Valley)
[edit]A Venezuelan novel written by psychiatrist Francisco Herrera Luque and published in 1979, Los Amos del Valle describes Venezuelan life from the conquest of Caracas Valley to Simón Bolivar's baptism. The title refers to the Mantuano, noble families who exerted great control over this area.
Don Agustin de Herrera y Rojas
[edit]This narrative chronicles the history of Venezuela from the founding of Santiago de León de Caracas in 1567 until the birth of Simón Bolivar y Palacios in 1783. The story provides a detailed account of the life of Caraqueños since the conquistadors pacified the region.[20][21]
La Vega
[edit]La Vega refers to the Fernandez de Leon family's property on the banks of the Tuy River. The land was later ceded to Agustin Herrera De Sarmiento Y Rojas De Ayala (1569-1632), a descendant of the Castilian conqueror who declared himself King and Lord of the seven Canary Islands in the 15th century.
Venezuelan Haciendas
[edit]Venezuelan Haciendas by Graziano Gasparini is a documented description with 260 illustrations that give a wide vision of the Haciendas of Venezuela and houses built during the Century XIX and the Colonial Era. The cover photo of this book illustrates one of the estates belonging to the Herrera dynasty.[22]
Legacy of the Herrera Family
[edit]The House of Herrera's legacy is notable for its contributions to the fields of finance, commerce, fashion, and international trade. Over the centuries, the family has been instrumental in shaping history across Europe and Latin America.
Latin American Banking & Real Estate Industry
[edit]The Herrera family has played a pivotal role in the development of the Latin American Banking & Real Estate industry since the 14th century. With the founding of Hacienda La Vega (1590) and later Banco Caracas by Julio César Velutini Couturier in the late 19th century (1890), who chaired the bank until 1930. Later generations were all Chairman and senior managers of Banco Caracas for over 100 years until its sale in 1998.[23]
Cultural and Social Contributions
[edit]The House of Herrera has also made significant contributions to the cultural and social fabric of the regions they have influenced. The family has supported various cultural institutions and initiatives, ensuring their continued growth and preservation.[24][25]
Modern-Day House of Herrera
[edit]Today, the House of Herrera continues to be a notable and influential presence in the realms of business, politics, and philanthropy. Another notable figure from the family is Carolina Herrera, a famous fashion designer who has established her namesake brand in the global luxury fashion industry.[26]
Julio Martín Herrera Velutini is the Pater familias of the family fortune estimated at $1.8 billion.
References
[edit]- ^ "The House of Herrera Dynasty". houseofherrera.com.
- ^ "Hernan De Herrera Lord of Ampudia I".
- ^ "Agustin De Herrera Y Rojas Ayala House of Herrera".
- ^ "A Glorious Dynasty of over Seven Centuries of Trust".
- ^ "Los amos del valle (Tomo II)".
- ^ "Velutini Coat of Arms".
- ^ Lucca, Rafael Arráiz (2013). Empresas venezolanas. Editorial Alfa. ISBN 9789803543761.
- ^ "The Silent Banker: Julio M. Herrera Velutini".
- ^ Gasparini, Graziano; Veracoechea, Ermila Troconis de (1999). Haciendas venezolanas. Armitano Editores. ISBN 9789802161652.
- ^ "Venezuela facts and figures".
- ^ "Hacienda de La Vega".
- ^ "Haciendas Caraqueñas para visitar: Hacienda La Vega". laguiadecaracas.net. 20 April 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
- ^ "Castle St. Barbara".
- ^ "Gleichen Castle".
- ^ "Ernst III, Count of Gleichen".
- ^ "Pedro Garcia De Herrera Y Rojas".
- ^ "Famous Estates of the Herrera Family".
- ^ "Uslar Coat of Arms".
- ^ "Orders of Herrera".
- ^ Cabrera, Manuel Lobo; Castro, Fernando Bruquetas de (1995). Don Agustín de Herrera y Rojas. Servicio de Publicaciones del Cabildo de Fuerteventura. ISBN 9788487461378.
- ^ "Don Agustín de Herrera y Rojas, I Marqués de Lanzarote".
- ^ "Haciendas Venezolanas".
- ^ "Pioneers in the Transformation of the Latin American Banking Sector, and the Rise of Banco Caracas". Alan Wright. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
- ^ "Fallece fundadora del Trasnocho Cultural de Caracas".
- ^ "Fundación Centro El Portal". 27 April 2017.
- ^ "Carolina Herrera". businessoffashion.com.