Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, 18th Duke of Veragua
Spanish grandee, explorer and helicopter pilot
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel, 18th Duke of Veragua, GE, (born 4 October 1949) is a Spanish nobleman, businessman and formerly a Spanish Navy officer.
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
y Gorosábel
4 October 1949
y Castelo d'Ortega
The Duke of Veragua | |
|---|---|
The Duke of Veragua, 2011 | |
| Ambassador-at-large for the Commemorative Events of the 500th Anniversary of the Fourth Voyage of Columbus | |
| In office 10 May 2002 – 8 September 2006 | |
| Monarch | Juan Carlos I |
| Prime Minister | José María Aznar José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel 4 October 1949 Madrid, Spain |
| Spouse | Isabel Elena Mandalúniz y Castelo d'Ortega |
| Children |
|
| Parents |
|
| Colegio del Pilar | |
| Profession | Naval officer |
| Military service | |
| Branch | Spanish Navy |
| Rank | Capitán de Fragata |
He is a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus by way of Christopher's son, Diego. From Diego, Colón de Carvajal also holds the Duchy of Veragua since 1986. As the Duchy corresponds to the present-day Veraguas Province of the independent republic of Panama, Colón de Carvajal maintains close connections with Panamanian society, and serves on the advisory board of Petaquilla Minerals, a mining company.[1]
In 1986, Colón inherited from his father, the 17th Duke of Veragua, all of his titles after he was murdered by the Basque terrorist organization ETA.[2]
In 2011, his additional title as Duke of La Vega was among many to be passed on to different successors, with the new Duke of la Vega being Colón's son, Ángel Santiago Colón de Mandalúniz.[3]
In 1992, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing on Hispaniola, Colón de Carvajal was co-designated Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade, alongside US Congressman Ben Nighthorse Campbell.[4][5][6]
From May 2002 to September 2006, he served as Spain's ambassador-at-large for the Commemorative Events of the 500th Anniversary (Quincentennial) of the Fourth Voyage of Columbus.[7][8]
Titles, honours and styles
In 1974, his father granted him the title of Marquess of Jamaica.[9] After his father's death in 1986, he inherited the rest of family titles, becoming 18th Duke of Veragua (GE), 17th Duke of La Vega (GE), 18th Marquess of Jamaica and 20th Admiral of the Ocean Sea. In 2011, he granted his second son, Ángel Santiago, the Dukedom of La Vega.[3]
Styles
- 4 October 1949 – 30 October 1974: Don Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel
- 30 October 1974 – 22 October 1986: The Most Illustrious The Marquess of Jamaica
- 22 October 1986 – present: His Excellency The Duke of Veragua, Grandee of Spain
Honours
- Grand Cross of Naval Merit, with White Decoration (13 June 2023)[10]
