Caballerizo mayor

Court dress of the "Caballerizo mayor" in 1900

The Caballerizo mayor (Great Equerry) was the Officer 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.

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Regime during the 16th to 18th centuries

The Office of “Caballerizo mayor” was one of the main Offices of the Royal Household in charge of the Royal Stables and everything related to the transportation of the Monarch. When the King sorted out from the Royal Palace, the Caballerizo had the main position behind him and the major rang over the other Court Officials. He managed as well the stables, the carriages, and the horses. He was assisted by the “Primeros Caballerizos” (First Equerries) who were nominated by him.

He was in charge of the Royal hunt as “Montero mayor” (Great Hunter) holding, in many cases, the “Alcaldias” (Majorships) of the Spanish royal sites.

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 "Primer Caballerizo" (First Equerry) and the "Primer Montero" (First Hunter) with wages, both, of 7.500 pesetas per year. Under them they were situated the "Caballerizos de campo" (Equerries), 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.

He was styled “Excelentísimo señor Caballerizo y Montero mayor de Su Majestad”.

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

List of “Caballerizos mayores” (Great Equerries) to the King of Spain between 1515 and 1931

“Caballerizos mayores” to the Emperor Charles V, 1515-1556

1515-1522: Charles de Lannoy, Grandee of Spain
1522-1526: Cesare Ferramosca
1526-1529: Adrien de Croy, Count of Roeulx
1529-1530: Guillermo de Monfort, Lord of Montfort
1530-1556: Jehan Lenin-Liéthard, Count of Bossu, Grandee of Spain
1556: Sieur de Dandelot

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip II, 1556-1598

1556-1579: Antonio de Toledo
1598: Diego Fernández de Córdoba, Lord of Armuña

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip III, 1598-1621

1598-1618: Francisco de Sandoval y Rojas, Duke of Lerma, Grandee of Spain
1618-1621: Cristóbal Gómez de Sandoval y de la Cerda, Duke of Uceda, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip IV, 1621-1665

1621-1624: Juan Hurtado de Mendoza, Consort-Duke of the Infantado, Grandee of Spain
1624-1643: Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares, Grandee of Spain
1643-1648: Diego López de Haro Sotomayor y Guzmán, Marquess of Carpio, Grandee of Spain
1648-1661: Luis Méndez de Haro, Marquess of Carpio, Grandee of Spain
1661-1665: Fernando de Borja, Prince of Squillace and Count of Mayalde, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Charles II, 1665-1701

1667-1669: Pedro Portocarrero de Córdoba y Aragón, Duke of Camiña, Grandee of Spain
1669-1675: Francisco de Moura Corte-Real y Melo, Marquess of Castel-Rodrigo, Grandee of Spain
1675-1683: Juan Gaspar Enríquez de Cabrera y Sandoval, Duke of Medina de Rioseco, Admiral of Castile, Grandee of Spain
1683-1687: Juan Francisco de la Cerda, Duke of Medinaceli, Grandee of Spain
1687-1688: Francisco Fernández de Córdoba, Duke of Sessa, Grandee of Spain
1693-1701: Juan Tomás Enriquez de Cabrera, Duke of Medina de Rioseco, Admiral of Castile, Grandee of Spain

“Caballerizos mayores” to the King Philip V, 1701-1724

1701-1713: Juan Clarós Pérez de Guzmán y Fernández de Córdoba, Duke of Medina Sidonia, Grandee of Spain
1715-1721: Francesco Maria Pico, Duke of la Mirandola, Grandee of Spain
1721-1724: Alonso Manrique de Lara, Duke of Arco, Grandee of Spain