Name Luis de | Role Spanish Political figure | |
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Died November 26, 1661, Madrid, Spain Similar People Philip IV of Spain, Mariana of Austria, John IV of Portugal, Matias de Albuquerque, Peter II of Portugal | ||
Luis Mendez de Haro, 6th Marquis of Carpio or Luis Mendez de Haro y Guzman, Grandee of Spain, (in full, Spanish: Don Luis Mendez de Haro Guzman y Sotomayor de la Paz, sexto marques del Carpio, segundo conde de Morente, quinto conde y tercer duque de Olivares, segundo marques de Eliche, primer duque de Montoro, 3 veces Grande de Espana, Comendador mayor de la Orden de Alcantara, Gran Chanciller de las Indias, Alcaide de las Alcazares de Sevilla y Cordoba, Caballerizo mayor, gentilhombre de camara y primer ministro de Felipe IV y su gran privado), (1598 – 26 November 1661), was a Spanish nobleman, political figure and general.
He was the son of don Diego de Haro, marquis of Carpio, and of dona Francisca de Guzman, sister of count Olivares.
He made a career at the Spanish court under protection of his uncle, whom he succeeded as valido or favourite in the king's confidence when Olivares was driven from office in 1643. He never achieved the same influence and control as his uncle, mainly because Philip IV also relied on Sister Maria de Agreda. She convinced the king to abolish the function of valido.
Luis de Haro was the main Spanish negotiator of the Treaty of the Pyrenees on Pheasant Island in 1659. He did not succeed in avoiding a negative result, nor did he reach an anti-French alliance with Oliver Cromwell. The treaty was accompanied by a marriage between Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Spain. Luis de Haro played the part of the bridegroom in the proxy marriage that took place at Fuenterrabia on June 3, 1660.
His main success was the suppression of the Catalan uprising and the reconquest of Barcelona in 1652.
The Portuguese Restoration War on the contrary was a complete failure. Luis de Haro personally led the Spanish troops at the Battle of the Lines of Elvas in 1659, which ended in total defeat.
He married in Barcelona on April 26, 1625 Catalina (April 26, 1610 - November 19, 1647), youngest daughter of Enrique de Cordoba Cardona y Aragon and had 6 children :