“Para casar con lustre i conveniencias”: el arreglo matrimonial del segundogénito de los marqueses de Cardeñosa (1741-1748)

Abstract

This article examines the marriage arrangement of Luis Fernández de Córdoba y Ordóñez Portocarrero, second son of the Marquises of Algarinejo and Cardeñosa, in the 18th century. Using primary sources from the Historical Archive of the Nobility, particularly the correspondence of Ignacio Ordóñez Portocarrero, it analyzes family strategies to secure an advantageous union. The study explores the criteria for selecting an ideal wife, emphasizing lineage, dowry, and social connections. A historical-critical approach is applied, comparing epistolary documentation with studies on the nobility of the period. The findings reveal the complexity of negotiations, the advances and setbacks in candidate selection, and the necessity of strong economic support to finalize the marriage, reaffirming the role of marriage as a key tool for lineage perpetuation and aristocratic power maintenance.