Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona, 5th Duke of Sessa, was a Spanish nobleman.
Background
Antonio Fernández de Córdoba y Cardona was born in Bellpuig, Catalonia, the son of Fernando Folch de Cardona Anglesola y Requesens, 2nd Duke of Soma, 2nd count of Oliveto, 3rd count of Palamós, 3rd count of Trivento, 3rd count of Avellino, 6th barón of Bellpuig, Calonge, Liñola and Uxafavá, and Great Admiral of Naples. Antonio"s mother was Beatriz de Figueroa, a daughter of Elvira Fernández de Córdoba y Manrique, the 2nd duchess of Sessa and the 2nd duchess of five other duchies won by her father, Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba.
Career
He held the titles of Duke of Sessa, Duke of Soma, and Duke of Baena, among others This practice of using a surname belonging to an ancestor, rather than the paternally inherited surname, was not unusual among the Spanish nobility of the time. Antonio"s name was also affected by this practice.
Beatriz died a nun in Barcelona in 1553, and Fernando died at Naples on 13 September 1571.
Antonio"s only brother Luis died in March 1574, and thereafter, Antonio inherited all their titles as 4th Duke of Soma, 5th consort Duke of Sessa, 3rd Duke of Baena, 7th Count of Cabra, plus many other counties and viscounties in Catalonia and in Italy as described above with other ancestors. Fernández de Córdoba was the Spanish ambassador in Rome between 1590 and 1604, serving under Philip II and Philip III of Spain.
He was also head of protocol for Queen Consort Margaret of Austria and a Knight and Commander at the Military Order of Calatrava. While in Rome, he was visited by the Flemish painter Peter Paul Rubens.