Fernando de Valenzuela (b. January 8, 1630 in Naples, d. February 7, 1692) was Spanish royal favorite and minister. January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events February 22 - Native American Quadequine introduces Popcorn to English colonists. ... Location within Italy Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region. ... February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Events February 13 - Massacre of Glencoe March 1 - The Salem witch trials begin in Salem Village, Massachusetts Bay Colony with the charging of three women with witchcraft. ...

His father, Don Francisco de Valenzuela, a gentleman of Ronda, had been compelled to flee from Spain in consequence of a brawl, and had enlisted as a soldier in Naples where he married Dona Leonora de Encisa. Francisco having died young, his son was placed by his mother as a page in the household of the duke of Infantado. He lost his place owing to a reduction of the duke's establishment, and for several years he lived obscurely; but by good fortune he succeeded in persuading Maria de Uceda, one of the ladies-in-waiting of Mariana, second wife of Philip IV, to marry him. Rivers Don River, Russia, one of the main rivers of Russia. ... Ronda sits at the edge of a canyon Ronda city view Ronda is a city in the Spanish province of Málaga. ... Location within Italy Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek Νέα Πόλις - Néa Pólis - meaning New City) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region. ... Philip IV could be: Philip IV of France Philip IV of Spain This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

By her help de Valenzuela obtained a footing in the palace. He was appointed introducer of ambassadors on October 12, 1671, and it became notorious that whoever had a petition to present or a place to ask for must apply to him. He became popularly known as the duende, the "fairy" or "brownie" of the palace, and was believed to be the lover of the queen. In 1675 a court intrigue, conducted by his rivals and supported by the younger Don John of Austria, was so far successful that he was driven from court; but the queen gave him the title of marquis of Villa Sierra, and appointed him ambassador to Venice. For other uses, see Ambassador (disambiguation). ... October 12 is the 285th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (286th in leap years). ... Events May 9 - Thomas Blood, disguised as a clergyman, attempts to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. ... Events January 5 - The Battle of Turckeim August 10 - Building of the Royal Greenwich Observatory began November 11 - Guru Gobind Singh becomes the Tenth Guru of the Sikhs. ... Don John of Austria (February 24, 1547 - October 1, 1578), also known as Juan De Austria and Don Juan de Austria, was the illegitimate son of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and a military leader whose most famous victory was at the Battle of Lepanto. ... Marquis has many different meanings: Don Marquis was a writer, poet, and journalist. ... Location within Italy Venice (Italian: Venezia), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice, 45°26′ N 12°19′ E, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ...

De Valenzuela succeeded in getting the embassy exchanged for the governorship of Granada. His stay at this post was short, for he was able to organize a counter-intrigue which soon brought him back to court. The queen-regent now openly appointed him prime minister, gave him official quarters in the palace, and conferred a grandeeship on him, to the profound indignation of the other grandees. In January 1678 a palace revolution broke out against the queen-regent, who was driven from Madrid, and Valenzuela fled for refuge to the monastery of El Escorial. He was, however, taken out by force, and his house was pillaged and his property confiscated. His jewels, furniture and ready money were estimated to amount to 120,000 pesos. He was degraded from the grandeeship and exiled to the Philippines. Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the community of Andalusia, Spain. ... A prime minister may be either: the chief or leading member of the cabinet of the top-level government in a country having a parliamentary system of government; or the official, in countries with a semi-presidential system of government, appointed to manage the civil service and execute the directives... Spanish nobles are classified either as Grandees (also called Peers) or as Titled Nobles. ... Events August 10 - Treaty of Nijmegen ends the Dutch War. ... Plaza de Cibeles (Cibeles square) and the Palacio de Comunicaciones (Communications Palace) Coat of arms. ... El Escorial is an immense palace, monastery, museum, and library complex located at San Lorenzo de El Escorial (also San Lorenzo del Escorial), a town 45 kilometres (28 miles) northwest of Madrid in the autonomous community of Madrid in Spain. ... Peso is the name of the currency of various countries: Argentina: Argentine peso (ISO 4217: ARS) Chile: Chilean peso (CLP) Colombia: Colombian peso (COP) Cuba: Cuban peso (CUP) Dominican Republic: Dominican peso (DOP) Mexico: Mexican peso (MXN, previously MXP) Philippines: Philippine peso (PHP) Uruguay: Uruguayan peso (UYU) In Spanish peso...

At a later period he was released from close confinement and allowed to settle in Mexico, where a pension was given him. He died in Mexico, from the kick of a horse he was breaking in, on February 7, 1692. Part of his property, and the title of Villa Sierra, but not the grandeeship, were restored to his wife and children. The career of de Valenzuela probably helped to suggest the subject of Ruy Blas to Victor Hugo. February 7 is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Victor Hugo Victor-Marie Hugo (February 26, 1802 – May 22, 1885) was a French author; possibly the most important of the Romantic authors in the French language. ...

This article incorporates text from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, which is in the public domain. Supporters contend that the Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1911) represents, in many ways, the sum of knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century. ... The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ...