Calle de Sancho Dávila
The street bears the name of Antonio Sancho Dávila de Toledo y Colonna (Madrid, 1590–1666), III Marquis of Velada and I Marquis of San Román, a soldier and diplomat under Philip IV. He governed Oran, commanded regiments in Flanders, served as ambassador in London and administered the Duchy of Milan.
A street dedicated to Antonio Sancho Dávila de Toledo y Colonna, a Madrileño born in 1590 whose father served Philip II as chief steward and raised the future Philip III. He died in his native city in 1666, at seventy-six.
His service record spans half of Europe and North Africa. He governed Oran, Mazalquivir and Tlemcen, was master general of the camp in Flanders under the Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria, led an extraordinary embassy before Charles I of England and administered the Duchy of Milan. He had another, less military side: he inherited a library of over 2,500 volumes and dealt with Quevedo and Góngora.
The name invites confusion, for there were two other famous Sancho Dávilas, but the street honors this one and was not affected by the Historical Memory Law. Beside the street lay the Jardines Sancho Dávila, which in 1968 were absorbed into the Parque de la Quinta de la Fuente del Berro.
Sources (6)
- DSalamanca.es — «Sancho Dávila, una calle»
- Wikipedia ES — Antonio Sancho Dávila de Toledo y Colonna
- Real Academia de la Historia — Antonio Sancho Dávila y Toledo Colonna
- Wikipedia EN — Antonio Sancho Davila, Marquis of Velada
- Ancienhistories — La caballería de Flandes y sus generales (XIII): Antonio Sancho Dávila y Toledo
- Ayuntamiento de Madrid — Parque Sancho Dávila