Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, 18th Duke of Veragua

The Duke of Veragua
The Duke of Veragua, 2011
Ambassador-at-large for the Commemorative Events of the 500th Anniversary of the Fourth Voyage of Columbus
In office
10 May 2002 – 8 September 2006
MonarchJuan Carlos I
Prime MinisterJosé María Aznar
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
Personal details
BornCristóbal Colón de Carvajal
   y Gorosábel

(1949-10-04) 4 October 1949
Madrid, Spain
SpouseIsabel Elena Mandalúniz
   y Castelo d'Ortega
Children
  • Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal
       y Mandalúniz
  • Ángel Santiago Colón
       de Carvajal y Mandalúniz
Parents
Alma materColegio del Pilar
ProfessionNaval officer
Military service
BranchSpanish Navy
RankCapitán de Fragata

Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel, 18th Duke of Veragua, GE, (born 4 October 1949) is a Spanish nobleman, businessman and formerly a Spanish Navy officer.

He is a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus by way of Christopher's son, Diego. From Diego, Colón de Carvajal also holds the Duchy of Veragua since 1986. As the Duchy corresponds to the present-day Veraguas Province of the independent republic of Panama, Colón de Carvajal maintains close connections with Panamanian society, and serves on the advisory board of Petaquilla Minerals, a mining company.[1]

In 1986, Colón inherited from his father, the 17th Duke of Veragua, all of his titles after he was murdered by the Basque terrorist organization ETA.[2]

In 2011, his additional title as Duke of La Vega was among many to be passed on to different successors, with the new Duke of la Vega being Colón's son, Ángel Santiago Colón de Mandalúniz.[3]

In 1992, to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Columbus' landing on Hispaniola, Colón de Carvajal was co-designated Grand Marshal of the Tournament of Roses Parade, alongside US Congressman Ben Nighthorse Campbell.[4][5][6]

From May 2002 to September 2006, he served as Spain's ambassador-at-large for the Commemorative Events of the 500th Anniversary (Quincentennial) of the Fourth Voyage of Columbus.[7][8]

Titles, honours and styles

In 1974, his father granted him the title of Marquess of Jamaica.[9] After his father's death in 1986, he inherited the rest of family titles, becoming 18th Duke of Veragua (GE), 17th Duke of La Vega (GE), 18th Marquess of Jamaica and 20th Admiral of the Ocean Sea. In 2011, he granted his second son, Ángel Santiago, the Dukedom of La Vega.[3]

Styles

  • 4 October 1949 – 30 October 1974: Don Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel
  • 30 October 1974 – 22 October 1986: The Most Illustrious The Marquess of Jamaica
  • 22 October 1986 – present: His Excellency The Duke of Veragua, Grandee of Spain

Honours

References

  1. ^ "Don Cristobal Colon de Carvajal Joins Advisory Board of Petaquilla Minerals Ltd". Petaquilla Minerals Ltd. May 10, 2012. Archived from the original on June 22, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2012.
  2. ^ "Asesinados en Madrid el vicealmirante Colón de Carvajal y su conductor en un atentado en el que fue herido el comandante Rodríguez Toube". El País (in Spanish). 1986-02-07. ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  3. ^ a b "Orden JUS/974/2011, de 5 de abril, por la que se manda expedir, sin perjuicio de tercero de mejor derecho, Real Carta de Sucesión en el título de Duque de la Vega, con Grandeza de España, a favor de don Ángel Santiago Colón de Mandaluniz". www.boe.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  4. ^ "Discovering Pasadena : Descendant of Columbus Chosen to Preside Over '92 Tournament of Roses". Los Angeles Times. 1991-10-09. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  5. ^ "Sun Shines Bright on Rose Parade Spectacle : Pageant: Protests have little effect on crowd. GM's controversial float captures the Sweepstakes Trophy". Los Angeles Times. 1992-01-02. Retrieved 2025-10-16.
  6. ^ Reinhold, Robert (26 December 1991). "Pasadena Journal; This Year, Parade Isn't Smelling Like a Rose". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 25 May 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2025.
  7. ^ "BOE-A-2002-9163 Real Decreto 438/2002, de 10 de mayo, por el que se designa a don Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal, Duque de Veragua, embajador en misión especial para los Actos Conmemorativos del Quinto Centenario del Cuarto Viaje de Colón". www.boe.es. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  8. ^ "BOE-A-2006-15709 Real Decreto 996/2006, de 8 de septiembre, por el que se dispone el cese de don Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal como Embajador en Misión Especial para los Actos Conmemorativos del Quinto Centenario del Cuarto Viaje de Colón". www.boe.es. Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  9. ^ "Orden de 13 de mayo de 1974 por la que se manda expedir Carta de Sucesión en el título de Marqués de la Jamaica a favor de don Cristóbal Colón de Carvajal y Gorosábel". www.boe.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-29.
  10. ^ "Real Decreto 518/2023, de 13 de junio, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz del Mérito Naval con distintivo blanco a las personas que se citan". www.boe.es (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-08-29.