Enrique de Guzmán and Ribera, 2nd Earl of Olivares

Born in Marida in the family of Pedro Perez de Guzmán, 1st Earl of Olivares, and Francis de Ribera-Nino (Nino was the name of her mother, and her father’s name was Konchillos).

In his youth, he entered the royal service and at the age of 14 went on a trip to Europe with his father Pedro de Guzmán, who served under Prince Philip (future King of Spain Philip II ).

Participated in the Italian wars and took part in the Battle of Saint Quentin ( 1557 ), where he was wounded in the leg.

After the death of his father in 1569, Enrique de Guzmán inherited the title of Count Olivares and continued to serve the king of Spain Philip II , using the great confidence of the monarch. He participated in negotiations with the French court about the marriage between Philip II and Elizabeth Valois .

Under Philip II, Enrique de Guzmán served as treasurer of Castile, caretaker of the royal castle in Seville, and Spanish ambassador to France.

In 1582, 42-year-old Enrique de Guzmán, 2nd Earl of Olivares, was appointed Spanish ambassador to Rome , where for ten years he represented the king of Spain under the popes Gregory XIII (1572-1585), Sixte V (1585-1590) and Gregory XIV (1590–1591).

The relationship between King of Spain Philip II and Pope Sixtus V was strained. The Spanish king asked the pope to condemn the French Catholics who supported King Heinrich of Navarre in the fight against the Catholic League under the leadership of Philip II , whom Sixt V refused to do. The Pope, dissatisfied with the Spanish ambassador, asked Madrid several times to replace Count Olivares, but King Philip II refused. There was also a rivalry between the Jesuit Order, subordinate to the papal court, and the Spanish Inquisition, subject to the king of Spain. After the death of Pope Sixt V, the relationship between the Spanish court and his successor, Gregory XIV, improved significantly.

In 1591 - 1595, Enrique de Guzmán served as viceroy of Sicily.

In November 1595, the Spanish king Philip II appointed Enrique de Guzmán, Count of Olivares, as the new viceroy of Naples. After the death of Philip II in 1598, his successor Philip III approved Count Olivares as viceroy of Naples. Historians of the time gave him a high rating for his work in Italy as ambassador and governor .

Olivares returned to Spain in 1599 , becoming a member of the Spanish State Council. He died in Madrid in 1607 .

He was married to Maria Pimentel de Fonseca, daughter of Jeronimo de Acevedo, 4th Earl of Monterrey, and Ines de Velasco. Their kids:

• Jeronimo de Guzmán, died in childhood
• Gaspard de Guzmán ( 1587 - 1645 ), Count-Duke of Olivares, favorite and first minister of the King of Spain Philip IV
• Francis de Guzmán
• Inés de Guzmán, husband - Alvaro Henriquez de Almansa, 6th Marquess of Alcañises
• Leonor Maria de Guzmán, husband — Manuel de Acevedo and Zúñiga (1586–1653), 6th Earl of Monterrey

• Grandes de España
• Gregorio Marañón. El conde-duque de Olivares - La pasión de Mandar, Editorial Espasa Calpe, séptima edición, pag. 12 & seq.
• Virreyes de Nápoles