Luis Méndez de Haro

Luis Méndez de Haro, 6th Marquis of Carpio, Grandee of Spain, (in full, Don Luis Méndez de Haro Guzmán y Sotomayor de la Paz, sexto marqués del Carpio, segundo conde de Morente, quinto conde y tercer duque de Olivares, segundo marqués de Eliche, primer duque de Montoro, 3 veces Grande de España, Comendador mayor de la Orden de Alcántara, Gran Chanciller de las Indias, Alcaide de las Alcázares de Sevilla y Córdoba, Caballerizo mayor, gentilhombre de cámara y primer ministro de Felipe IV y su gran privado), (1598 – 26 November 1661), was a Spanish nobleman, political figure and general.

He was the son of don Diego de Haro, marquis of Carpio, and of doña Francisca de Guzmán, sister of count Olivares.

He made a career at the Spanish court under protection of his uncle, whom he succeeded as valido or favourite in the king's confidence when Olivares was driven from office in 1643. He never achieved the same influence and control as his uncle, mainly because Philip IV also relied on Sister María de Ágreda. She convinced the king to abolish the function of valido.

Luis de Haro was the main Spanish negotiator of the Treaty of the Pyrenees on Pheasant Island in 1659. He did not succeed in avoiding a negative result, nor did he reach an anti-French alliance with Oliver Cromwell. The treaty was accompanied by a marriage between Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Spain. Luis de Haro played the part of the bridegroom in the proxy marriage that took place at Fuenterrabia on June 3, 1660.

His main success was the suppression of the Catalan uprising and the reconquest of Barcelona in 1652. The Portuguese Restoration War on the contrary was a complete failure. Luis de Haro personally led the Spanish troops at the Battle of the Lines of Elvas in 1659, which ended in total defeat.

He married in Barcelona on April 26, 1625 Catalina (April 26, 1610 - November 19, 1647), youngest daughter of Enrique de Córdoba Cardona y Aragón and had 6 children :
 * Gaspar, (1629–1687), his successor and Viceroy of Naples.
 * Juan Domingo (1640–1716), Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands and Viceroy of Catalonia.
 * Francisco
 * Antonia, married Gaspar Juan Pérez de Guzmán, 10th Duke of Medina Sidonia.
 * Manuela, married Gaspar Vigil de Quiñones Alonso Pimentel y Benavides.
 * María Méndez (1644–1693), married Gregorio María Domingo de Silva Mendoza y Sandoval.