[Don Christobal Colón de Toledo de la Cerda y Gante]. Marquis of Jamaica, and Admiral and Andelantado Mayor of the Indies, the thirteenth in descent from Christopher Columbus. He was born in Madrid in March 1837; educated at the University of Madrid, receiving a legal training. Entering political life as a Liberal, he was elected, in 1871, to the Cortes as the Representative of Arevallo, and for a short time, in 1874, was a member of the municipal council of Madrid. In 1876 he was re-elected for the Cortes, and in 1878 was made a Senator. At different periods he was Minister of the Interior, Vice-President of the Senate, and Royal Commissioner of Agriculture. He was one of the presidents of the American Congress in 1881 at Madrid. He is identified with the cattle-breeding industry in Spain, and has a reputation for his breed of fighting toros. The Duke and Duchess were guests of the United States in 1893, and were present at the opening ceremonies at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, May 1st of that year. The Duke is a descendant of Francesca, sister of Diego Columbus, great-grandson of Columbus, with whom the male line became extinct on his death in 1578. Diego’s father was Luis (born 1521, died 1572), who was the son of Diego (born 1476, died 1526), the son and successor of Christopher. In 1536, Luis, having abandoned his claims, inherited from his grandfather, to the viceroyalty of the Indies, received in return the titles that have descended to the present Duke, besides a grant of 25 leagues square, in Veragua, Panama, and the island of Jamaica, in fief. In 1556 these fiefs were withdrawn, being replaced by a pension, which has been payable out of funds derived from Cuban sources. On the death of Diego in 1578, the succession was contested; the lawsuit lasted thirty years, but was settled in favor of the descendants of Isabel, sister of Luis. In 1733, this line becoming extinct, fresh litigations arose, which settled the succession on the descendants of Francesca, sister of Diego, the great-grandson of Columbus, in which line it has remained.
