Carlos Alfonso de Mitjans, 22nd Count of Teba

Carlos Alfonso de Mitjans y Fitz-James Stuart, 22nd Count of Teba, 15th Count of Baños, 19th Marquess of Ardales, GE (3 May 1907 – 28 August 1997) also known as Bunting, was a Spanish nobleman and distinguished hunter, most noted for being one of the greatest Olympic shooters of his time. He was a son of Juan Manuel de Mitjans y Manzanedo, 2nd Duke of Santoña, and his spouse Eugenia María Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, 21st Countess of Teba and sister of the 17th Duke of Alba.[2] Through his mother he was a Stuart, a male line grandchild of James II, and was a relative and close friend of the British royal family.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Mitjans and the second or maternal family name is Fitz-James Stuart.
Carlos Alfonso wearing his Teba jacket at the World Pigeon-shooting final he conquered in Vichy in 1953[1]

The Teba jacket, a popular country garment, was named after him.[3]

Biography

Early years

Carlos was born the 3rd May 1907 in his family's finca (estate), "Ventosilla", in Polán, Toledo, Spain.[4] His father was Juan Manuel de Mitjans y Manzanedo, 2nd Duke of Santoña, whose father bought the estate and refurbished it to receive frequent visits from Alfonso XIII to shoot red-legged partridge. His mother was Eugenia María Fitz-James Stuart y Falcó, 21st Countess of Teba, sister of the 17th Duke of Alba and of the 18th Duke of Peñaranda. Eugenia was a member of the House of Stuart, as a direct male line descendant of James FitzJames, son of James II and Arabella Churchill, herself a sister of the 1st Duke of Marlborough. This shared lineage with the British royal family was visible through Carlos' good relationship with his distant relative, Queen Elizabeth and particularly with her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, with whom he shared many shooting outings.[5]

World record broken at Santa Cruz de Mudela, 1959. A total of 4,608 partridges were shot in a single morning.[6] Franco can be seen in the centre, and Teba is the second from the right

In 1966, Teba was one of the hosts of Jacqueline Kennedy during her visit to Seville.[7]

Marriage and issue

Teba married Elena Verea y Corcuera, a lady from a distinguished Mexican family. The wedding took place the 1st March 1935 in the church of Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, Paris.[8] They had three daughters:

  • Macarena Mitjans y Verea, 23rd Countess of Teba[9]
  • Sofía Mitjans y Verea
  • María de los Reyes Mitjans y Verea, 20th Marchioness of Ardales[10]

Titles

References
  1. ABC (Madrid): Campeón del mundo en 1953
  2. "Genealogy of the Counts of Teba".
  3. Chenoune, Farid (1996), A history of men's fashion (1st ed.), Flammarion, ISBN 978-2080135360
  4. Diccionario de la Real Academia de la Historia (DBE): Carlos Alfonso Mitjans y Fitz-James Stuart
  5. Priego (2017). p. 205
  6. Priego (2017). p. 207
  7. El Mundo: La discreta y poco conocida condesa de Teba, una aristócrata con apabullante pedigrí - 7 October 2020
  8. ABC - Viernes 1 de marzo de 1935, Edición de la mañana, p. 22
  9. Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) - 2 March 1998
  10. Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) - 31 March 1988
  11. Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) - 6 March 1987
  12. Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) - 24 December 1951
  13. Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) - 6 June 1963

Bibliography
  • Priego, Count of (2017). Cazadores Españoles del Siglo XX. Turner Publicaciones. ISBN 978-84-16714-29-2.
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