Noble house de Castro y Toledo
In Sint-Niklaas, Belgium there is a small old but beautiful castle called
the 'Castro Hof'. For years, I wondered where the name Castrohof came
from. This question finally was solved in an exhibition (January 2019)
organised by the 'Koninklijke Oudheidkundige Kring Land van Waas'.
So, in this blogpost I wanted to dig out more about the noble house
de Castro y Toledo.
Origin of the noble house
Sources mentioned that the family name came from San Cebrián de las
Amayelas. This was the old name for the town which has nowadays the
name: Cebrián de Campos. It is a place in the region Castilla y Léon in the
north west of Spain.
Some royal history
During the rule of King Philippe II of Spain, the Habsburg Netherlands were
ruled by governors as Fernando Alvarez de Toledo (known as the Duke of
Alba or the Iron Duke).
Another governor in the Habsburg Netherlands was
Diego (Jacob) de Castro.
He was born on 10 January 1584 and later he went into the royal army.
He was sent in 1603 to the Habsburg Netherlands. First he was a soldier at
Philippeville to protect the border with France. There he married in 1618 to
Joanna Lopez de Toledo. Their children used the names: de Castro y Toledo.
On 1 August 1627, Diego de Castro had to make a big move. He became
governor of Sas-van-Gent (now a part of Terneuzen of The Netherlands).
Together with Hulst, this was the most important Spanish border against
the Protestant Republic of the Northern Netherlands.
In 1630 Diego de Castro had the chance to buy land in Berlare. He also
became lord of Bareldonk. He died on 10 January 1639 and
was buried in Ghent. His widow died on 5 November 1646.
Their descendants spread themselves over the Province East Flanders
in what's nowadays Belgium. They moved to Dendermonde, Gent,
Sint-Niklaas, Waasmunster and Oudenaarde.
One of the most important members of the Castro y Toledo family was
Frans Jozef junior (1688-1766). He lived at the Castrohof in Sint-Niklaas.
Soon he became very interested in genealogies and in local history as well.
He wrote down his own family history in lovely manuscripts.
The history of the family ended in the 18th. century, then
Frans Antonius Jozef de Castro (1729-1771) died without legal
descendants.
In my OnThisDay (OTD) post of 8 February 2019, I wrote about
Inês de Castro, I think she is a member of this noble family as well.
The family de Castro y Toledo also is written down by the
Koninklijke Oudheidkundige Kring Land van Waas in a practical
book.
the 'Castro Hof'. For years, I wondered where the name Castrohof came
from. This question finally was solved in an exhibition (January 2019)
organised by the 'Koninklijke Oudheidkundige Kring Land van Waas'.
So, in this blogpost I wanted to dig out more about the noble house
de Castro y Toledo.
 |
| Castro Hof, Sint-Niklaas Belgium own picture taken in 2016 |
Origin of the noble house
Sources mentioned that the family name came from San Cebrián de las
Amayelas. This was the old name for the town which has nowadays the
name: Cebrián de Campos. It is a place in the region Castilla y Léon in the
north west of Spain.
 |
| Coat of Arms de Castro own picture taken in 2019 @the exhibition in the Library of Sint-Niklaas |
Some royal history
During the rule of King Philippe II of Spain, the Habsburg Netherlands were
ruled by governors as Fernando Alvarez de Toledo (known as the Duke of
Alba or the Iron Duke).
source picture: Wikipedia
Another governor in the Habsburg Netherlands was
Diego (Jacob) de Castro.
He was born on 10 January 1584 and later he went into the royal army.
He was sent in 1603 to the Habsburg Netherlands. First he was a soldier at
Philippeville to protect the border with France. There he married in 1618 to
Joanna Lopez de Toledo. Their children used the names: de Castro y Toledo.
On 1 August 1627, Diego de Castro had to make a big move. He became
governor of Sas-van-Gent (now a part of Terneuzen of The Netherlands).
Together with Hulst, this was the most important Spanish border against
the Protestant Republic of the Northern Netherlands.
In 1630 Diego de Castro had the chance to buy land in Berlare. He also
became lord of Bareldonk. He died on 10 January 1639 and
was buried in Ghent. His widow died on 5 November 1646.
Their descendants spread themselves over the Province East Flanders
in what's nowadays Belgium. They moved to Dendermonde, Gent,
Sint-Niklaas, Waasmunster and Oudenaarde.
 |
| Coat of Arms exhibition at the Library of Sint-Niklaas |
One of the most important members of the Castro y Toledo family was
Frans Jozef junior (1688-1766). He lived at the Castrohof in Sint-Niklaas.
Soon he became very interested in genealogies and in local history as well.
He wrote down his own family history in lovely manuscripts.
 |
| Manuscripts and the coat of arms of de Castro y Toledo own picture taken in 2019 at the library in Sint-Niklaas |
The history of the family ended in the 18th. century, then
Frans Antonius Jozef de Castro (1729-1771) died without legal
descendants.
In my OnThisDay (OTD) post of 8 February 2019, I wrote about
Inês de Castro, I think she is a member of this noble family as well.
 |
| Coat of Arms de Castro y toledo |
The family de Castro y Toledo also is written down by the
Koninklijke Oudheidkundige Kring Land van Waas in a practical
book.
 |
| De Castro y Toledo book cover |
Comments