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Although contemporary chroniclers and courtiers were acutely aware of her presence and influence, many modern political historians of the seventeenth century and biographers of Pedro Téllez-Girón, the Third Duke of Osuna, have largely ignored the activities of his wife, Catalina Enríquez de Ribera. Indeed, even some of Osuna's recent biographers have assumed that there is little to know about her. In spite of this lack of attention, the duchess played a number of critical roles throughout the years of her marriage, including during the late 1610s when she and don Pedro were the Viceroys of Naples. This article discusses doña Catalina's patronage, her use of court festivities to build networks, and her involvement in other activities during the time she spent in Spanish Naples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article focuses on Spanish immigration to Italy in the period from 1500 to 1700, the centuries when Spanish rule in Naples, Sicily, and Milan led to large-scale immigration of soldiers, clergy, viceroys, governors, and their followers and families. Presently, there is a lack of any detailed study of this important aspect of Spanish imperialism for the broader Italian context. This article argues that such a study is essential for understanding the social, economic, political, and cultural history of Italy in this period and presents avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pope Alexander VI worked to maintain and grow his connections in Valencia through strategic positioning of family members, including his son Joan Borgia. Joan was married into the elite De Luna family and became Duke of Gandía, but struggled throughout to live up to expectations for a young adult nobleman. By following the correspondence between Joan and his relatives held in the Archive of the Cathedral of Valencia, it is possible to trace the frustrations expressed by all members of this expanding family. Joan acted out in response to the stress of the move and his new responsibilities, and in doing so repeatedly threatened his family’s regional goals. The marriage demonstrates the strategies elite families, papal and otherwise, used to expand their reach and grow their shared resources. Joan’s experiences in Gandía also provide valuable insight into the expectations of youth in the transitional space between childhood and full maturity.