Alonso Antonio de San Martín

Biography

Alonso Antonio de San Martín was born in Madrid, Spain on 12 December 1642. He was the illegitimate son of King Felipe IV of Spain and of a young woman who served in the Buen Retiro Palace, named Tomasa María de Aldana, a native of Illescas, Toledo. However, in the newborn's baptismal certificate, which took place in the parish of San Sebastián, are assigned as biological parents: Juan de Valdés and María Díaz.

On 1 October 1675, he was selected by the King of Spain and confirmed by Pope Clement X on 16 December 1675 as Bishop of Oviedo. In April 1676, he was consecrated bishop by Francisco de Rois y Mendoza, Archbishop of Granada, with Clemente Alvarez López, Bishop of Guadix, and Melchior de Escuda Aybar, Titular Bishop of Utica, serving as co-consecrators. On 21 October 1681, he was appointed during the papacy of Pope Innocent XI as Bishop of Cuenca. He served as Bishop of Cuenca until his death on 5 July 1705.