2026Figures - Baltasar Gracian - First Day Cover

He was a member of a family of Portuguese origin that had gone into exile in Toro following the Battle of Aljubarrota. They had left with the deposed Queen Beatrice of Portugal, losing all their possessions in the process. A century later, the Fonseca family had attained a high status in Castile regarding real estate, properties, and official positions. His uncle Alonso de Fonseca was a chief advisor to Henry IV; his brother Antonio served the Catholic Monarchs and Charles I as a captain in the royal armies; and he himself served as a delegate for matters concerning the Indies and as a diplomat.