Alfonso de Urquijo

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Urquijo and the second or maternal family name is Landecho.

Alfonso de Urquijo
Born	(1920-07-31)31 July 1920 Llodio, Spain
Died	23 September 1994(1994-09-23) (aged 74) Jaén, Spain
Military career
Allegiance	Francoist Spain
Service / branch	Blue Division
Years of service	1941–1943 (World War II)
Rank	Lieutenant

Alfonso de Urquijo y Landecho (31 July 1920 – 23 September 1994) was a Spanish professional hunter, writer and banker. Following his success as an international hunter, he was appointed President of the International Council for Game and Wildlife Conservation in 1981. He was a younger brother of Luis de Urquijo, who was President of Real Madrid from 1926 to 1930.

Biography

Early years

Alfonso de Urquijo was born the 31st July 1920 in Llodio, a town in the Basque Country province of Álava, in Northern Spain. The Urquijo's were one of the most prominent families in 20th Century Spain, with very close ties to the Spanish royal family. His father, Estanislao de Urquijo y Ussía, was the 3rd Marquess of Urquijo (Grandee of Spain), 1st Marquess of Bolarque and Chairman of Telefónica. His mother was María del Pilar Landecho y Allendesalazar.

His siblings include Luis de Urquijo, 2nd Marquess of Bolarque and María del Pilar, who married Alonso Álvarez de Toledo, 11th Marquess of Valdueza.

Military service

In 1941, Urquijo volunteered as a soldier when Franco sent the Blue Division to fight the Soviets alongside Nazi Germany during the Winter campaign of World War II. During his time in service, he rose to the rank of Lieutenant.

Urquijo (left) with the Duke of Peñaranda (right) during an Elephant hunt in Bamboosi, Mozambique, 1962

Later years

Urquijo died on 23 September 1994 in his finca, "Nava el Sach", in Jaén, Southern Spain.

Urquijo (right) with his nephew and a harvested Pyrenean chamois, 1950

Selected works

• Abonado y síntomas de carencia en el maíz, Ministerio de Agricultura, Madrid, 1955.
• El Canto del Hamerckop. Cacerías de dos españoles en África., Taurus, Madrid, 1965.
• El Pirineo y los Sarrios, Taurus, Madrid, 1967.
• Cuando Empuñamos las Armas, Editorial Moneda y Crédito, Madrid, 1973.
• Alto Aragón. Su Naturaleza, Energía e Industriales Aragonesas, Madrid, 1975.
• Umbría y Solana (Recuerdos y diálogos de montería):
  • I: Con trabuco y caracola, Giner, Madrid, 1980.
  • II: La flor de la jara, Giner, Madrid, 1981.
  • III: El tornillazo, Giner, Madrid, 1981.
• Relación de fincas de montería, o en las que se celebran ganchos, con sus correspondientes parajes (Separata de la Flor de la Jara), Faresa, Madrid, 1981.
• Los Serreños (Retazos cinéticos y camperos de Sierra Morena), Editorial Olivo, Sevilla, 1986.
• África Incierta. Recechos de Animales raros, Aldaba Ediciones, Madrid, 1988.
• Altos Vuelos, Aldaba, Madrid, 1989.
• Rumbo a Poniente. Mis cacerías por el nuevo mundo, Aldaba, Madrid, 1990.
• Bestiario de Sierra Morena, Aldaba, Madrid, 1996.

See also

• List of famous big game hunters