The PeÑaranda Estate
A county with French roots
Even though Peñaranda had made a name for itself in the Salamanca map as a market place and crossroads, it was not to reach its heyday until the arrival of the Bracamontes.
Of French origin, this surname appears in the Peninsula carried by Mosén Rubí de Bracamonte, Major Admiral of France, who came so often to deal with the Crown of Castile in charge of important diplomatic or military support missions that ended up staying there. One of his daughters, Juana de Bracamonte, married Álvaro de Ávila (or Dávila), Chief Steward of King Fernando I of Aragon, founder of what would eventually be the County of Peñaranda and, most relevant for this story, by those times, already the lord of Peñaranda and Fuente del Sol. With this marriage, the lineage and the village became linked from the 15th century, until in 1703 Peñaranda became part of the Frías house.
The history of this estate climbed to a new level when King Felipe III granted Alonso de Bracamonte the title of Count of Peñaranda in 1602. But, undoubtedly, the most relevant character in the history of this town was Don Gaspar de Bracamonte y Guzmán.