[4] Francisco de Valenzuela, the father of Fernando, served with the Spanish army in Flanders and Milan, before settling in the Kingdom of Naples, then part of the Crown of Aragon.

[5] After Francisco's death in 1640, his widowed wife Leonora, returned to Madrid and secured her son, Fernando, a position as page in the household of Duke of Infantado.

[8] English-language biographies of Valenzuela, such as his entry in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, often reflect the 17th century view women were incapable of ruling without a man and imply a sexual relationship.

The resulting contest between his co-heirs Louis XIV of France and Emperor Leopold split the Spanish political elite into Austrian and French factions.

In addition to Valenzuela, these included her personal confessor Juan Everardo Nithard, who came with her from Vienna in 1659, and the Marquis de Aytona; all three were accused of being her lovers at one time or another.

17th century monarchies used ostentatious display to project power; Valenzuela was put in charge of public entertainments and building works, including the expansion of El Pardo, as well as sports and hunting expeditions for Charles.

John was sent to Sicily to put down the Messina revolt and Valenzuela made Marquis of Villasierra and Ambassador to Venice; however, he remained in Spain as Captain-General of Granada.

[15] Mariana responded to complaints by making him a grandee, then first minister in November; this was a step too far and on 24 December, a group of senior nobility issued a proclamation denouncing the administration.

The plot closely resembles other works, including The Lady of Lyons, first played on 14 February 1838, nine months before Ruy Blas, and Molière's Les Précieuses ridicules.