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Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú, 10th Marquis of Villaverde
Don Cristóbal Martínez-Bordiú y Ortega, 10th Marquess of Villaverde (1 August 1922 – 4 February 1998) was a Spanish aristocrat, the son-in-law of dictator Francisco Franco, and a heart surgeon. In Spanish, his peerage is written El X Marqués de Villaverde (English: The 10th Marquess of Villaverde). FamilyBorn as Cristóbal Martínez y Bordiú, he was one of four children of José María Martínez y Ortega (Jaén, Mancha Real, 24 October 1890 – Mancha Real, 10 November 1970) and wife (m. Sabiñán, 2 February 1918) María de la O Esperanza Bordiú y Bascarán (Madrid, 19 December 1896 – Mancha Real, 12 December 1980), 7th Countess of Argillo. Cristóbal was given the title of 10th Marquess of Villaverde by his mother. When he was 23, he graduated from medical school. Marriage and childrenHe was married on 10 April 1950 in the Palacio Real de El Pardo with María del Carmen Franco y Polo, the future Duchess of Franco, the only daughter of Generalísimo Francisco Franco (1939–1975), the Spanish Caudillo. There were more than 800 attending the wedding. It was performed by the Bishop Leopoldo Eijo y Garay of the Diocese of Madrid (now Archdiocese of Madrid). This wedding brought him high social status in the Spain of General Franco. He was jokingly nicknamed the Yernísimo, in a clear reference to the title of Generalísimo of his father-in-law (yerno in Spanish means son-in-law, although in proper Spanish grammar the suffix -ísimo can only be added to certain adjectives to indicate "more than", but it can never be used with nouns). In 13 years, he and his wife had seven children:
First Spanish heart transplantSince he was a heart surgeon and great friend and admirer of Dr. Christiaan Barnard, he became the first Spaniard to perform a heart transplant in September 1968. The patient only survived 24 hours. A popular joke was that Villaverde killed more in La Paz (the hospital where he worked, and translating to The Peace) than his father-in-law in the war. On a visit to Spain Dr. Barnard joked, "I am a surgeon who wants to be a playboy and he is a playboy that wishes to be a surgeon." DeathThe Marqués died in Madrid on 4 February 1998 and was succeeded as marquess by his eldest son, Francisco, 11th Marqués de Villaverde. The 10th Marquess of Villaverde is buried in the crypt of Almudena Cathedral. Orders and decorations
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