| 20th Duchess of the Infantado, 21st Countess of Real de Manzanares | |
| Predecessor: | Íñigo de Arteaga y Martín, 20th Duke of the Infantado |
| Spouse: | José Ramón Fernández de Mesa y Temboury |
| Noble Family: | House of the Infantado |
| Father: | Íñigo de Arteaga y Martín |
| Mother: | Almudena del Alcázar y Armada |
| Birth Date: | 25 June 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Madrid, Spain |
| Occupation: | Writer |
María de la Almudena de Arteaga y del Alcázar, 20th Duchess of the Infantado GE (born in Madrid on 25 June 1967), is a Spanish writer in the genre of the historical novel.
She was born in Madrid on 25 June 1967, the city where she currently resides with her husband and two daughters. She has a degree in law from the Complutense University of Madrid and a diploma in Genealogy, Heraldry and Nobility from the Salazar y Castro Institute.
She practiced law for six years, specializing in Civil and Labor Law. She worked as a documentary filmmaker on the books La insigne Orden del Toisón de Oro and La Orden Real de España, a historical essay. In 1997 she published her first novel La Princesa de Éboli. After the success obtained, she left the practice of Law to dedicate herself exclusively to literature. Twenty works of different genres followed this first novel.
Recognized by critics as one of the most outstanding current historical novel writers, her books have reached the bestseller lists for more than four months, with numerous reissues and have been translated into several languages. Premio de Novela Histórica Alfonso X El Sabio 2004 (Alfonso X El Sabio Historical Novel Award) 2004 with María de Molina. Tres coronas medievales. In March 2012, she was awarded the 19th Premio Azorín de Novela (Azorín Prize for Best Novel) for her work Capricho, a historical tour with intrigue through 19th century Madrid.
Currently she continues to write, lecture in literary and historical forums and collaborate as a columnist in national newspapers and magazines.
Following the approval of Law 33/2006, of 30 October, on the equality of men and women in the order of succession, Almudena, as the first-born daughter, became the main heir to the House of the Infantado, displacing her brother Íñigo, 20th Marquis of Tavara, who until a few years ago, as the first-born among men, was called to be the 20th Duke of the Infantado, and who died in 2012 in a plane crash, and his brother Iván, 16th Marquis of Armunia.
On 17 November 2018, the succession in favor of the Duchy of the Infantado, as well as five other titles of nobility and dignities, was published in the Official State Gazette.[1]