| Honorific-Prefix: | Admiral of the Ocean Sea The Most Excellent |
| The Duke of Veragua | |
| Office: | Admiral of the Ocean Sea Admiral of the Indies Adelantado of the Indies |
| Term Start: | 1871 |
| Term End: | 1910 |
| Predecessor: | 13th Duke of Veragua |
| Successor: | 15th Duke of Veragua |
| Office2: | Minister of Public Works |
| Monarch2: | Alfonso XIII |
| Primeminister2: | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta |
| Term Start2: | 21 January 1890 |
| Term End2: | 5 July 1890 |
| Predecessor2: | Jose Álvarez de Toledo |
| Successor2: | Santos Isasa |
| Office3: | Minister of the Navy |
| Monarch3: | Alfonso XIII |
| Primeminister3: | Práxedes Mateo Sagasta |
| Term Start3: | 6 March 1901 |
| Term End3: | 6 December 1902 |
| Predecessor3: | José Ramos Izquierdo |
| Successor3: | Joaquin Sanchez de Toca |
| Birth Name: | Cristóbal Colón y de la Cerda |
| Birth Date: | 8 June 1837 |
| Birth Place: | Madrid, Spain |
| Death Place: | Madrid, Spain |
| Spouse: | Isabel Aguilera y Santiago de Perales |
| Children: |
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| Parents: |
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| Profession: | Naval officer |
| Branch: | Spanish Navy |
| Rank: | Admiral |
Admiral Cristóbal Colón y de la Cerda, 14th Duke of Veragua, 12th Marquess of Jamaica (8 June 1837 in Madrid - 30 October 1910 in Madrid), was a Spanish Minister of Public Works during the regency of Maria Christina of Austria and Minister of the Navy during the same period and during the reign of Alfonso XIII.
He was born in Madrid in 1837, and was the eldest son of Pedro Colón y Ramirez de Baquedano, the 13th Duke of Veragua and María del Pilar-Luisa de la Cerda y-Ghent Vilain, thus making him a direct descendant of famous explorer Christopher Columbus.
In addition to the XIV Duke of Veragua, he succeeded in his father's titles as: 14th Marquis of Jamaica, 14th Duke of la Vega, 16th Admiral of the Ocean Sea and 16th Adelantado mayor de las Indias.[1]
The Duke of Veragua began his political career as a deputy of the Province of Ávila in the elections of 1871, was re-elected in the elections of 1872, and in 1876 he was elected deputy in the district of Puerto Rico. In 1878 he was appointed Senator and became Vice President of the Senate.
Colón de la Cerda was Minister of Public Works during the regency of Maria Cristina of Austria and Minister of the Navy during the same period and during the reign of Alfonso XIII. In 1892 he received the Golden Fleece to celebrate the fourth centenary of the discovery of America. In 1897 de La Cerda was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society.[2]
In March 1900 he was in charge of a special mission sent to Berlin to invest the German Crown Prince Wilhelm with the Order of the Golden Fleece on behalf of King Alfonso XIII.[3]
In 1867, he married Isabel de Aguilera Santiago-Perales, daughter of the Marquises of Benalúa.
The couple had three children: