residence in Madrid. In 1893, the family moved into the freshly-completed building at calle Ventura Rodríguez, designed in eclectic style by renowned architects and from the outset intended to be also an art gallery, very much like the private pinacotecas seen across Europe. The building – usually referred to as a palace – served later also as a prestigious venue of social meetings, reported the day after by the Madrid press, and a location for political assemblies. The couple had no issue. Early Carlist years Though his paternal ancestors remained loyal to the Isabelinos, it was Enrique's mother who influenced him towards Carlism, the leaning reinforced during the university years. According to himself always a Carlist, he joined the movement in 1869, the same year founding also the affiliated Juventud Catolica. As conde de Villalobos he unsuccessfully ran for the Cortes in 1871 from Ciudad Rodrigo, but obtained the mandate in the successive elections of 1872 from Ledesma. His service lasted only 2 months, since before the planned insurgency the claimant ordered his deputies to resign. There is no evidence that Enrique de Aguilera took part in the Third Carlist War and that he was exiled, though the issue is not entirely clear. In 1876 in Paris, already as marqués, he was introduced to Carlos VII. The two developed cordial relationship bordering personal friendship; de Cerralbo turned out - along Solferino - one of two grandees who sided with Carlism and automatically became one of its most distinguished figures. Within Carlism de Cerralbo tried to champion the religious cause, but he proved no match for Cándido Nocedal. The conflict grew when Nocedal was nominated Jefe Delegado in 1879, Nocedal opting for immovilismo and Cerralbo for aperturismo. Another issue was Nocedal's drive to emphasize the Catholic features at the expense of dynastical ones. As Carlos VII grew uncomfortable about power shifting away from his hands and as Nocedal's leadership caused grumblings among many Carlists, Cerralbo engaged in few attempts to outmaneuver him, but since they remained fruitless, he pondered upon withdrawing from politics. When Cándido Nocedal died in 1885 Cerralbo was widely rumored to succeed him, but Carlos VII decided to lead the movement personally. Quoting health reasons Cerralbo for some time distanced himself from Carlist politics, marked by further conflict between Ramón Nocedal and the pretender. By virtue of his grandeza he entered the Senate in 1885, where he was