OVERVIEW
The House of Lemavia (es: Casa de Lemavia), or House of Lamela, is an old noble family from Spain who can trace back their ancestry to the 7th century. It is also known as House of López de Prado, after the surname of their members over the last 15 generations. Although they are original from Asturias, in Northwestern Spain, the main branch settled its domains in Monforte de Lemos, Galicia. They have traditionally held the title of Lords of Lamela (Lemavia), in Spain, from time immemorial. The family's motto is Velis Nolis, Do ut Des (from latin: "Whether You Wish it or not, I Give so You Give").
There are currently a few dozen people bearing the surname López de Prado. The current widespread use of the name López, especially in Latin America, is a testament to the past success and prestige of noble families with this surname (in Medieval times, newly freed subjects acquired the name of their former Lords). In fact, Don Íñigo López de Mendoza (1398 - 1458), Marquess of Santillana, is considered to be the grandfather of Spanish aristocracy, as most lineages are related to him.
In its millennium of history, the House of Lemavia has played a role in the history of the Spanish Empire and Europe: Crusades against the Moors (711 - 1492), Irmandiño's uprising (1467 - 1469), Conquest of America (1492 - 1600), Protestant or Eighty Years' War (1568 - 1648), Napoleonic Wars (1808 - 1812), Carlist Wars (1833 - 1876), Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) and Second World war (1939 - 1945).
The Archives of the House of Lemavia preserve manuscripts of great historical importance, from the 13th century onwards.