Founding of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Madrid

Background. The legacy row dated 7 March 1885 refers to the founding of the Diocese of Madrid y Alcalá de Henares, not an archdiocese. This diocese was created by Pope Leo XIII on canonical territory split from the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Toledo. The status as an archdiocese was achieved later, on 25 March 1964, by Pope Paul VI.

Early Leadership. Narciso Martínez Izquierdo held the Madrid see from 27 March 1884 until his death on 18 April 1886, according to the episcopal record. He previously served as Bishop of Salamanca and as Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Ciudad Rodrigo, both from 16 January 1874 to 27 March 1884. The record does not state whether his tenure began before the diocese's formal erection.

Succession. Ciriaco María Sancha y Hervás held the Madrid see from 10 June 1886 to 11 July 1892. He had previously served as Titular Bishop of Areopolis and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Toledo from 28 January 1876 to 27 March 1882, and as Bishop of Ávila from 27 March 1882 to 10 June 1886. He later became Metropolitan Archbishop of Valencia on 11 July 1892.