Antonio López de Ayala y Velasco (c. 1640 – 1709), 9th Count of Fuensalida, was a Spanish nobleman, politician, and military administrator who served the Spanish Crown during the reign of Charles II. He was a member of the House of Ayala and held the status of Grandee of Spain.
Throughout his career, Ayala y Velasco occupied several high-level administrative positions within the Spanish Empire’s European territories. He served as the Viceroy of Navarre from 1676 to 1681, where he represented the monarch in the administration of the kingdom’s laws and defenses. Following this tenure, he was appointed Viceroy of Sardinia, a post he held from 1682 to 1686.
In 1686, Ayala y Velasco was appointed Governor of the Duchy of Milan. His administration coincided with the outbreak of the Nine Years' War (1688–1697), during which he was responsible for the defense of the duchy against French interests in Northern Italy. He remained in Milan until 1691.
In addition to his provincial appointments, he was a member of the Council of State (Consejo de Estado) and a Knight of the Order of Santiago. He died in Madrid in 1709. His career is characterized by the traditional "cursus honorum" of the high Spanish nobility of the 17th century, moving between viceroyalties and military governorships to maintain imperial stability.
