Wikipedia

Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, 2nd Count of Torrubia

In this Basque name, the first surname is Medrano and the second is Mendizábal.

Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, 2nd Count of Torrubia[1] (Seville, 5 November 1654 – Madrid, 22 December 1720) was a Knight of Calatrava, a jurist and prominent statesman from the House of Medrano who served as Councilor and Dean of the Royal Council of Castile. He became the 2nd Count of Torrubia and the Lord of San Gregorio, which he inherited through his eldest brother, García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia. A native of Seville and a graduate in Canon Law, Medrano held various prominent positions, including Chief Judge of Biscay, Associate Justice of the Tribunal of Biscay, and supernumerary judge (fiscal) of the Council of Finance. Known for his extensive public service under the reigns of Charles II and Philip V, Medrano played a pivotal role in the governance and legal administration of early modern Spain.[2]

The Most Excellent
Andrés de Medrano
2nd Count of Torrubia, Lord of San Gregorio, Knight of Calatrava
Shield of Medrano (c. 1212)
Chief Judge of Biscay
In office
June 2, 1676 – May 1, 1683
MonarchCharles II
Oidor (Judge) of the Court of Valladolid
In office
May 1, 1683 – September 9, 1693
MonarchCharles II
Fiscal of the Council of Finance
In office
September 9, 1693 – March 30, 1697
MonarchCharles II
Dean of the Royal Council of Castile
In office
March 30, 1697 – February 13, 1706
MonarchsCharles II, Philip V
Member of the Chamber of the Royal Council of Castile
In office
November 2, 1720 – December 22, 1720
MonarchPhilip V
Personal details
BornNovember 5, 1654
Seville, Spain
DiedDecember 22, 1720
Madrid, Spain
Resting placeColegio Mayor of Salamanca
NationalitySpanish-Basque
SpouseDoña Francisca de Angulo y Albizu
Children
EducationBachelor in Canon Law
Alma materColegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, Salamanca
OccupationJurist, Officeholder
Known forService in the Royal Council of Castile

Early life and education

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Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal was born on November 5, 1654, in Seville, into the distinguished Medrano family, with deep roots in Spanish judicial, administrative and military service.[1] His father, García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos (1604–1683), held numerous prestigious positions, including fiscal and judge (oidor) in Valladolid, Regent of the Council of Navarre, fiscal of the Council of Castile, member of the Council of the Indies, Regent of Seville, member of the Council of Castile and its Chamber, and member of the Council of the Inquisition. His paternal grandfather, García de Medrano y Castejón, served as alcalde in Granada, fiscal and judge of the Council of Orders, and a supernumerary member of the Council of Castile.[3]

His two elder brothers also pursued distinguished careers: Domingo de Medrano y Mendizábal served as judge of Grados in Seville in 1672, while García de Medrano y Mendizábal, 1st Count of Torrubia, held positions such as corregidor of Gipuzkoa and alcalde of Casa y Corte, and was a member of the Council of Orders.[1] Both Domingo and García de Medrano served as rector of the University of Salamanca from 1668 to 1669.[4]

Education

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Andrés de Medrano began his education at the Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé in Salamanca, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Spain.[1] He was admitted as a collegian on September 12, 1672, and graduated with Bachelor's degree in Canon Law on June 6, 1675. His time at the Colegio Mayor provided him with the foundational legal training that prepared him for a successful career in the judiciary and administration. By 1720, he was the oldest surviving collegian from San Bartolomé.[1]

Career

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On June 2, 1676, he was appointed as Chief Judge of Biscay, a position he held with distinction until May 1, 1683. Shortly thereafter, on May 1, 1683, Medrano was promoted to oidor (judge) of the Court of Valladolid. On September 9, 1693, he was appointed a supernumerary judge (fiscal) in the Council of Finance, one of Spain's highest administrative bodies tasked with managing the Crown's financial and economic affairs.[1][2]

Dean of the Royal Council of Castile

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In 1697, following a consultation by the Chamber of Castile on March 13, Count Medrano was promoted to Dean of the Royal Council of Castile, where he oversaw the council’s judicial and administrative functions. As Dean, Medrano held the highest-ranking position within the council, coordinating its deliberations, managing judicial reviews, and ensuring the implementation of royal decrees across the Spanish territories. His leadership was pivotal in maintaining the council's role as the primary advisory body to the monarchy, as well as safeguarding the legal and administrative order of the Spanish monarchy. Medrano's formal appointment was issued on March 30, 1697, and he remained in this role for nearly a decade.[1]

Retirement and Member of the Royal Chamber of Castile

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On February 13, 1706, he retired from the royal council, although he was later granted a seat in the Chamber of the Royal Council of Castile on November 2, 1720, a position he held until his death.[2]

Nobility and titles

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Knight of Calatrava

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A knight of Calatrava portrayed in the monastic cowl (1731)

In 1690, Andrés de Medrano was appointed a Knight of the Order of Calatrava, one of Spain's most prestigious military orders, reserved for individuals of noble lineage and distinction in service to the Crown.[1] For hundreds of years, his ancestors have always been closely linked to the Order of Calatrava. Medrano's ancestor Pedro González de Medrano was noted in the retinue of King Sancho VII of Navarre at the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa on July 16, 1212,[5] and constituted the most significant nobility of the Kingdom of Navarre.[6] He took up arms: Gules Shield and a silver cross, figured as that of Calatrava, symbolizing their ancient lineage through its straightforward design and connection to the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa.[7] In addition to Pedro González de Medrano, Martín López de Medrano brought this emblem (in Or) into the battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, and again during the notable battle of Baya on Saint Andrew's Day in 1227.[8] Later, the Medrano family took this flag with gold (Or) saltires on a field of gules when participating in the Battle of Salado on 30 October 1340.[7][8]

Count of Torrubia

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Historic County of Torrubia ruled by the Medrano family in the Province of Soria

Following the death of his eldest brother without heirs in 1695, Andrés de Medrano succeeded as the II Count of Torrubia and inherited the lordship of San Gregorio, an old mayorazgo formed in 1394 by the Medrano family. The County of Torrubia de Soria is a Spanish noble title created by Royal Decree of 23 November 1692, and granted by Royal Order on 29 August 1694, by King Charles II of Spain, to García de Medrano y Mendizábal, legitimate brother of Andrés, whose documents are held in the Archivo de Simancas. These titles, tied to his family's long-standing prominence, solidified his position within the Spanish high nobility.[9][10]

Nobility

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The House of Medrano, who were known as ricohombres, Lords of Cavañuelas, San Gregorio and many entailed mayorazgos of the Medrano lineage in Soria and its region, are knights of great antiquity and nobility.[11] According to N.L.B. in La Silva Curiosa (1583), The Medrano lineage is recognized as "noble princes, with blood of noble ancestors," whose famed virtue is well known from the men it produced.[12]

The Medrano family is a very ancient house of noble origin, it is found in different times and in different places. Many principles are attributed to them by authors and historians:

"for its antiquity, its splendor, for their military prowess and virtue and for every other value of chivalry that prospered with this family, in great numbers, magnificent and generous."[13]

On September 1, 1552, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, issued the Carta Ejecutoria de Hidalguía to confirm the noble status of the Medrano family.[14] Detailed genealogical records are presented to support the family's claim to nobility. The document, created in Valladolid and Arenas, Spain, concludes with official signatures and seals, affirming the noble status.[14]

Ancestry

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The ancient and noble House of Medrano was one of the most powerful in the Sierra de Cameros and in Soria.[15] The Medrano family is incorporated into the ancient 12 lineages of Soria [es]. The Medrano family managed their titles and maintained their main resources, maize cultivation and especially sheep farming.[16] Their livestock grazed in those lands, and hundreds of times they walked to the pastures of Extremadura or the royal valley of Alcudia, in La Mancha.[8][17] According to genealogical proofs provided during his grandfather García de Medrano y Castejón's lifetime, this branch of the family not only owned the entailed estate and fortress of San Gregorio but also possessed 15,000 sheep, a testament to their considerable economic power.[1]

Paternal ancestry

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The Castle of San Gregorio (Casa Fuerte de San Gregorio) built by Diego López de Medrano y Vergara in 1461

Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, the son of García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos, came from a distinguished lineage of Spanish nobility and public service, with a family history deeply intertwined with wealth and influential positions.[1]

 
Coat of arms of Garci Bravo de Medrano (Medrano, Bravo, Lagunas, Mendoza) c. 1568.

According to the Royal Academy of History, his paternal grandmother, María de los Ríos y Mendoza—wife of García de Medrano y Castejón—was born in Soria and baptized in the parish of Santa María Magdalena on September 27, 1561. His grandfather's marriage to María was the root and origin of one of the most widespread families of legal professionals serving the monarchy during the 17th and 18th centuries.[18]

Andrés de Medrano was the great-grandson of García de Medrano y Vinuesa and Catalina de Castejón, the daughter of Juan González Castejón and Isabel de Armendáriz.[1]

His lineage further traced back to his third great-grandparents, Diego López de Medrano and Doña Francisca de Vinuesa, who were renowned for their immense wealth.[1]

He was the fourth great-grandson of Garci-Bravo de Medrano, Alcaide of Atienza, and Catalina de Mendoza, the daughter of Íñigo de Molina, Lord of Embid, Santijuste, and El Pobo, and Catalina de Mendoza.[1]

His ancestry also included his fifth great-grandparents, Diego López de Medrano y Vergara, Lord of San Gregorio, who died during the Siege of Málaga, and Magdalena Bravo de Lagunas y Cienfuegos, daughter of Garci-Bravo de Lagunas, Alcaide of Atienza and Sigüenza, and Catalina Núñez de Cienfuegos. Through Diego, he was also the fourth great-nephew of Luisa de Medrano.[1]

He is the 6th-grandson of Diego López de Medrano, Alcaide of Medinaceli, who died before 1482, and Catalina de Vergara.[19]

Maternal ancestry

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On his maternal side, Medrano was the grandson of Gregorio López de Mendizábal, who held prominent judicial roles, including Chief Judge of Biscay, fiscal and judge in Granada, alcalde of Casa y Corte, and member of the Royal Council of Castile.[20]

Personal life

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Medrano's personal life was deeply intertwined with his noble heritage, his devotion to faith, and his intellectual pursuits, all of which were reflected in the art he curated and the alliances he forged through marriage.[1]

Art collector

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the II Count of Torrubia was also an avid art collector, with a particular focus on religious works. Medrano's collection included portraits of King Charles II and the regent, Mariana of Austria, as well as a range of devotional paintings. A notable piece in his collection was a painting by Mateo Cerezo of the miraculous statue of Christ from Burgos. He also owned a Nativity of Christ by Luca Giordano and an unfinished work by El Greco.[21]

Details of his art collection were documented in an estate partition dated August 12, 1724, in Madrid. Alongside the noted works by Giordano and El Greco, the collection included older pieces attributed to El Greco and copies after masters such as Titian and Jusepe de Ribera. It is speculated that some of these older works were inherited rather than acquired directly by Medrano himself.[21]

Marriage

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Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal married Francisca de Angulo y Albizu in Madrid on October 7, 1693.[22] She was the legitimate daughter of Juan de Angulo, secretary of state for universal dispatch, and Manuela de Albizu y Villamayor, III Marchioness of Villamayor. Through this marriage, Medrano further strengthened his connections to other prominent Spanish families. His wife's lineage included ties to Lorenzo Mateu y Villamayor, a judge of the court and member of the Council of Castile,[23] and Lorenzo Mateu y Sanz, a former Regent of the Council of Aragon.[24]

Children and heir

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Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, the 2nd Count of Torrubia, and his wife, Francisca de Angulo y Albizu, had two children, Manuela de Medrano y Angulo and their eldest son, José Juan de Medrano y Angulo, who succeeded his father as the 3rd Count of Torrubia.[2][25]

José Juan de Medrano y Angulo

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Crown of a Spanish Marquess

José Juan de Medrano y Angulo (died 25 June 1765)[26] further elevated the family's noble standing through marriage and inheritance. On January 14, 1721, after his father passed away, he requested succession to the title, which was granted.[27] The 3rd Count of Torrubia married Isabel de Luján y Colón de Larreátegui, the daughter of Juan Francisco de Luján,[28] Superintendent and Magistrate of Madrid, and Josefa Colón. Isabel was a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus.[29]

Marquessate of Villamayor
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Coat of arms of Villamayor

In addition to the family titles, José Juan de Medrano became the 4th Marquess of Villamayor in the province of Salamanca, inherited through his maternal grandmother, Manuela de Albizu y Villamayor, 3rd Marchioness of Villamayor, wife of Juan de Angulo.[30] José Juan de Medrano y Angulo was succeeded by his own son, Joaquín de Medrano y Luján, 4th Count of Torrubia, 5th Marquess of Villamayor.[31][2] the 4th Count of Torrubia died in 1799, leaving behind a two year old daughter, María del Pilar de Medrano Lorieri Pardo Figueroa y Zabala, who passed away at the age of three in 1800.

José Juan's daughter, María de la Concepción de Medrano y Luján, became a Marchioness. María de las Nieves Angulo y Arbizu, I Marchioness of las Nieves was succeeded by her great-niece María de Medrano, daughter of José Juan de Medrano y Angulo, III Count of Torrubia. María de la Concepción de Medrano y Luján (January 28, 1744 – January 1, 1798), became the II Marchioness of las Nieves. María de Medrano married on December 8, 1757, with José de Feloaga y Vargas (1720–1791). The Marquesado de las Nieves, is a Spanish nobility title, created on November 29, 1725, by King Felipe V.[2]

Manuela de Medrano y Angulo

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Born on 4 January 1695 in Madrid, Manuela married Francisco de Chacon y Chacon on 21 May 1714, and they had a son named Jose de Chacon y Medrano, who succeeded his paternal grandfather as 3rd Count of Mollina. Jose Chacon y Medrano was the first cousin of the 4th Count of Torrubia, born in Malaga on March 20, 1727. He married Maria Mesia y Carvajal in Ubeda on April 27, 1743, passing away in 1784. From this marriage, the 5th and 6th count of Torrubia are descended.[32]

Siblings

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His brother Domingo de Medrano was a knight in the Order of Calatrava, Judge of Degrees in Sevilla (1672), professor and rector at the University of Salamanca. Domingo is also the fourth nephew of Luisa de Medrano. He married María de Robles. On May 10, 1664, Don Francisco de Aragüés y Medrano, son of José de Aragüés y Abarca and María de Medrano, married Águeda de Medrano, daughter of Domingo de Medrano and María de Robles. The couple were second cousins.[33]

His eldest brother García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia was the Lord of San Gregorio, alcalde of hijosdalgo in Valladolid (1675), supernumerary alderman of noble birth in the Royal Audiencia and Chancery of Valladolid (1675), oidor of Valladolid (1680), alcalde of Casa y Corte (1684), rector of the University of Salamanca, a knight of the Order of Calatrava, a member of the Council of Orders (1690) and a member of the Council and Chamber of His Majesty.[34]

Death

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Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal passed away on December 22, 1720, in Madrid, following a period of declining health. Earlier that year, he suffered a debilitating stroke, which prompted him to seek treatment at the baths of Ledesma. During his journey, he stayed at the Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé in Salamanca, where he had once studied and where he was by then the oldest surviving collegian. Despite his efforts to recover, his condition worsened, and he returned to Madrid later in the year.[1][2]

In his final days, Count Medrano made arrangements to ensure his legacy, leaving behind a carefully documented estate that included his art collection and other possessions. He also gifted a fine silver lamp to the Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, intended for use in the parish in the event of the chapel's incorporation into the college.[1]

Medrano's passing marked the end of a distinguished career that spanned decades of service to the Spanish Crown. His remains were interred with honor.[2]

See also

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Bibliography

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  • Archivo Histórico Nacional, Consejos, lib. 730, fols. 103r.-v.; lib. 731, fols. 130r., 283r.-284r.; Estado, leg. 6379 (2), n.º 150; Órdenes Militares, Calatrava, exp. 1564.
  • Archivo Histórico de Protocolos de Madrid, Prot. 13703, fol. 186r.; Prot. 14000, fol. 775r.
  • Roxas y Contreras, J., Historia del Colegio de S. Bartholomé [...] Segunda parte. Tomo I. Que contiene las vidas de los cinco eminentísimos y excelentísimos fundadores de los Insignes Colegios Mayores [...] y un catálogo de los excelentes varones que han vestido sus becas. A que siguen las entradas de los que desde el año de 1640 hasta el de 1768 han sido elegidos en el Mayor de San Bartolomé, vol. I, Madrid, 1768, fol. 472.
  • Fayard, J., Los ministros del Consejo Real de Castilla (1621–1788). Informes biográficos, Madrid, Hidalguía, 1982, pág. 98.
  • Carabias Torres, A. M.ª; Benito Rodríguez, M.ª A.; Carrasco Mateos, M.; Pérez Paniagua, M.ª A., Catálogo de Colegiales del Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé en el siglo XVII, in Studia Historica. Historia Moderna, Vol. VIII, 1990, pág. 226.
  • Domínguez Rodríguez, C., Los Oidores de las Salas de lo Civil de la Chancillería de Valladolid, Valladolid, Universidad, 1997, pág. 136.
  • Francisco Olmos, J. M.ª, Los miembros del Consejo de Hacienda en el siglo XVII, Madrid, Castellum, 1999, págs. 63 and 93.

Succession

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Spanish nobility
Preceded by Count of Torrubia
1695–1720 		Succeeded by
José Juan de Medrano y Angulo

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Alava, Francisco Ruiz de Vergara (1768). Historia Del Colegio Viejo De S. Barholomè, Mayor De La Celebre Universidad De Salamanca: Que Contiene Las Vidas De Los Cinco Eminentissimos, ... Las Entradas De los que desde el año de 1640. hasta el de 1768. han sido elegido en el Mayor de San Bartholomè (in Spanish). Ortega.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  3. ^ "García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  4. ^ University Archive. Salamanca. Book of the University Council, 1668–1669 (Tablet XVI)
  5. ^ J. Argamasilla de La Cerda y Bayona (1899). Nobiliario y Armería General de Nabarra (PDF). Madrid. Retrieved 2024-11-22.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. ^ V. El sequito Del Rey Fuerte – Pamplona 1922
  7. ^ a b Piferrer, Francisco (1858). Nobiliario de los reinos y señorios de España (revisado por A. Rujula y Busel) (in Spanish).
  8. ^ a b c Revista Hidalguía número 9. Año 1955 (in Spanish). Ediciones Hidalguia. p. 181.
  9. ^ "Tabla genealógica de la familia de Medrano, condes de Torrubia, señores de San Gregorio. [Manuscrito]". www.europeana.eu. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  10. ^ "Torrubia". soria-goig.com. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  11. ^ The Pérez de Araciel de Alfaro By Manuel Luis Ruiz de Bucesta y Álvarez, Member and Founding Partner of the ARGH Vice Director of the Asturian Academy of Heraldry and Genealogy Correspondent of the Belgian-Spanish Academy of History Pages. 50-51 https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/3991718.pdf
  12. ^ Julián de Medrano, José María Sbarbi y Osuna (1878). La Silva curiosa (in Spanish). University of Michigan. A. Gomez Fuentenebro. p. 23.
  13. ^ "Medrano family heraldry genealogy Coat of arms Medrano". Heraldrys Institute of Rome. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  14. ^ a b "Carta ejecutoria: Carta ejecutoria de hidalguia a pedimento de Bernardino de Medrano, Pedro López de Medrano y Francisco de Medrano by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, 1500-1558 , 1552-09-01 · Special Collections and Archives". library.missouri.edu. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  15. ^ "Revista Hidalguía, número 9 | Hidalguía, la revista de genealogía, nobleza y armas" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  16. ^ Fayard, Janine (1979). Les Membres du conseil de Castille à l'époque moderne (1621-1746). Librairie Droz. ISBN 978-2-600-04529-2.
  17. ^ "Valle de Alcudia-Castilla La Mancha-Spain Natural Parks Natural Parks Project" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  18. ^ Don García de Medrano y Castejon https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/113523/garcia-de-medrano-y-castejon
  19. ^ "Tabla genealógica de la familia de Medrano, vecina de Soria. [Manuscrito]". www.europeana.eu. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  20. ^ "Gregorio López de Mendizábal | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  21. ^ a b Burke, Marcus B.; Cherry, Peter (January 1997). Collections of Painting in Madrid, 1601–1755 (Parts 1 and 2). Getty Publications. ISBN 978-0-89236-496-1.
  22. ^ HIDALGUÍA. Año LXV 2018. Núm. 378. Págs. 333-356 https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/6573424.pdf
  23. ^ "Lorenzo Francisco José Mateu y Villamayor | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  24. ^ "Lorenzo Matheu y Sanz | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  25. ^ Doc. No. 12, Count of Torrubia File, Ministry of Justice Archive
  26. ^ Doc. No. 10, Count of Torrubia File, Ministry of Justice Archive
  27. ^ Doc. No. 6, Count of Torrubia File, Ministry of Justice Archive
  28. ^ "Juan Francisco de Luján y Arce | Real Academia de la Historia". dbe.rah.es. Retrieved 2024-11-22.
  29. ^ Nieto and Cortadellas, Rafael (1952). The descendants of Christopher Columbus. Havana: Pan American Colombist Society. pp. 240-242 https://obtienearchivo.bcn.cl/obtienearchivo?id=documentos/10221.1/55919/1/89982.pdf
  30. ^ Doc. No. 12, Count of Torrubia File, Ministry of Justice Archive, p. 13
  31. ^ Doc. No. 11, Count of Torrubia File, Ministry of Justice Archive
  32. ^ Salazar y Acha, Jaime de (2012). Los Grandes de España (siglos XV-XVI). Ediciones Hidalguía. ISBN 978-84 939313-9-1
  33. ^ San Ginés parish registers, specifically in volume 8-267 v. and the admonitions in volume 6-152 v. https://www.ramhg.es/images/stories/pdf/anales/19_2016/02_mayoralgo.pdf
  34. ^ https://dbe.rah.es/biografias/31027/garcia-de-medrano-y-alvarez-de-los-rios
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