José de Carvajal y Lancáster

José de Carvajal y Lancáster (1698–1754) was a Spanish statesman.

José de Carvajal
Chief Minister of Spain
In office
4 December 1746 – 8 April 1754
MonarchFerdinand VI
Preceded byThe Marquis of Villarías
Succeeded byThe Duke of Huéscar
Seat O of the Real Academia Española
In office
13 May 1751 – 8 April 1754
Preceded byDiego de Villegas y Saavedra Quevedo
Succeeded byFernando de Silva
Director of the Real Academia Española
In office
13 May 1751 – 8 April 1754
Preceded byJuan López Pacheco
Succeeded byFernando de Silva
Personal details
Born1698 (1698)
Cáceres, Spain
Died8 April 1754(1754-04-08) (aged 55–56)
Madrid, Spain

Biography

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He was son of the Duke of Liñares and his mother was descendant of infante Jorge de Lancastre, a natural son of King John II of Portugal. After graduating at the University of Salamanca, he was appointed oidor (judge) of the Chancillería of Valladolid and later councillor of the Council of the Indies. Prime minister José del Campillo elected him as his personal secretary. In 1746, he was appointed president of the Junta of Commerce and Money, and promoted the establishment of chartered corporations for the improvement of regional trade and manufacture.

The new king Ferdinand VI appointed him First Secretary of State that same year, and carried out a neutrality policy. In 1750, he signed the agreement between Spain and Portugal that finished the disputes over the borders of Río de la Plata and Brazil; Colonia del Sacramento returned to Spain in exchange of some Paraguayan territories.

He reformed the royal mail and in 1752 founded definitively the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando.[1]

Bibliography

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  • Molina, Juan: José de Carvajal: un ministro para el reformismo borbónico, Cáceres: Institución Cultural El Brocense, 1999
  • Delgado, José Miguel: El proyecto político de Carvajal: pensamiento y reforma en tiempos de Fernando VI, Madrid: CSIC, 2001

References

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Political offices
Preceded by First Secretary of State
1746–1754
Succeeded by