Diego Fernández De Medrano Y Zenizeros

Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros (in full, Spanish: ''Don Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros, señor de la Villa de Sojuela, del Solar y Divisa de Valdeosera, de la Torre y de la Casa de la Vega en Rioja, etc.'') was a 17th-century Spanish cleric, nobleman, and author, recognized for his political treatise, panegyric writings and his service to the Spanish Crown. A presbyter and lord of multiple noble estates—including the ''divisa'' and solar de Valdeosera and town of Sojuela, de la Torre and House de La Vega in La Rioja, and the Palace of Entrena—he held a prominent place within the religious, and intellectual landscape of his time. He served as a chaplain for both Luis Méndez de Haro, 2nd Duke of Olivares, and Pedro Coloma, Secretary of State for the Spanish Crown. He served two terms as the Chief Magistrate and Mayor of Valdeosera in San Román de Cameros, La Rioja.

He is best known for authoring a political treatise in the mirror for princes genre, dedicated to Philip Prospero, Prince of Asturias, as well as a political treatise-panegyric hybrid in honor of Luis Méndez de Haro, '' valido'' of Philip IV of Spain, in which he not only praised Haro’s statesmanship but subtly advanced his own doctrines of prudential governance and positioned himself as the intellectual architect behind Spain’s peace strategy culminating in the Treaty of the Pyrenees.

Background

Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros was the son of Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros (likely surnamed Espinosa through maternal lineage), a Knight of the Order of Santiago, ''Divisoro'' and Lord of Valdeosera and Sojuela, and Lord of the ancestral de la Torre and House de la Vega in La Rioja, and the Palace of Entrena.

While the records do not mention a mother, the use of the surname Zenizeros appears to be hereditary; in his ''Heroic and Flying Fame'', Diego refers to his own father as ''Don'' ''Diego de Medrano Zenizeros'', suggesting the name was inherited through the maternal line.

Diego was born into the House of Medrano from La Rioja, one of the most distinguished noble families of royal legal officials (''togados'') who served the Spanish Monarchy throughout the 17th and 18th centuries.

Father

His fathers name appears in the ''divisa'' record of Valdeosera on 1 May 1624, along with his own. He served as commissioner of the Spanish Infantry and as Alcaide (Castellan) of the castles of Villarejo de Salvanés and Fuentidueña, both strategic fortresses of the Order of Santiago in the region of Guadalajara.

His father served the Order of Santiago at the same time as García de Medrano y Castejón, President of the Council of Orders, a fellow knight of the Order of Santiago, a distinguished jurist, historian, and a member of His Majesty's Councils, who authored ''Rules and Establishment of the Knights of Santiago'' (1603) and the ''Compilation of the Chapter Laws of the Order of Knighthood of Santiago'' (1605), where he made significant reforms to the laws of the Order itself, a reform that directly empowered the institutional framework of the ''valido'' system.

Diego's father, Diego Fernández de Medrano, from Logroño, was the son of Captain Francisco Fernández de Medrano and Doña María Ana de Espinosa. On 1 May 1614, he and his brother Francisco Fernández de Medrano y Espinosa were formally registered as Lords of the Solar and ''Divisa'' de Regajal. A prominent figure at both court and Church, he relocated to the royal court in 1607 and went on to hold multiple prestigious positions: ''capellán de honor'' (chaplain of honor), judge of the royal chapel, administrator and deputy of the Royal Hospital of the Court, and testamentary executor to Queen Margaret of Austria.

Paternal uncle in Logroño

Between 1608 and 1610, Diego's uncle Francisco Fernández de Medrano initiated legal proceedings against Domingo de Montoya and his wife Inés Díez, both of Entrena, for refusing to provide a deed of sale after payment had been completed for properties located in Logroño. Preserved in the ''Archivo de la Real Chancillería de Valladolid'', the case reveals the Medrano family's active involvement in land transactions and legal affairs in Logroño during the early 17th century.

Grandfather

Diego's grandfather was Captain Francisco Fernández de Medrano, a native of Entrena and longtime resident of Logroño. Associated with the Order of St. John, he served as Chief Magistrate (Alcalde Mayor) of the Solar de Valdeosera and as regidor of the noble estate in Logroño. Known for his valor, Francisco distinguished himself in several military campaigns and was recommended by the Duke of Savoy for the post of Alcaide of Los Arcos after sustaining serious injuries in combat at Garzigliana. Captain Francisco's brothers were Lázaro Fernández de Medrano, General Diego Fernández de Medrano, and Tomás Fernández de Medrano, Lord of Valdeosera, Secretary of State and War to the Dukes of Savoy and author of ''República Mista'' (1602), making them Diego's great-uncles. Tomás's son, Juan Fernández de Medrano y Sandoval, was also a prominent figure in the family.

Relatives

Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zezineros was connected to several high-ranking Crown officials through his extended noble lineage. Diego was a close relative of Francisco de Medrano y Bazán, Lord of Balondo, born in Logroño.

His relatives occupied high offices within the Spanish Empire. The Medrano family also established themselves in Daimiel, holding positions as high mayors, governors, and chief justices of the Order of Calatrava. The Medrano family’s influence extended to Toledo, where members of the lineage served as Marshals of the Kingdom of Castile and held lordship over the towns of Caudilla and Novés.

Diego's relatives, originating from Soria and Viana, and linked to the castles of San Gregorio and Barajas in Madrid, initially settled in Ciudad Real. There, members of the Medrano family participated in the Reconquest of Alarcos in 1212 alongside Alfonso VIII of Castile at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa, and later served as lords of the Torre de la Galiana.

Ancestral traditions

The Medrano family is a noble house of great antiquity, recorded across different regions and periods of history. 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.

Education

Educated at the University of Salamanca in Civil and Canon Law, the Medrano family prepared for roles as ''corregidores'', judges, and advisors to the Crown’s Councils. At Salamanca, he would have encountered the prevailing traditions of late scholastic political theory and juridical humanism, which informed his later treatises on princely counsel and statecraft. Although specific academic records have not survived, Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros is described in his own works as having received an advanced education. In the dedication of his treatise ''Espejo de Príncipes'' (Mirror of Princes), he refers to himself as "''Graduado de Óptimo por la floreciente Universidad de Salamanca''"—a phrase indicating that he was awarded top honors from the University of Salamanca, one of the most prestigious institutions in Spain and Europe at the time. This distinction reflects a classical education grounded in philosophy, theology, and political science, consistent with his later career as a cleric, crown official, and author of political treatises. His refined Latin and eloquent Castilian prose further support his claim to scholarly distinction.

The Claustro Book of the University of Salamanca for the academic year 1668–1669 records the longstanding connection between the Medrano family and the university. For over 160 years, members of the family were affiliated with the institution—most notably the rectors and Crown officials García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia and his brother Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, 2nd Count of Torrubia, and Luisa de Medrano, recognized as the first female professor in both Spain and Europe.

Lord of Valdeosera and Sojuela

Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros inherited the distinguished title of Lord of the Solar and ''Divisa'' of Valdeosera, a noble estate with collective lineage rights rooted in La Rioja's medieval history.

The Solar de Valdeosera was more than a title—it was a symbol of ancient nobility, deeply intertwined with regional and royal history. As Fray Juan Fernández de Medrano y Sandoval declared in 1601, the Fernández de Medrano lineage are "true and legitimate descendants" from "the field master and captain general of King Ramiro I of León," referring to Sancho Fernández de Tejada.Licenciado Salinas, Sumario de la Memorable y santa batalla de Clavijo, cierto y verdadero origen y antigüedad del Señorío y señores de la villa, solar y divisas de Valdeosera, Madrid: Pedro Madrigal, 1601.

The collective memory of Valdeosera was further enshrined in the dedication of the ''Summary of the Memorable and Holy Battle of Clavijo'' by Salinas, where Juan Fernández de Medrano y Sandoval dedicated it to King Philip III:

This lordship will live, this memory will live, and we will live, until we die in the service of Your Majesty.

In 1601, Licenciado Salinas dedicated the prologue of the ''Summary of the Memorable and Holy Battle of Clavijo'' to Diego's great-uncle Tomás Fernández de Medrano, writing that "it seemed to me that it should be dedicated to such a principal successor." The lordship of Valdeosera and its connection to the Battle of Clavijo are noted in this passage addressed to Tomás, Lord of Valdeosera:

The lordship and lords of Valdeosera... Fernández de Medrano... having seen the archives of their antiquities and closely touched the virtue and nobility of all in general... I felt compelled to draw up a summary apart from the memorable and holy battle of Clavijo; because it is connected with the origin and antiquity of the Solar where they descend from and are lords of... for it is one of the most notable and worthy of celebration in all Spain.

Through his stewardship of Valdeosera, Diego Fernández de Medrano preserved the rights, traditions, and spiritual weight of a noble house that had been embedded in the very fabric of Castilian identity. As Lord of Valdeosera, Diego was not merely a noble by inheritance—but by example, upholding a centuries-old standard of virtue, dignity, and duty.

Recognition as Lord of Sojuela in the Solar de Valdeosera

The town of Sojuela, which Diego inherited and ruled, had been in the hands of the Fernández de Medrano family for multiple generations. On May 1, 1624, Diego Fernández de Medrano, Lord of Valdeosera, was formally recorded in the ''Divisa'' Regajal of the Solar de Valdeosera, a noble lineage estate in La Rioja. The registry entry notes that he and his father Diego Fernández de Medrano were entered together in the official book, with the younger Diego recognized on page 109 as Lord of the town of Sojuela. This inscription affirmed the family's hereditary rights and noble status within the historic collective of the Thirteen ''Divisas'', further solidifying their social and territorial authority in the region.Series II, B.2, fol. 24. page 109.

Sojuela

Located near the capital, Logroño, Sojuela belonged to a network of settlements known as the ''Villas de Campo'', situated in the Iregua River valley. Its historical importance stemmed from its association with the Monastery of San Julián de Sojuela, which served as a central hub for regional repopulation efforts.Granado Hijelmo, Ignacio, and María Concepción Fernández de la Pradilla Mayoral. "Los Fueros de La Rioja." Revista de la CECEL 9 (2009): 59–120. Instituto de Estudios Riojanos. ISSN: 1578-570-X.

In 1060, Stephanie, Queen of Navarre, widow of King García Sánchez III of Pamplona, issued a ''fuero'' (charter) to San Vicente de Sojuela and neighboring villages like Medrano, Entrena, and Fuenmayor, all under the jurisdiction of the ancient Medrano family. This document outlined their duties to the Monastery of San Julián, establishing it as the primary governing and spiritual authority in the area.

Estates

Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zezineros, descended from a distinguished Riojan noble line tied to the Solar de Valdeosera, one of Spain's oldest nobility collectives. Medrano held lordship over a significant collection of estates in La Rioja. He provided a condensed list that did not include all his possessions; however, based on his published works, he held the titles of Lord of the Town of Sojuela, Lord of the Solar and ''Divisa'' of Valdeosera, Lord of the Tower and House of La Vega in Rioja, and Lord of the Palace of Entrena.

In 1744, a legal dispute involving Domingo García Medrano, deputy mayor (''teniente de alcalde ordinario'') of Entrena, reveals the continued municipal presence and influence of the Medrano family in La Rioja.Lawsuit of Domingo García Medrano (1744). https://pares.mcu.es/ParesBusquedas20/catalogo/description/212220 The case, brought against local officials in nearby Albelda de Iregua for failing to attend a council concerning matters of common interest, reflects the family's ongoing role in the governance of towns historically tied to their lineage and lordship, including Entrena and its palace.

''Señor de la Torre'' and Lord of the House de la Vega in Rioja

Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros inherited not only the name but also the territorial holdings and dynastic legacy of the title ''Señor de la Torre y Casa de la Vega en Rioja''—a noble estate tied to one of the most prominent aristocratic unions in Castilian history. This title firmly reinforced the Medrano family's place within the broader framework of High Castilian nobility.

Lord of the House of la Vega in La Rioja

Medrano's inheritance is tied to the historic union between the House of Mendoza and the House of Lasso de la Vega, established through the marriage of Leonor Lasso de la Vega to Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, Admiral of Castile. Leonor Lasso de la Vega was the daughter and only heir of Garci Lasso Ruiz de la Vega. From this marriage was born Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Marquess of Santillana.Familias ilustres de la monarquía española. Segunda edición, Librería de Don Miguel Guijarro, 1866. p. 113 https://www.raicesreinovalencia.com/sala/Biblioteca/Nobleza/Diccionario_hist__rico__geneal__gico_y_h(8).pdf

Inherited through his father, by the 17th century Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros held the formal title of ''Señor de la Torre y Casa de la Vega en Rioja,'' a noble estate linked to the descendants of Garci Lasso de la Vega I. The preservation of the ''Casa de la Vega'' title—alongside the Medrano family's long-standing lordship in La Rioja—suggests that Diego inherited this hereditary estate through a cadet branch of the Lasso de la Vega lineage, likely via female-line succession.

Dynastic alliances and lineage connections

Diego Fernández de Medrano's entry into this network of noble alliances traces back to the 14th century, through Juliana de Medrano, a noblewoman of the House of Medrano, who married Juan Garcés de Almazán y Mendoza, son of Juan de Almazán and Francisca de Mendoza. Juliana made her will in Tarazona on 29 June 1371, and died shortly after, on 31 July 1371. Juan Garcés de Almazán and Juliana de Medrano were the parents of Juliana, Isabel, Hernando, and Juan de Almazán y Medrano.

Juliana de Medrano's husband's mother Francisca de Mendoza descends directly from Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Marquess of Santillana, son of Leonor Lasso de la Vega. Íñigo's son, Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, became the 1st Duke of the Infantado, founding one of the most powerful hereditary noble houses of Castile. The Dukes of the Infantado would go on to hold vast lands, titles, and high offices, including that of Constable of Castile.

Further dynastic ties were established through Garci Garcés de Almazán, brother-in-law of Juliana de Medrano, who married María de Tovar, heiress of the House of Tovar and relative of Juan Sancho de Tovar y Velasco, 1st Marquis of Berlanga. That house also descended from the historic union between Leonor Lasso de la Vega and Diego Hurtado de Mendoza, Admiral of Castile.

These dynastic unions—originating in Juliana de Medrano’s generation and extended through her in-laws—consolidated immense political influence and noble prestige, uniting the House of Mendoza, the House of Lasso de la Vega, and the House of Medrano into one of the most significant noble networks in medieval and early modern Spain.

The historic ties between the House of Medrano and the noble houses of de la Vega and Mendoza were reinforced in the 15th century when Diego López de Medrano (†1482), of the Soria branch of the family, was appointed Alcaide (Governor) of the Castle of Medinaceli by Luis de la Cerda y de la Vega, 1st Duke of Medinaceli and grandson of Íñigo López de Mendoza, 1st Marquis of Santillana. This appointment confirms their recognition by one of Spain’s most powerful ducal houses.

According to Luis Núñez Burillo y Ginel de Medrano, a branch of the de Medrano y Mendoza de Borbón family lineage, which included the Counts of Coruña, Dukes of Bourbon (Peers of France), Marquesses of Santillana, and Dukes of Infantado—was renowned for its academic and intellectual achievements.

Career

Diego Fernández de Medrano served the Church as a presbyter (priest), and also held the position of chaplain to Luis Méndez de Haro, Marquess of Carpio, ''valido'' and chief minister to King Philip IV, as well as to Pedro de Coloma, Secretary of State and member of the Royal Council of the Indies. He also served as Chief Magistrate of the Solar de Valdeosera in the years 1624–1625 and 1643–1644.''Tomás Fernández de Medrano, consejero y secretario de Estado y Guerra de los Duques de Saboya, divisero del Solar de Valdeosera'' by D. Luis Pinillos Lafuente, divisero of Valdeosera. https://cuadernosdeayala.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/CAyala-87.pdf

His appointment and recognition as Chief Magistrate of Valdeosera continued a family legacy: his grandfather, Captain Francisco Fernández de Medrano, had also served as Chief Magistrate in 1596, and his great-uncle Tomás Fernández de Medrano—the influential Secretary of the Dukes of Savoy—had likewise held the office in 1600 and was officially entered into the ''Divisa'' Regajal in 1589.

Chaplain and advisor of Luis Mendez de Haro, Valido of Spain

As royal chaplain and trusted advisor to Luis Méndez de Haro, valido to Philip IV, Diego Fernández de Medrano operated at the intersection of theological counsel and high statecraft. Haro’s political strategy during his tenure as valido (1643–1661) marked a conscious departure from the spectacular ambitions of his predecessor, the Count-Duke of Olivares. Rather than pursuing grandiose displays of authority or monumental cultural patronage, Haro practiced what contemporary scholars describe as a political theology of ministerial compression and prudence. Delegation became the hallmark of his governance: Haro relied extensively on councils, secretaries, theologians, and chaplains—including Medrano—not only for administrative support but for moral and philosophical counsel that guided decisions of war, peace, and domestic policy.

Rather than authoritarian imposition, Haro preferred conciliation, flexibility, and negotiated remedies, particularly in navigating the complex diplomatic entanglements of the Franco-Spanish conflicts. Medrano’s proximity to Haro placed him at the intellectual and spiritual heart of the Spanish monarchy’s response to crisis. His advisory role shaped decisions culminating in the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659).

Medrano family chaplaincies under Luis Méndez de Haro

In Cusco, his relative Juan de Espinosa Medrano—Diego's father was also known as Diego Fernández de Medrano y Espinosa—was widely recognized as both an Indigenous and noble clergyman. Celebrated for his brilliance as a polymath, poet, author, playwright, and professor, Espinosa Medrano rose to prominence as a chaplain to the ''valido'' of Spain. He served as a priest, archdeacon, and theologian within the Viceroyalty of Peru, where his academic and literary contributions earned him enduring fame across the Spanish world.

Together, Juan and Diego represent a doctrinal axis of noble and spiritual counsel—each serving the ''valido'' of Spain in mirrored roles, one from Cusco and the other from Madrid. Diego, a senior advisor during the negotiations of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, positioned Haro as a minister of prudential peace; Juan, writing from the Viceroyalty of Peru, echoed this imagery with baroque grandeur, calling Haro "Prince of Peace," "Apollo of the Muses," and "Mercury among envoys," whose virtues bound the monarchy not with chains, but with gentleness and reason.

Juan's phrase, "a plume from the Indies," offered as a humble yet worthy gift at Haro's feet, mirrors the very function Diego played at court—where both chaplains, across worlds, helped script the moral image of Haro's governance. Their shared devotion, rhetorical brilliance, and theological function affirm the Medrano lineage not only as noble, but as authors of peace, counselors whose letters and service reached "the ends of the earth," as Juan himself declared.

''Fama heroica y voladora'' (Heroic and Flying Fame)

''Fama heroica y voladora del excelentísimo señor don Luis Méndez de Haro'' is a political panegyric authored by Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros in the mid-17th century. The work is structured in two principal parts: an initial dedication to Pedro Coloma, a senior royal minister and Secretary of State, followed by the main treatise addressed to Luis Méndez de Haro, the principal minister (''valido'') of Philip IV of Spain.

Dedication to Pedro Coloma

In his dedication, Medrano addresses Pedro Coloma, Secretary of State and a trusted confidant of the Crown, articulating both the moral grandeur of Haro's ministry and Coloma's pivotal role. He presents the treatise as a modest fragment of larger writings and emphasizes the prudence and depth of statecraft practiced by Coloma and his peers, "grasping matters from the very root of their substance." Medrano asserts his own authority as a witness to political affairs and situates the work within a tradition of noble service:

I recognize you as a beacon of the most refined matters of state, with accredited honor of our homeland. You have been the repository of the most recondite secrets... the pivot of the wheel of such good fortune that both Crowns have achieved with the prudence of such reputable plenipotentiaries.

The ''Fama heroica'' itself is framed as both a fragment of Medrano’s broader political writings and a humble token of shared triumph. Medrano closes with a personal reflection, invoking the long-standing reverence between his family and the House of Coloma:

This paper is brief for such a heroic action, as it is only a fragment of other writings... I send this draft to Your Excellency to make you a participant in my joy... May Heaven keep Your Excellency as well as possible for the benefit of your illustrious House, which has been so revered by mine, as recognizing its blood and merits.

Thus, the dedication serves not merely as a preamble but as a political testament, reinforcing Medrano's proximity to ministerial authority and embedding his family's legacy within the broader narrative of Habsburg statecraft.

Panegyric to Luis Méndez de Haro

The ''Fama heroica y voladora'' constructs an elaborate moral and political portrait of Luis Méndez de Haro, framing him as the ideal minister and patron. Medrano elevates Haro by comparing his prudence and political acumen to the intellectual and artistic virtues of classical figures, including Aristotle, Euclid, Apelles, and Lysippus. He argues that neither philosophers nor artists equaled Haro’s mastery of governance:

Neither Aristotle could discourse, nor Euclid measure, nor Apelles paint the Prince with attentiveness… nor did the politicians provide art to governments as did the Most Excellent Lord Don Luis Méndez de Haro.

Medrano catalogs Haro’s virtues: loyalty, justice, religious zeal, prudence, vigilance, and impartiality in rewarding merit. Haro is praised for avoiding greed and pride, tolerating criticism, and governing with fairness and temperance, "never satisfying offenses with passion." Beyond personal qualities, Medrano develops a broader political doctrine. He presents Haro as a statesman whose prudence transcended routine decision-making, emphasizing root causes over superficial remedies and preferring diplomacy and peace to the destructive uncertainties of war.

The treatise advances a theory of ministerial burden, recognizing the envy, criticism, and moral weight that accompany proximity to sovereign power. Haro is portrayed as a minister who embraced these burdens with courage and Christian charity, seeking not only political stability but moral governance aligned with divine providence.

The culmination of the work is Haro's orchestration of the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659), negotiated with Cardinal Mazarin of France. Medrano presents this achievement as the pinnacle of political wisdom and providential leadership, crediting Haro as the "Archpolitician of the World" whose efforts restored stability to both the Spanish monarchy and the wider Christian world.

Writing as both Haro’s chaplain and political advisor, Medrano frames the treaty not only as Haro’s triumph but as the practical realization of the prudential and moral principles he had long articulated:

The restoration, not only of the Spanish Monarchy but also of the entire world, is owed to the Most Excellent Lord Don Luis Méndez de Haro, Archpolitician of the World… He knew how to seek the quintessence of true statecraft by establishing peace among princes.

Haro personally negotiated the treaty with Cardinal Mazarin of France, culminating in the dynastic marriage between the Infanta María Theresa of Spain and Louis XIV of France. The Treaty of the Pyrenees, which ended decades of conflict between Spain and France, is portrayed as both a triumph of diplomacy and a moral imperative aligned with divine will. Medrano further underscores the religious dimension, describing the peace as a providential remedy not only for the Spanish monarchy but for all of Christendom, relieving the "poor and miserable" who had borne the burdens of war.

Conclusion

The panegyric concludes with Medrano's personal testimony, recalling his family’s longstanding service to the House of Haro and affirming that the work stands not as flattery but as a sincere public witness:

A small satisfaction, scant acknowledgment of the honors, favors, and courtesies of esteem that Don Diego de Medrano Zenizeros, Knight of the Order of Santiago, my father, and I owe to the Marquis of Carpio.

Through this combination of classical comparison, Christian statecraft, and dynastic memory, Medrano’s ''Fama heroica y voladora'' not only praises Haro’s career but asserts the lasting political and moral value of prudent delegated rule.

Doctrine of Ministerial Virtue and Delegated Rule

Throughout the work, Medrano develops the doctrine of '' medrar,'' where ministerial prudence (''prudencia'') becomes the supreme instrument of delegated royal authority. Haro's prudential governance is presented not as opportunistic or self-serving but as virtuous stewardship aligned with divine will and the welfare of Christendom.

Drawing on classical ''exempla'' and scriptural authority, Medrano argues that a minister must possess:

* Rational mastery (as philosopher and strategist)

* Moral clarity (as guardian of justice and peace)

* Aesthetic harmony (as architect of balanced governance)

This vision reflects the broader ideology of the ''valido'' as both executor and mirror of royal wisdom.

Legacy

The ''Heroic and Flying Fame'' stands as both a literary achievement and a key document in the political culture of valimiento under Philip IV. By articulating the moral and theological justifications for ministerial authority, Medrano contributed to the ideological foundations of delegated rule in the Spanish Baroque state. His blend of personal reverence, dynastic loyalty, and philosophical rigor renders the work not merely a panegyric but a profound reflection on the burdens and virtues of political office. Through Haro, Medrano himself claims the intellectual groundwork for the peace policy that would culminate in the Treaty of the Pyrenees—a diplomatic achievement he presents as the ultimate vindication of prudent and moral governance within the ''Heroic and Flying Fame''.

Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659)

In his ''Fama Heroica y Voladora'', Diego Fernández de Medrano carefully crafted a rhetorical argument revealing that he was the intellectual originator of the peace policy culminating in the Treaty of the Pyrenees (7 November 1659). In his dedication to Pedro Coloma, he first situates himself within the inner circles of statecraft, praising Coloma as "the repository of the most recondite secrets" and the "pivot of the wheel" by which both Crowns (Spain and France) achieved peace.Fernández de Medrano, Diego. ''Heroic and Flying Fame''... p. 3. This initial statement subtly introduces Medrano’s insider role while emphasizing that the peace was no superficial outcome but rooted in deep, deliberate counsel.

Medrano then elevates Don Luis Méndez de Haro, Philip IV’s ''valido'', as the executor of these policies, declaring that Haro "introduced peace into Christendom" and did so not by chance but through prudential, just, and righteous means—an implicit validation of the very doctrines Medrano had earlier provided.

Medrano's claim as architect of the Treaty of the Pyrenees

Only after establishing these foundations does Medrano make his boldest and most revealing claim:

And I glorify myself in my discourses, for having first thought and defended through repeated measures that the only remedy for Christendom and the World was this peace, which through the means of the Most Excellent Lord Don Luis Méndez de Haro, has been settled among the Catholic and Most Christian princes.Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros, ''Fama Heroica y Voladora'', p. 12.

Here, Medrano unequivocally identifies himself not merely as a commentator but as the theoretical architect and initial proponent of the peace. His choice of words—''first thought and defended through repeated measures''—reveals that he did not merely endorse the peace policy after its success but had actively developed and argued for it long before it was realized. This admission places Medrano at the intellectual origins of the Treaty of the Pyrenees, operating through Haro as the ministerial executor of his prudential strategy.

Anticipating skepticism, Medrano underscores that this was no incidental contribution but a position he had defended deliberately over time. He further emphasizes that Haro's success was not merely fortunate but a demonstration of "prudential strength"—that is, practical wisdom (''prudencia'') applied through just governance, affirming the soundness of the doctrine Medrano had supplied.

Medrano concludes with a statement that encapsulates both his political philosophy and the applied method that guided the peace:

The greatest art in applying remedies and skills is brevity and comprehension, as well as the ability to pinpoint the exact spot where the harm resides and where the remedy can most easily be achieved.Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros, ''Fama Heroica y Voladora'', pp. 8-9.

Through this carefully constructed argument, Medrano reveals himself not merely as a chronicler of events, but as the hidden architect of one of early modern Europe’s most significant diplomatic achievements.

Correspondence and influence at the Pyrenees

Surviving letters from Luis Méndez de Haro to Philip IV, transcribed and summarized by Lynn Williams, provide further insight into the decision-making processes during the Treaty of the Pyrenees negotiations.

Haro’s correspondence reveals not only his delicate balancing of Spanish and French interests but also his method of "translating personal courtesy into diplomatic advantage"—a strategy that directly reflects the prudential, conciliatory doctrine articulated by Medrano.

The letters document Haro’s emphasis on secrecy, exclusive bilateral meetings, and carefully orchestrated concessions—including the restoration of the Prince of Condé, strategic dynastic marriages, and the calculated cession and exchange of towns. These diplomatic techniques align closely with Medrano’s theories of flexible remedies and negotiated settlements described in both his ''Fama Heroica'' and his family’s treatises on prudential governance.

Haro’s personal success in maintaining the King’s confidence and securing the loyalty of the Spanish noble elite—a dynamic often attributed to his political instincts—must also be viewed through the lens of Medrano’s theological and philosophical counsel. The strategy of "ministerial compression" and avoidance of grand self-promotion (in stark contrast to Olivares) was not merely Haro’s personal style but reflected the deeper political theology of prudence and delegated wisdom that Medrano espoused.

Haro’s diplomacy, deeply informed by this prudential and conciliatory framework, ultimately produced not only a cessation of hostilities but a broader reconfiguration of European power dynamics. While traditional historiography has often credited the Treaty of the Pyrenees to pragmatic statecraft or shifting military fortunes, modern scholarship increasingly recognizes the sophisticated moral and political philosophies that underpinned the negotiation strategies. Medrano’s influence—both as Haro’s chaplain and as the theorist who articulated the doctrine of negotiated remedies—provided an intellectual foundation for the treaty’s success. Modern analysis situates the Treaty of the Pyrenees within this context, examining how the prudential statecraft developed by Haro and Medrano shaped not only the diplomatic outcome but also the emerging norms of multilateral arbitration and flexible sovereignty in early modern Europe.

Modern analysis of the treaty

Following the Peace of Münster (1648), initial diplomatic efforts led by Rome and Venice sought to secure broader peace across Portugal, Flanders, Lorraine, the Alps, and the Pyrenees, but these negotiations collapsed by 1650. The eventual Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) was precipitated by Spain’s defeat at the Battle of the Dunes by an Anglo-French army under Turenne, compelling the Spanish monarchy to finalize peace with France. Scholars such as Núria Sales have emphasized that the Alps, rather than the Pyrenees, played a larger strategic role in shaping the treaty’s territorial and military dimensions. Crucially, the treaty’s final clauses reflected a new diplomatic paradigm: the decline of universal arbiters such as the Pope and Holy Roman Emperor and the rise of multilateral arbitration among sovereign powers. This shift closely corresponds to the political philosophy articulated by Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros in his ''Fama Heroica'', where he argued that "prudential strength" and flexible, negotiated remedies—rather than absolute royal or ecclesiastical commands—were essential to securing just and lasting peace.

The negotiation process itself reflected the multilateral, adaptive strategies that Medrano had long advocated. As Eva Serra and Julia Costa Lopez note, although the treaty’s title implied a bilateral settlement, it effectively resolved a complex web of conflicts involving Catalonia, Flanders, Portugal, and the Holy Roman Empire alongside the Franco-Spanish war. The settlement combined battlefield concessions with dynastic marriages, economic guarantees, and secret articles—pragmatic mechanisms aligning with the prudential remedies Medrano had outlined in Fama Heroica. Serra further emphasizes that the negotiations sought not a mere cessation of hostilities but a remedy for Europe’s broader maladies, echoing Medrano’s description of peace as a carefully engineered solution to restore stability across Christendom. The treaty also arranged for a marriage between Louis XIV of France and Maria Theresa of Spain, the daughter of Philip IV of Spain.

Historians have long regarded the Treaty of the Pyrenees as establishing one of the world’s oldest and most stable borders, consolidating France’s annexation of Roussillon and reshaping Pyrenean geopolitics for centuries. However, recent historiography highlights that the seemingly fixed boundary was the product of an ongoing process of negotiation, enforcement, and adaptation continuing into the nineteenth century. Behind this stability lay flexible cross-border arrangements—including pastoral agreements (''lies et passeries'') and local political circulations—that embodied the very prudential flexibility Medrano had championed. His doctrine of negotiated remedies, balancing sovereignty with practical regional accommodations, was implicitly adopted in subsequent boundary commissions and treaties. These included the Caro-Ornano Commission (1785) and the Bayonne Treaties (1856–1866), both of which largely confirmed the Pyrenean settlement established in 1659. Medrano’s vision thus achieved not only an immediate diplomatic triumph but also a lasting framework for border governance that mediated between state authority and local autonomy for over two centuries.

Visual identification in the ''Treaty of the Pyrenees'' painting (1659)

Recent analysis of the painting ''Signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees'' (attributed to Jacques Laumosnier, c. 1660) suggests that Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros, Lord of Valdeosera and Sojuela, may be visually depicted among the Spanish delegation, as documented in his own writings and family records. A figure prominently positioned behind King Philip IV, distinguished by black hair, dark clerical-style attire with embroidered gold lining, and distinctive red stockings, aligns with Medrano's described role as royal chaplain, advisor, and lord of Valdeosera and Sojuela.

Art historical methodology permits the identification of diplomatic figures in early modern state portraits through a combination of formal analysis, iconographic reading, and contextual correlation—examining documented roles, positional hierarchies, and heraldic or costume attributes. This integrated approach has been widely applied in comparable works of the period.

Visual indicators

The fleury cross of Calatrava on the figure likely originates from the coat of arms of the Medrano family, who bore it in battle at the Battle of Las Navas de Tolosa (1212). The same device appears in family arms across Navarre, Soria, Ciudad Real, and Viana; in Medrano’s ''República Mista''; and behind the coat of arms of his relative Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zapata, Lord of Regajal, Knight of the Order of Calatrava and colonial governor, as depicted in his portrait.

Several visual clues reinforce this identification in the 1660 painting and subsequent tapestry:

* The cross fleury insignia with eight stylized roundels in gules—replacing the eight saltires of Saint Andrew—embroidered on the mantle of the figure is identifiable as the Cross of Calatrava.

* The figure's red stockings notably correspond to later Medrano family portraiture, such as the depiction of Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zapata, Lord of Regajal, knight of Calatrava, and colonial governor, whose familial attire preserved this distinctive feature.

* The figure's posture, with the left foot extended forward—a gesture of immense symbolic weight, shared by only four others in the portrait—and a hand resting confidently on the hip, signifies a status of oversight and authority.

* A thin, dark object resembling a rapier or court sword is visible at the figure's side. Such armament—improper for clerics without noble standing—confirms his dual identity as both ministerial noble and royal chaplain.

* His placement—slightly apart from the courtiers but proximate to the royal family—reflects the spatial coding of intimate counsel rather than generic nobility.

The tapestry version of the ''Treaty of the Pyrenees'' portrait preserves and amplifies these visual clues even more clearly. The heraldic device embroidered on the mantle—identifiable as the Medrano cross of Calatrava with eight roundels in gules—provides direct visual confirmation aligning with the family’s documented arms. The mantle itself, rendered in deep, dark tones trimmed with gold embroidery, conveys both clerical gravity and noble distinction. This sartorial evidence, together with the figure’s distinctive red stockings (which correspond to those worn by Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zapata in later family portraiture), posture, placement, and ministerial symbolism, cements the identification of Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros as a principal architect and witness of the Treaty.

The left-foot-forward pose echoes ancient iconography from Egyptian and Greek statuary, signifying sovereign readiness and virtue and "used to imply movement, power and stepping into the future." The fact that the figure adopts the same posture as both kings visually signals his ministerial parity and importance. Notably, a nearby courtier directs his gaze toward this figure rather than toward the central diplomatic proceedings, further implying his status as an object of recognition and deference. Nearby stands another figure bearing the Cross of the Order of Calatrava. The proximity of the figure mirrors his documented role in shaping the Treaty's doctrine.

Conclusion: identification and political significance

While definitive archival identification remains pending, the convergence of heraldic, sartorial, positional, and now armament evidence strongly supports the conclusion that Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros is portrayed as a principal agent of the Treaty's creation. As Medrano affirmed in his own panegyric, these labors were no mere transient achievements, but "a remedy not only for the Spanish Monarchy, but for the entire world," securing a peace whose enduring legacy he had both conceived and defended.

Through this convergence of symbolism, posture, and heraldic evidence, the portrait does not merely suggest Diego Fernández de Medrano Zenizeros as a participant, but as a minister whose intellectual and moral authority is visually encoded alongside monarchs. This affirms his role as both architect and witness to the treaty’s underlying doctrine.

More than a figure of diplomacy, Diego Fernández de Medrano emerges as a thinker whose contributions to political theology and delegated rule were recognized not only through statecraft but also through iconography. His embodiment of prudential counsel and ministerial burden is rendered in posture and heraldry alike. The visual record thus reflects not only his deeds but his philosophy of governance.

These concepts would be formalized in his political writings, most notably the ''Espejo de príncipes'' (Mirror of Princes), where Medrano articulated his theories of virtue, reason, ministerial responsibility, and the moral foundations of sovereign rule.

''Espejo de príncipes'' (Mirror of Princes)

Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros was the author of ''Espejo de Príncipes: Crisol de sus Virtudes, Asombro de sus Fealdades, Alma de su Gobierno y Gobierno de su Alma'' ("Mirror of Princes: Crucible of their Virtues, Astonishment of their Failings, Soul of their Government and Government of their Soul"), a political-moral treatise composed between 1657 and 1661 and dedicated to Prince Philip Prospero of Spain.

Diego addressed Prince Philip Prospero, heir to the Spanish throne:

Sir, Academies have always been the courts of princes—adorned, instructed, and refined in the liberal science of governance. It was for such a purpose that they were established, and with even greater care, those that succeeded took shape. Throughout Europe, political restoration has always been initiated—or at least illuminated—by men of great judgment, who provided to noble assemblies the first precepts of nature, placing above political laws the laws of the Catholic faith.

My own conviction has always been firm: that true authority must be grounded in Christian truth and defended with the pen, the sword, and the soul—through divine demonstrations. When doctrines of greater gravity were needed to instruct a prince, it was always the Spanish who were most blessed with such enlightenment. They are the reflection of the House of Austria—the Philips—beginning with the first who brought to Hispania a noble Caesar and a symbolic fortress that gave to Castile and León a second Philip, whose legacy of goodness and fame was confirmed in a second.

And now, Heaven bestows upon Your Highness, for the joy of Spain and as a reward for your parents’ charity, a Prince whose admirable qualities already promise that he shall succeed with his own virtues. In him, authority shall shine, and under his just name and single person, the glory of princes across the world shall be adorned.

Summary of ''Mirror of Princes''

Divided into 29 discourses and a concluding oration, the work stages a fictional tribunal in which Reason judges a parade of emperors, kings, and statesmen, exposing their vices and exalting their virtues. Opening with an epistle to the reader, Diego presents the work as a confrontation between a ruler’s inner conscience and the uncompromising realities of power. He warns that "truth is the mirror of princes," and that leaders must reflect virtue. If the reflection is harsh, the blame lies not with the mirror—but with the flaws it reveals.

Rulers such as Augustus, Julius Caesar, Trajan, Alexander the Great, and Marcus Aurelius are summoned and commended for their wisdom, military discipline, and moral restraint. In contrast, figures like Nero, Caligula, Tiberius, Galba, and Commodus are held accountable for cruelty, hedonism, or cowardice. Among the most climactic moments is the rehabilitation of Emperor Otho, who is praised for taking his own life to prevent civil war—an act Diego portrays as sacrificial and republican in spirit (''patria'').

The treatise does not limit itself to ancient history. In Discourse Nineteen, Diego references Francisco de Quevedo, the renowned Spanish Baroque writer who attended the Medrano Academy, quoting him directly: "Who governs himself well, governs well the Republic." This interjection of contemporary wisdom reinforces the broader aim of the text—to mold not just rulers of the past, but to guide the education and virtue of future princes.

The final Oration directly addresses Prince Philip Prospero, urging him to contemplate the examples laid before him and become a prince "whose soul governs the state, and whose state elevates the soul." In this way, ''Espejo de Príncipes'' becomes both a mirror and a guidebook—rooted in classical precedent, infused with Spanish political thought, and reflective of the Medrano family's enduring intellectual tradition.

Through literary allegory and scriptural citations, Medrano constructs a mirror in which rulers may see both their ideal form and potential downfall. ''Mirror of Princes'' synthesizes Medrano’s political philosophy, portraying the prince as both subject to divine order and responsible for the moral welfare of the state. Intended as both admonition and guidebook, the ''Espejo de Príncipes'' encapsulates the culmination of Medrano’s service to monarchy and Church, and reflects the deeply moralized vision of political power characteristic of Spanish baroque thought. It is one of the few surviving Iberian contributions to the "mirror for princes" genre during the late Spanish Habsburg era.

Epistle

In his epistle, Diego Fernández de Medrano writes directly to the reader:

A mirror is not for flattery, as the courtly often use it. The mirror is faithful: to faults it gives proportioned truth. It does not only reflect what is clear, but all that is within. A broken mirror is the mirror of deceit, and that is no mirror at all—just a lie. Truth is the mirror of princes, and princes should be mirrors of virtue. There is no better mirror than reason, nor any more perfect than that which reflects virtue with clarity and action. There is no mirror that should be used more than this one, nor one more justly esteemed by those guided by reason. Though there are mirrors that reflect what the deceivers wish to see, the mirror that shows a prince or a nobleman how to govern rightly is the mirror of reason. This mirror, although made of hard metal, aims to reflect clearly. If anyone finds it too sharp, let him not accuse the mirror, but rather acknowledge the faults that it reflects. For it is the guilty who find fault in the mirror’s truth. I present it not to praise particular individuals, nor out of vanity, but to describe as a painter might, and to offer a sketch and report of my intent. Let it be a mirror to all kings, princes, and great men, to guide them in virtue and expose them to their failings, so that all may learn: as many as are adorned by their virtues, and as many as are darkened by their vices. Let them see their image—and rise''.' Vale (Farewell).

Modern analysis

In a posthumous tribute to the renowned philologist Germà Colón, scholar Santiago Fortuño Llorens analyzed ''Espejo de príncipes'', a work by Diego Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros, exploring its literary connections to the style and thought of Francisco de Quevedo. This study was part of a broader volume showcasing medieval and Golden Age literature, and reflected Colón’s lasting influence on academic research in Romance studies.

Continuation of the ''República Mista'' (17th century)

Diego's great-uncle, Tomás Fernández de Medrano, Lord of Valdeosera, articulated a vision of the prudent and virtuous ''valido'' during the reign of Philip III of Spain. In his 1602 treatise ''República Mista'', Tomás championed the ''valido'' (royal favorite) not as a threat to royal authority but an extension of the sovereign’s will, insisting that a ruler's ministers shape the moral fabric of the republic more powerfully than laws alone.

A generation later, Diego carried this doctrine forward. In his panegyric-treatise ''Heroic and Flying Fame'', Diego exalts Haro—nephew and successor to the Count-Duke of Olivares—as an ideal ''valido'' whose wisdom, moderation, and Christian virtue restored both Spain's reputation and God's favor. Together, Tomás and Diego present a unified Medrano philosophy: that wise and temperate royal delegation, far from undermining monarchy, represents its highest refinement. In Diego's hands, the ''valido'' becomes not only a tool of effective statecraft but a "vessel of divine and political harmony," and the prince is trained to embody virtue, restraint, and discernment in power.

This political vision is further complemented by Diego’s more didactic treatise, ''Mirror of Princes: Crucible of their Virtues, Astonishment of their Failings, Soul of their Government and Government of their Soul'' (Spanish: ''Espejo de príncipes: Crisol de sus virtudes...'') written for Prince Philip Prospero.

Together, Diego’s treatises serve as both a reaffirmation and a culmination of the doctrine first articulated in ''República Mista'', reflecting the Medrano family's enduring intellectual contribution to the theory and practice of royal delegation and moral governance rooted in divine and natural law at the height of Spanish Habsburg rule.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fernández de Medrano y Zenizeros, Diego
17th-century Spanish people
People from La Rioja
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Spanish Golden Age
17th-century Roman Catholics
17th-century Spanish clergy
Spanish Roman Catholic priests
17th-century Spanish Roman Catholic priests
Spanish chaplains
Lords in Spain
17th-century Spanish male writers
Spanish political philosophers
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