Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz (15th century –16th century) was a high ranking

nobleman Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

and military leader, serving as merino of the ''

merindad () is a mediaeval Spanish administrative term for a country subdivision smaller than a province but larger than a municipality. The officer in charge of a ''merindad'' was called a ''merino'', roughly equivalent to the English count or bailif ...

'' of Estella during the final years of an independent

Kingdom of Navarre The Kingdom of Navarre ( ), originally the Kingdom of Pamplona, occupied lands on both sides of the western Pyrenees, with its northernmost areas originally reaching the Atlantic Ocean (Bay of Biscay), between present-day Spain and France. The me ...

. Head of the ancient House of Medrano in Navarre, the ''Vélaz de Medrano mayorazgo'' and the

Palace of Vélaz de Medrano The Palace of Vélaz de Medrano (Basque: ''Vélaz de Medranotarren Gaztelua-Jauregia''; Spanish: ''Palacio de Vélaz de Medrano'', also known as ''Castillo Palacio de Cabo de Armería de los Vélaz de Medrano de Igúzquiza'') is a historic castle ...

(''Cabo de Armería''), a ''

ricohombre The ricohombre (a magnate, literally, a Spanish word for "richman") or ricahombría, was a high ranking nobility title in mediaeval kingdoms on the territories of modern Spain and Portugal, replaced by a title of grandee in the late 14th-early 15th ...

'' of Navarre,

Lord Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage o ...

Igúzquiza Igúzquiza () is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain. Igúzquiza is 4 km from Estella and 50.03 km from the capital of the community, Pamplona. It covers an area of 18.02 km² (rough ...

, Aguinano, Orendain, Zabala,

Arróniz Arróniz () is a town and municipality located in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Afric ...

, the 4th Lord of Learza and a descendant of Queen

Joan II of Navarre Joan II (, , ; 28 January 1312 – 6 October 1349) was Queen of Navarre from 1328 until her death in 1349. Joan was the only surviving child of Louis I of Navarre and Margaret of Burgundy. Her father ascended the French throne as Louis X in ...

and King

Philip III of Navarre Philip III (, , ; 27 March 1306 – 16 September 1343), called the Noble, the Wise, and of Évreux, was the king of Navarre with his wife Joan II from 1328 until his death in 1343. He was also the count of Évreux in France from 1319. Philip ...

. He became the ''Alcaide'' (governor) of the castles of Del Castillo,

Santacara Santacara is a town and municipality in the province and autonomous community of Navarre, northern Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring ...

, and Monjardin. Juan served as the Major Knight of King

John III of Navarre John III (, , ; 1469 – 14 June 1516) was King of Navarre from 1484 until his death in 1516 as the husband and co-ruler of Queen Catherine. He was a son of Alain I, Lord of Albret, and Frances, Countess of Périgord. King of Navarre Marri ...

and

Henry II of Navarre Henry II (Spanish: ''Enrique II''; Basque: ''Henrike II''; 18 April 1503 – 25 May 1555), nicknamed ''Sangüesino'' because he was born in Sangüesa, was the King of Navarre from 1517. The kingdom had been reduced to a small territory north of t ...

. In 1524 the Lord of Igúzquiza accepted the general pardon issued by

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) ...

after the Spanish conquest of Navarre. Juan was a significant representative of the Agramontese faction, rivals of the Beaumontese.

Life

He is the son of Juan Velaz de Medrano y Goni and Elvira de Echauz y Beaumont. Juan was born in the

, near Estella, where the Medrano family also owned the Palace of the Kings of Navarre—a Romanesque royal residence that served as the seat of Navarrese monarchs from the late 12th century to the mid-15th century. He was the maternal grandson of Charles, 15th

Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...

de Baigner ( Baigorri) and Juana Margarita de Beaumont. Juana was the sister of the 1st

Count of Lerín Count of Lerín () is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain accompanied by the dignity of Grandee and of Constable of Navarre, granted in 1424 by Charles III Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is Ki ...

, Luis de Beaumont, and the aunt of Louis de Beaumont, 2nd Count of Lerín. Through his mother Elvira, Juan is the maternal great-great-great-grandson of Queen

from the

House of Capet The House of Capet () ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328. It was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians and the Karlings. The direct line of the House of Capet came to an ...

, and King

from the

House of Évreux The House of Évreux was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal house of France, which flourished from the beginning of the 14th century to the mid 15th century. It became the royal house of the Kingdom of Navarre. The House was found ...

Family

The Medrano lineage produced

knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

s of great antiquity and

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

. Juan Vélaz de Medrano belongs to a rich and warrior family of the Navarrese high nobility. His life spanned crucial battles and political turmoil as he fought to keep the Kingdom of Navarre independent alongside his brother Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, mayor and

alcaide Alcaide is a Portuguese and Spanish name, meaning 'castle commander'. It is borrowed from the Arabic term , which literally means 'commander'. Etymology From the Arabic 'commander' it becomes the Spanish form alcayde or alcaide, origin of the ...

Amaiur-Maya Amaiur-Maya (Basque: ''Amaiur''; Spanish: ''Maya de Baztán''; officially: Amaiur-Maya) is a village in the municipality of Baztan in the autonomous region of Navarre in Spain. It is situated in the Pyrenees mountain range close to the border w ...

, captain of the kings

standing army A standing army is a permanent, often professional, army. It is composed of full-time soldiers who may be either career soldiers or conscripts. It differs from army reserves, who are enrolled for the long term, but activated only during wars ...

, and royal guard of the monarchs of Navarre. Juan Vélaz de Medrano's coat of arms was listed in the official archives of the Kingdom of Navarre. The Medrano family is a very ancient house of

noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...

origin, it is found in different times and in different places. Many

principle A principle may relate to a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of beliefs or behavior or a chain of reasoning. They provide a guide for behavior or evaluation. A principle can make values explicit, so t ...

s are attributed to them by authors and historians:

...for its antiquity, its splendor, for their military prowess and
virtue A virtue () is a trait of excellence, including traits that may be morality, moral, social, or intellectual. The cultivation and refinement of virtue is held to be the "good of humanity" and thus is Value (ethics), valued as an Telos, end purpos ...
and for every other value of
chivalry Chivalry, or the chivalric language, is an informal and varying code of conduct that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood, with knights being members of ...
that prospered with this family, in great numbers, magnificent and generous. The family origin is very old;
hey Hey, HEY, or Hey! may refer to: Music * Hey (band), a Polish rock band Albums * ''Hey'' (Andreas Bourani album) or the title song (see below), 2014 * ''Hey!'' (Julio Iglesias album) or the title song, 1980 * ''Hey!'' (Jullie album) or the ...
were related in some way to royalty.

Palace of Vélaz de Medrano

Juan Vélaz de Medrano's Palace of Vélaz de Medrano was always considered a nobleman's palace and a major defensive structure in the Kingdom of Navarre. After Juan's palace-fortress was sieged in 1512, it was deemed a potential threat to Castilian control, leading to the appointment of a military commander, Colonel Villalba, as its governor (''alcaide'').''Castles and Palaces of Navarre'' 1980 Salvat S.A. de Ediciones y Caja de A horros de Navarra, Pamplona Depósito legal: NA. 149-1980 ISBN 84-7137-604-0 Gráficas Estella, S.A., Estella (Navarra), 1980 Printed in Spain https://www.culturanavarra.es/uploads/files/Navarra-Castillos-torres-palacios.pdf

Receiving a royal donation

In 1496, King

gave Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz the property that belonged to Langarot de Yaniz, who was declared a traitor.

Governor of Santacara (1500-1510)

Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz was the last independent Navarrese Governor of

. A distinguished lord and knight in the Kingdom of Navarre, he also held the office of ''merino'' of the Merindad of Estella. Following the death of the

Prince of Viana The Prince or Princess of Viana (, ) is one of the titles of the heir of the Crown of Spain. Other associated titles originate from the rest of the kingdoms that formed Spain: Prince of Asturias, Prince of Girona, Duke of Montblanc, Count of ...

in 1461, Louis de Beaumont, 2nd Count of Lerín, allied with

Juan II of Aragon John II (Spanish: ''Juan II'', Catalan: ''Joan II'', Aragonese: ''Chuan II'' and ; 29 June 1398 – 20 January 1479), called the Great (''el Gran'') or the Faithless (''el Sense Fe''), was King of Aragon from 1458 until his death in 1479. As t ...

by marrying his daughter and pledging loyalty to both the King of Aragon and

Ferdinand the Catholic Ferdinand II, also known as Ferdinand I, Ferdinand III, and Ferdinand V (10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), called Ferdinand the Catholic, was King of Aragon from 1479 until his death in 1516. As the husband and co-ruler of Queen Isabella I of ...

. As a consequence, the Count of Lerín was expelled from

Navarre Navarre ( ; ; ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre, is a landlocked foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and New Aquitaine in France. ...

and lost his titles and lands.

Castle and manor of Santacara

After the exile of the Count of Lerín, the former owner of the castle, the Prince of Viana granted the royal castle and manor of Santacara to Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz y Beaumont in 1500, in recognition of his ties to the Beaumont family. He resided in the castle for eight to ten years. Prior to Medrano’s governorship in 1500, the Agramontese faction seized control of Santacara and its castle in 1494. However, the Count of Lerín, with the support of Castilian forces, besieged and recaptured it.

Uprising of the ''Merindad'' of Estella

In October 1512, Lord Juan Vélaz de Medrano, ''merino'' of the ''merindad'' of Estella, and his brother,

Jaime Jaime is a common Spanish and Portuguese male given name for Jacob (name), James (name), Jamie, or Jacques. In Occitania Jacobus became ''Jacome'' and later ''Jacme''. In east Spain, ''Jacme'' became ''Jaime'', in Aragon it became ''Chaime'', and i ...

, led a rebellion in the ''merindad'' of Estella against the invading forces of Fernando el Católico of Castile and Aragon. In 1513, Juan Vélaz de Medrano was already listed among the quarter remitters of the ''merindad'' (administration and financial governance of the Estella region). He fiercely resisted the Castilian conquest for years until he ultimately accepted the general pardon issued by

Emperor Charles V Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) fr ...

in 1524.

War against Castile and Aragon (1512)

Despite his maternal Beaumont ancestry, Juan and his family chose to support the Agramont faction. The Agramont faction was represented by the most significant lineages from the

: Navarra, Garro, Goni, Enriquez de Lacarra, Velaz de Medrano, Ezpeleta, Rada, Baquedano, Mauleon and other significant Houses. Merindad de Estella-Mapa municipal

At the beginning of the invasion of Navarre in 1512, Juan Vélaz de Medrano and his palace of Vélaz de Medrano became strategic during the uprising of his ''merindad'' of Estella, as he served as ''merino'' during the insurrection of Navarre. In October 1512, Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, Lord of Iguzquiza, went to war against the Castilian and Aragonese invaders led by

Ferdinand II of Aragon Ferdinand II, also known as Ferdinand I, Ferdinand III, and Ferdinand V (10 March 1452 – 23 January 1516), called Ferdinand the Catholic, was King of Aragon from 1479 until his death in 1516. As the husband and co-ruler of Queen Isabella I of ...

. The lords, in the face of an external threat, summoned the Medrano surname, distributed arms and organized an army to join the other Navarre valleys in support of

.''Retrieved on site from the ornamental plaque commemorating the palace of Vélaz de Medrano in Igúzquiza, Navarre.'' Courtesy of the Parliament of Navarre Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz defended Estella, and the castles of Del Castillo, Monjardin and

. After bravely fighting against the Castilian invasion, and following the conquest of Navarre by

, Juan Vélaz de Medrano followed his legitimate king to

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and participated in the unsuccessful attempt to restore the

Navarrese Monarchy Navarre ( ; ; ), officially the Chartered Community of Navarre, is a landlocked foral autonomous community and province in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Autonomous Community, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and New Aquitaine in France. T ...

Final act of resistance (1522)

After the regaining of Navarre's temporary independence, Juan's brother Jaime Vélaz de Medrano and his nephew Luis Vélaz de Medrano played a leading role in the defense of the legitimists as the mayor and ''alcaide'' of the royal fortress and town of Amaiur-Maya in 1522, "having personified the Navarrese resistance to the Spanish conquest like no other."

Fealty to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain (1524)

Following the unsuccessful attempt to reclaim Navarre, Juan Vélaz de Medrano accepted the general pardon issued by Charles V in 1524 and reclaimed his lands in Navarre. In that same year,

, imposed travel restrictions on several notable figures, including Juan Vélaz de Medrano, Lord of Igúzquiza. He was prohibited from visiting

Pamplona Pamplona (; ), historically also known as Pampeluna in English, is the capital city of the Navarre, Chartered Community of Navarre, in Spain. Lying at near above sea level, the city (and the wider Cuenca de Pamplona) is located on the flood pl ...

, Puente-la-Reina, and Huarte-Araquil—locations under the constable's control—except for significant events such as the entry and coronation of Their Highnesses in Pamplona.

Marriage and heir

Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz married Ana de Mauleon y Navarra.Archivo de Comptos, cajon 156; num. 37 Don Juan made his

will and testament A will and testament is a legal document that expresses a person's (testator) wishes as to how their property (estate (law), estate) is to be distributed after their death and as to which person (executor) is to manage the property until its fi ...

on 30 April 1531, and his wife Ana de Mauleon made hers on 4 May 1506.

Heir

His namesake son and heir Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Mauleon y Navarra, considered the oldest of nobility, was summond to the noble estate of the Courts of Navarre in the year 1580.

Ana de Mauleon y Navarra

His wife Ana de Mauleon y Navarra was the daughter of Landrón de Mauleón y Claver and Juana de Navarra y Enríquez de Lacarra, who married in 1480. Ana’s mother, Juana, was the daughter of Pedro de Navarra, 3rd Viscount of Muruzábal and 5th Marshal of Navarre, and Inés Enríquez de Lacarra. She was also the sister of Pedro de Navarra, 6th Marshal of Navarre, making him Juan Vélaz de Medrano’s uncle by marriage. Ana de Mauleón y Navarra was a maternal great-great-great-granddaughter of King

Charles II of Navarre Charles II (, , , 10 October 1332 – 1 January 1387), known as the Bad, was King of Navarre beginning in 1349, as well as Count of Évreux beginning in 1343, holding both titles until his death in 1387. Besides the Kingdom of Navarre nestled in ...

through his son, Prince Leonel de Navarra, 1st Viscount of Muruzábal and half-brother of

Joan of Navarre, Queen of England Joan of Navarre, also known as Joanna ( – 10 June 1437) was Duchess of Brittany by marriage to Duke John IV and later Queen of England as the wife of King Henry IV. Joan was a daughter of Charles II of Navarre and Joan of France. She serve ...

. The title ''Viscount of Muruzábal'' originated from an old royal manor town, Muruzábal. In 1407, King

Charles III of Navarre Charles III (, ; 22 July 1361 – 8 September 1425), called the Noble, was King of Navarre from 1387 to his death and Count of Évreux in France from 1387 to 1404, when he exchanged Évreux for the Duchy of Nemours. As a young man, Charles was ...

incorporated the town into the newly created

viscounty A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is s ...

, granting the title to his brother, Prince Leonel de Navarra, thereby establishing the lineage of the Viscounts of Muruzábal. Juan’s mother-in-law, Juana de Navarra y Enríquez de Lacarra, was the daughter of Pedro de Navarra y Peralta, 3rd Viscount of Muruzábal, and Inés Enríquez de Lacarra y Foxán. Inés Enríquez de Lacarra y Foxán, the 3rd Viscountess consort of Muruzábal, was a descendant of King Henry I of Navarre. She was the daughter of Beltrán "el Joven" Enríquez de Lacarra y Moncayo, 4th Lord of Ablitas. Beltrán, in turn, was the grandson of Martín Enríquez de Lacarra, 1st Lord of Ablitas, the great-grandson of Juan Enríquez de Lacarra, Prince of Navarre, and the great-great-grandson of King

Henry I of Navarre Henry the Fat (Basque: ''Henrike I.a, Gizena'', French: ''Henri le Gros'', Spanish: ''Enrique el Gordo'') (c. 1244 – 22 July 1274) was King of Navarre (as Henry I) and Count of Champagne and Brie (as Henry III) from 1270 until his death. ...

and Garaztar de Lacarra.

Ancestry

Maternal royal ancestry

Juan Vélaz de Medrano's mother Elvira de Echauz y Beaumont was the daughter of Carlos de Echauz, 15th Viscount of Baigner and Juana Margarita de Beaumont. Juana Margaret de Beaumont was the daughter of Carlos de Beaumont, the granddaughter of Prince Louis of Navarre, Duke of Durazzo, King of

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

in 1376, and the great-granddaughter of Queen

and King Philip III of Navarre, of the

house of Évreux The House of Évreux was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal house of France, which flourished from the beginning of the 14th century to the mid 15th century. It became the royal house of the Kingdom of Navarre. The House was found ...

, which is a minor branch of the Capetian dynasty.

Paternal ancestry

His father Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Goni was the fifth of the name, Lord of Igúzquiza, Agos, Aguinano, the 3rd Lord of Learza, and alcaide of the castle of Monjardín. He was a prominent nobleman and knight during the reign of

and

Catherine of Navarre Catherine (, , ; 1468 – 12 February 1517) was Queen of Navarre from 1483 until 1517. She was also Duchess of Gandia, Montblanc, Tarragona, Montblanc, and Peñafiel, Spain, Peñafiel, Countess of Counts of Foix, Foix, Bigorre, and County of Rib ...

. His father was the son of Ferran Vélaz de Medrano and Elvira de Goni.Archivo de Comptos, cajon 165, num 19; cajon 177, num. 24

Paternal grandfather

Juan's paternal grandfather Ferran Vélaz de Medrano was the Lord of Iguzquiza, the 2nd Lord of Learza, and a

of Navarre. In 1455, the king gave Ferran Vélaz de Medrano the Pechas de Muez, Mendoza and Legaria as compensation for the two thousand florins he had spent in the conquest of Geneville, and in 1471, he was given the valleys of Allin and Santesteban de la Solana. In 1456, Ferran was the alcaide of the castle of Monjardín, and in 1461, he was the lord of Igúzquiza. In 1471, the king granted him the taxes of the valleys of Allín and Santesteban de la Solana. Ferran rebuilt the

, which was famous for the splendor of the festivities held by Ferran Velaz de Medrano and his children and grandchildren, which were often attended by the

Navarrese monarchs This is a list of the kings and queens of kingdom of Pamplona, Pamplona, later kingdom of Navarre, Navarre. Pamplona was the primary name of the kingdom until its union with Kingdom of Aragon, Aragon (1076–1134). However, the territorial desig ...

themselves.

Paternal great-grandfather

Juan's great-grandfather Juan Vélaz de Medrano was the fourth of the name, royal chamberlain of the Kings of Navarre and Aragon, lord of Iguzquiza, Arguiñano, Arzoz, Artazu, Zabal, Orendáin, the 1st lord of Learza, founder of the ''Vélaz de Medrano''

mayorazgo ''Majorat'' () is a French term for an arrangement giving the right of succession to a specific parcel of property associated with a title of nobility to a single heir, based on male primogeniture. A majorat ( fideicommis) would be inherited by ...

in 1437 (the oldest in Viana) and the Royal Chamberlain of the

Kings of Navarre This is a list of the kings and queens of Pamplona, later Navarre. Pamplona was the primary name of the kingdom until its union with Aragon Aragon ( , ; Spanish and ; ) is an autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Spain ...

.https://dialnet.unirioja.es/descarga/articulo/2257612.pdf

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Medrano y Echauz, Juan Vélaz de 15th-century people from the Kingdom of Navarre 16th-century people from the Kingdom of Navarre 15th-century births 16th-century deaths 16th-century Spanish nobility