# Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano

Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano (b. Soria, November 20, 1604 - d. 17th century) was the V lord of Velamazán, Riotuerto, Los Olmillos, Strong House of Arias and La Serna, Gentleman of the Chamber of His Majesty, Perpetual Councilman of Soria and Almazán.

## Family

Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano was the son of Martín de Castejón y Andrade, born in Agreda and baptized in the church of Santa María de Yanguas on December 8, 1577, and his wife Inés de Medrano, a native of Soria. His father Martín was the IV Lord of the town of Velamazán, VII of Ibiernas, and of the Strong House of Arias in the lordship of Molina. His father Martín granted a partition deed of his grandfather's assets in 1603. His father was a Gentleman of His Majesty and a Knight of the Order of Alcántara, into which he was admitted on April 29, 1609.
Francisco de Castejón y Andrade, resident of Noviercas (Soria), established a patronage in favor of his nephew Martín de Castejón, who was married to Inés de Medrano, father and mother of Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano.

### Inés de Medrano

His mother Inés de Medrano was born into the prominent House of Medrano from Soria, who used her surname Morales by imposition of the entailment of Olmedilla. She was the daughter of Francisco de Medrano y Morales, Lord of Olmedilla, and Bernardina de Medrano. Bernardina de Medrano was the daughter of Garcí Bravo de Medrano (also known as Garcî Bravo de Lagunas) and the paternal granddaughter of Garcí Bravo de Medrano, and his wife Catalina de Mendoza. Bernardina de Medrano died in childbirth with her son Martín. Martín de Medrano married Francisca Jinesa Petronila Castejón y Muñoz de Alabiano, connected to the Branch of the Counts of Agramonte. Martín de Medrano made his will in Agreda, through a closed document, on December 8, 1636, formalized by the scribe Juan Fraile.

### Origin of Castejón

The Castejón surname had its cradle and original homestead in the ancient town of Castejón de la Barca (from which it took its name), in the judicial district of Tudela (Navarre). That town disappeared long ago and is now only a depopulated area. From the historical data that remain about it, it is known that it had a castle, which served as defense against the invasions suffered by Navarre from the Castilians, and that in 1244 it was owned by Guillermo Pérez de Castejón, who is the first known bearer of this surname.

## Military and Administrative Career

He was Captain of Infantry in the militias of Agreda, leading them during the siege of Fuenterrabia in 1638. He was aided by Don Pedro Velaz de Medrano, II Lord of Tabuérniga, who commanded his Tercio from Alava in the Franco-Spanish war. Martín was a Gentleman of the Chamber of His Majesty, Perpetual Councilman of Soria and Almazán.

## Marriage and Will of Testament

He entered into marriage in Valencia with Angela Margarita Buenaventura de Belvis y Cabanillas, born in Valencia and baptized in the church of San Juan del Mercado on April 24, 1606. Margarita Buenaventure was the daughter of Pedro de Belvis, Knight of Santiago and first Marquis of Benavites in Valencia, and Leonor de Cabanillas y Mila, both natives of Valencia. Martín Juan made his will through a power of attorney granted to his wife Angela de Belvis on May 1, 1647, before the scribe of Agreda, Diego Pérez.

## Children

Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano and Angela Margarita Buenaventura de Belvis y Cabanillas were the parents of:
* Angela Inés de Castejón Medrano y Belvis, born in Soria and baptized in the Collegiate Church of San Pedro on May 2, 1630, who married her relative Gil Fadrique de Castejón.
* Bernardino Antonio de Castejón Medrano y Belvis, baptized in Soria on February 11, 1635, scholar at the College of Santa Cruz in Valladolid, Knight of Alcántara, admitted to the Order on April 9, 1662, Mayor of the Royal Audiencia of Seville in 1663, and of the Royal Council of the Orders.
* Manuel Ignacio de Castejón Medrano y Belvis, born in Agreda and baptized in the parish of Nuestra Señora de Yanguas in that town on February 10, 1642, who entered as a scholar at the College of Santa Cruz in Valladolid and became a Knight of the Order of Santiago on December 16, 1671.
* Francisco Juan de Castejón Medrano y Belvis, born in Agreda and baptized in the church of Nuestra Señora de Yanguas on June 14, 1643, Knight of Santiago since December 16, 1671. He married Juliana Pardo de Nájera y San Martín in 1698, a native of Madrid (daughter of Gil Pardo de Nájera, Knight of Santiago, of His Majesty's Council in matters of Finance and its Tribunals, and Isidora de San Martín).
* Pedro Lorenzo de Castejón Medrano y Belvis, a native of Soria, who died young.
* Juana de Castejón Medrano y Belvis. Nun.
* Teresa de Castejón Medrano y Belvis. Nun.
* Martín Pedro de Castejón Medrano y Belvis, who continues the line.

### Martín Pedro de Castejón y Belvis

His firstborn son and heir Martín Pedro de Castejón y Belvis was a Councilman of Soria and the first Count of Velamazán by the grace of King Carlos II, dated July 4, 1675, and a knight of Calatrava since May 30, 1663. He married doña Teresa Ibáñez de Segovia Isasi de Leguizamón, a native of Bilbao. They had the following children:
* Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez, who succeeded him.
* José de Castejón e Ibáñez, born in Agreda, and a Knight of Calatrava, admitted on June 15, 1694.
Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano's grandson Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez inherited the titles of 5th Marquess of Gramosa and Viscount of Las Vegas de Matute, upon the death of his cousin Pedro Ibáñez de Leguizamón y Segovia. In 1741, King Felipe V granted him the Grandee of Spain of the first class for himself and his legitimate successors.

### Succession of the Marquessate of Lanzarote

Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano’s grandson, Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez, became the 1st Marquess of Velamazán and 9th Marquess of Lanzarote, as well as the 5th Marquess of Gramosa and Viscount of Las Vegas de Matute. He was also a Grandee of Spain, Perpetual Regidor of Soria, and a Gentleman of the Chamber of King Carlos II.
His grandson's inheritance begins when Agustín de Herrera y Rojas, 2nd Marquess of Lanzarote, married Luisa Bravo de Guzmán in 1622. Following the death of their son, Agustín de Herrera y Rojas, 3rd Marquess of Lanzarote, Luisa Bravo de Guzmán inherited the title, becoming the 4th Marchioness of Lanzarote. Born in Alcalá de Henares in 1595, she died in Madrid on November 24, 1661. She was the granddaughter of Pedro de Guzmán, Lord of Olmedilla, and Luisa Bravo de Lagunas, a descendant of Garcí Bravo de Medrano, Alcaide of Atienza.

### Marquessate of Lanzarote

Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez acquired the Marquessate of Lanzarote through a ruling by the Council of Castile on 14 March 1729. His claim was upheld following the death of Leonor Duque de Estrada, which led to the extinction of the line descending from Garcí Bravo de Medrano (also known as the Bravo de Laguna line). As a result, the succession reverted to Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez, who descended from the lineage of Bernardina de Medrano, daughter of Baltasar de Medrano. Baltasar was the second son of Garcí Bravo de Medrano and Catalina de Mendoza, and was thus a direct heir of the originally designated successor to the mayorazo in Atienza. The Canarian titles were incorporated into this mayorazgo by Luisa Bravo de Guzmán before her death.
The 14 March 1729 ruling further affirmed that Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez, Marquess of Velamazán, had a legitimate claim to the mayorazgos established by Mariana Bravo de Laguna and Luisa Bravo de Guzmán, which had been consolidated. The decision, based on the Laws of Toro, granted him possession of these mayorazgos, which included the Marquessate of Lanzarote, along with all associated properties, revenues, and rents accrued since the death of Leonor Duque de Estrada, up until their formal transfer and restitution.

### Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez

Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano was the grandfather of Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez, 1st Marquess of Velamazan, 9th Marquess of Lanzarote, 5th Marquess of Gramosa. He married twice. First, to his cousin Ana Laura de Castejón, they were the parents of:
* Martín González de Castejón e Ibáñez de Segovia, 10th Marquess of Lanzarote, 6th Marquess of Gramosa, 2nd Marquess of Velamazán, and Viscount of Las Vegas de Matute.
Second, to Agueda María de Camargo. From his second marriage:
* José Joaquín de Castejón Medrano y Camargo Ibáñez de Segovia, who became the 1st Count of Fuerteventura by Royal decree on April 19, 1746. José Joaquín de Castejón Medrano y Camargo Ibáñez de Segovia married Juana de Salcedo y Río, and their children were:
** María Josefa Nicanora de Castejón Medrano y Salcedo.
** Jorja de Castejón Medrano y Salcedo, who married the Marquess of Alcántara.
** Micaela de Castejón Medrano y Salcedo, who married Agustín de Bracamonte, Marquess of Fuente el Sol and Lord of Cespedosa and other estates. She was the aunt of Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Bracamonte, Marquess of Fuente el Sol, Cañete, Tabuérniga, and Navamorcuende, Grandee of Spain, son of Jaime José Ignacio Velaz de Medrano y Barros, III Marquess of Tabuérniga.
** Pedro de Castejón Medrano y Salcedo, who became the 2nd Count of Fuerteventura and Villarreal. He married his first cousin Ana María de Castejón y Dávila.

### Martín González de Castejón e Ibáñez de Segovia

Martín Juan de Castejón y Medrano's great-grandson Martín González de Castejón e Ibáñez de Segovia (1690–1752) was the 10th Marquess of Lanzarote, 6th Marquess of Gramosa, 2nd Marquess of Velamazán, and Viscount of Las Vegas de Matute. In 1744, he was granted the Grandeeship of Spain for the House of Gramosa. He was also a Knight of the Order of Calatrava.
He married twice:
* First, to Teresa Ignacia Dávila y Suárez de Mendoza, 2nd Marchioness of Albaserrada and 16th Countess of Coruña.
* Second, to María Manuela de Villalonga y Velasco, daughter of Francisco de Villalonga y Fortuny, 1st Count of la Cueva.
From his second marriage, he had two children:
* Martín González de Castejón y Villalonga, who succeeded him as the 11th Marquess of Lanzarote.
* María del Pilar González de Castejón y Villalonga, who would later inherit the titles as the 12th Marchioness of Lanzarote.

### Palaces

The famed 17th-century Marquess of Velamazán Palace is situated between Berlanga de Duero and Almazán. Restored entirely, the rural house on the western side of the palace retains its original marble fireplace within a spacious lounge where successive marquises once unwound, until the final one sold the estate to local villagers in the early 20th century, subdividing it into multiple residences. To the south, the primary Renaissance-style balcony facade boasts a sizable stone-carved coat of arms depicting the family insignia, alongside a sundial bearing the engraved date of 1619.
The Palace of the Marquesses of Alcantara in Soria was built at the end of the 17th century and completed in 1704 by Martín Pedro González de Castejón Belvís e Ibáñez, 1st Marquess of Velamazán, 9th Marquess of Lanzarote, perpetual regidor of Soria. The Counts of Fuerteventura, who were also Marquesses of Velamazán, later received the title of Marquesses of Alcántara. The Palace of Velamazán is one of the great palaces that the city of Soria preserves, with the influence of Madrid's baroque architecture.