# Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava, 2nd Marquess of Fontellas

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava, 2nd Marquess of Fontellas (Mahón, 16 August 1808 - Madrid, 18 May 1858) 2nd Viscount of Amaláin, 15th Lord of Fontellas, was a Navarrese nobleman, aristocrat and politician during the reigns of Ferdinand VII of Spain and Queen Isabella II of Spain. A prominent figure in 19th-century Spanish politics, he served as a provincial deputy and parliamentary representative for Tudela, actively participating in legislative commissions on infrastructure and international borders. As the heir to the influential Vélaz de Medrano family, he managed extensive estates in Navarre and Castile, continuing his family's legacy in governance and landownership. His tenure in public office was marked by electoral controversies and significant contributions to regional development, particularly in the construction of the Tudela-Bilbao railway.

## Early life

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano Álava was born on August 16, 1808, in Mahón, into the distinguished Vélaz de Medrano family of Navarre. He was raised during the turbulent reigns of Ferdinand VII and Joseph Bonaparte, born to Pedro Vélaz de Medrano y Gante and María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel. His father was a nobleman and his mother, María Ignacia, came from the Álava family, a lineage with strong ties to the Basque nobility, and later served as guardian and administrator of Fernando's affairs following the death of his uncle.
He is a direct descendant of Queen Joan II of Navarre and King Philip III of Évreux. Fernando received an education befitting his noble status. His family resided at the Palace of Fontellas, their family seat, and controlled vast estates in Mendillorri, Azpa, Ripalda, and Castile, including Autol, Yerga, and Quel de Suso. Certification verifying his legal eligibility as a deputy indicated Fernando's property ownership in Logroño, Fontellas, and Pamplona.
Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava belonged to a powerful lineage of Navarrese high nobility that exercised significant territorial and judicial authority. His ancestor, Alonso Vélaz de Medrano y Navarra, 3rd Viscount of Azpa, reinforced the family's power by purchasing jurisdictional rights from the Spanish Crown in 1631 during the reign of Philip IV of Spain. On July 16, 1632, at the Palace of Mendillorri, he publicly asserted his legal control, seating himself in the palace's main hall on a high-backed chair while holding the royal staff as a symbol of authority and justice. In those years, the firstborn of the Medrano lineage already bore the title of Viscounts of Azpa.

### Siblings

He had two brothers, Ramón and Eduardo Vélaz de Medrano y Álava. His brother Eduardo Vélaz de Medrano y Álava was a professor of literature, history of dramatic art in Navarre and music critic for La España and La Zarzuela; author of Historical Review of the Montserrat Music School from 1456 to 1856.

## Inheritance of the Marquessate of Fontellas

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava inherited the title of 2nd Marquess of Fontellas following the death of his uncle, José Joaquín Vélaz de Medrano y Gante, who had been granted the title by King Charles IV of Spain on April 10, 1793. His uncle was a knight of the Order of Malta, a representative to the General Courts for the Military Branch, magistrate of Pamplona and participated in the Cortes of Navarre (1794 and 1801). José Joaquín Vélaz de Medrano was titled Marquess of Fontellas, however he had to pay 843,000 reales (roughly 3,358,000.00 USD) for the rights and processing fees.
As the new Marquess, Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava inherited an extensive network of noble estates spanning Navarre and Castile. In the Kingdom of Navarre, he became the 2nd Viscount of Amaláin, 15th Lord of Fontellas, as well as the Lord of Mendillorri, Beúnzalarrea, and the towns of Lavaiz, and Villanueva. He also inherited several mayorazgos (entailed estates), including Liédena, Aoiz, and Ripalda, along with the old Palacio de Ripalda in Valencia. In the Kingdom of Castile, he assumed the titles of 22nd Lord of Autol and Yerga, 14th Lord of Quel de Suso and Ordoyo. Upon his uncle's passing, his mother, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, acted as his guardian and administrator, managing his inheritance and overseeing the vast family estates until he reached legal age.

## Legal disputes

Throughout his life, Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava was involved in multiple legal disputes, particularly concerning inheritance, estate management, and financial obligations. These legal matters were often overseen by his mother, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, who acted as his guardian and administrator during his early years.
As a landowner and administrator, he managed the Vélaz de Medrano estates across Navarre and Castile, overseeing agricultural and economic affairs. His legal disputes, including those involving his mother, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, and his brother, Ramón Vélaz de Medrano y Álava, reveal the complex nature of noble inheritance and estate management in post-feudal Spain.

### Property Sale (1827-1828)

One of the earliest legal disputes occurred between his mother María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel and Ramón Vélaz de Medrano y Álava, Fernando's younger brother and immediate successor, between 20 December 1827 and 13 January 1828. Filed before the Royal Council of Navarre, this case (1827–1828) involved the sale of a tower and adjacent land belonging to the main entailed estate house (mayorazgo) in Pamplona, located between Zapatería Street and Plaza del Castillo. The lawsuit sought permission to sell this property to finance the repair and restoration of the main family residence. Additionally, María Ignacia petitioned to sell another house in Tudela to liquidate outstanding censos (mortgage obligations or financial annuities).

### Debt and Land Seizure Case Against Juan José Elcano (1830)

On 23 March 1830, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, widow of Pedro Nolasco Vélaz de Medrano y Gante, filed a lawsuit on behalf of her sons Fernando, Ramón and Eduardo, heirs of their uncle José Joaquín Vélaz de Medrano y Gante, Marquess of Fontellas. The case, presented before the High Court of Navarre, sought 80 bushels of wheat from Juan José Elcano, owner of Casa Sanchotena in Elía, as payment for 20 years of overdue interest on a perpetual census (hereditary debt) owed to the heirs of José Joaquín Vélaz de Medrano y Gante, Marquess of Fontellas.
On 24 March 1830, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, still acting as Fernando's legal guardian, filed another lawsuit against Juan José Elcano, a resident of Elía, Navarre, and the owner of Casa Sanchotena. This case, presented before the High Court of Navarre, revolved around a debt dispute. The lawsuit sought judicial authorization to include nine inherited estates in execution proceedings, effectively seizing land holdings as collateral to settle a debt of eight bushels of wheat owed by Elcano, settled on 28 May 1830.

### Debt payment from the War of Independence

Between September 13, 1831, and June 11, 1834, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, widow of Pedro Nolasco Vélaz de Medrano y Gante, filed a lawsuit before the High Court of Navarre as guardian of Fernando, Eduardo, and Ramón Vélaz de Medrano, her sons. The case, brought against Luciano Oyarzun, administrator of the Marquessate of Fontellas, sought the payment of 8,736 reales, which Oyarzun had collected from the city as part of public debt payments related to the War of Independence.

## Career

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava emerged as a significant political figure in 19th-century Navarre, following in the footsteps of his father, José Joaquín Vélaz de Medrano y Gante, 1st Marquess of Fontellas. His career was marked by his active involvement in regional and national politics, where he held multiple positions of influence, particularly within the provincial government of Navarre and the Spanish Parliament. The Marquess was actively involved in efforts to restore stability and promote economic development, especially in the wake of the Mendizábal Disentailment, a process that saw the confiscation and privatization of Church and aristocratic lands. The Vélaz de Medrano family itself benefited from this disentailment, acquiring additional lands in Navarre.

### Provincial Politics and Diputado Foral of Navarre

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano first entered politics at the provincial level, serving as Diputado Foral (Foral Deputy) of Navarre [es]. He was elected to this position in 1850 and later re-elected in 1852, 1854, and 1856. As a Foral Deputy, he played a role in managing Navarre's self-governing institutions, particularly in matters related to territorial administration, taxation, and infrastructure development. His tenure as a Foral Deputy coincided with a period of significant political and economic transition in Navarre, following the First Carlist War (1833–1840), which had weakened regional governance.

### Economic and Infrastructure Contributions

One of Fernando's key priorities was modernizing Navarre's infrastructure. His work on the Tudela-Bilbao railway project exemplified his efforts to integrate Navarre with Spain's broader economic network, fostering trade, industry, and regional connectivity. This railway, which began in 1857 and completed in 1863, played a crucial role in Navarre's economic development.

### Election to the Spanish Parliament (Cortes Generales)

In addition to his role at the provincial level, Fernando was elected as a Member of Parliament (Diputado) in the Spanish Cortes for the district of Tudela in 1851. His election was part of a broader effort to strengthen Navarrese representation in Madrid at a time when centralized policies threatened regional privileges. He was re-elected in 1853 and 1857, serving three legislative terms.
His tenure in the Spanish Cortes was marked by his participation in key parliamentary commissions, including:
* The Development and Interior Committees (1853) – focusing on public infrastructure, economic policies, and regional administration.
* The committee on the Spain-France Border Law (1857) – dealing with territorial demarcation and diplomatic negotiations.
* The Committee on the Tudela-Bilbao Railway Subsidy Law (1857) – advocating for the construction of a railway line connecting Tudela to Bilbao, which was vital for economic and industrial growth in Navarre and the Basque Country.
His parliamentary career was not without controversy. Following the general elections of 1851, there were formal complaints from voters in Navarre, who accused the Provincial Council of Navarre of exerting undue influence in favor of Fernando's candidacy over that of Rafael Navascués, a rival political figure. Despite these allegations, he remained a dominant political force in Tudela and Navarrese politics.

## Marriage

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano married Basilisa de Arana, without descendants. Fernando and his wife Basilisa attempted to restore the Viscounty of Azpa.

## Death

Fernando Vélaz de Medrano y Álava passed away on May 28, 1858, in Madrid at the age of 49. His death marked the end of a career that had significantly shaped Navarrese politics and regional development during the mid-19th century. His passing also led to legal disputes over family estates, as evidenced by previous conflicts involving his mother, María Ignacia de Álava y Esquivel, and his brother Ramón over property sales and inheritance matters.

## Succession of the Marquessate

Following his death, the Marquessate of Fontellas remained vacant for nearly a year before being formally inherited by his younger brother, Ramón Vélaz de Medrano y Álava, on May 21, 1859, who also died unmarried without descendants in 1875.
Ramón Vélaz de Medrano, 3rd Marquess of Fontellas, distributed his substantial fortune among hospitals and charitable institutions in Tudela, Pamplona, Vitoria, Bilbao, and San Sebastián; General Hospital, Peace College, Poor of San Bernardino, Princess Hospital, and Aid Houses in Madrid, as well as other charitable establishments and convents of nuns in Pamplona, Tudela, and Vitoria, his nephews, and his servants. Ramón's executors had to engage in a highly publicized legal dispute with Evencio de Gante y San Clemente, the last representative of the Tafalla line.
Following the death of his brother and heir Eduardo Velaz de Medrano y Álava in Fontellas without a will in 1865, legal proceedings were initiated to determine the rightful heirs to the Marquessate of Fontellas. On January 20, 1866, Judge Saturnino de Ceano Vivas of Tudela issued a public summons through the Gaceta Oficial de Madrid, calling on any potential claimants to present their case within 20 days in accordance with legal procedures. The probate case was initiated by Ramón Velaz de Medrano y Álava, 3rd Marquess of Fontellas, who, through his attorney Julián Garbayo, was the sole known claimant at the time.
After Ramón Vélaz de Medrano's death and the subsequent public summons, the Marquessate of Fontellas passed to the Head of the House of Vélaz de Medrano in Navarre:
* Fausto León de Elío y Vélaz de Medrano, 4th Marquess of Fontellas (June 28, 1827 - Pamplona, December 23, 1901), 7th Marquess of Vessolla, 8th Count of Ayanz, 16th Viscount of Val de Erro, Lord of Bértiz, Lord of Igúzquiza and of the Palace of Vélaz de Medrano, of the House of Elío, of Ezpeleta, and of the ancient Houses of Enríquez de Lacarra-Navarra, Esparza, Artieda, Vélaz de Medrano, Alduncín, Bértiz, Jaureguízar y Subízar.
Fausto León de Elío y Vélaz de Medrano, a key figure in Carlism in Navarre, was the third son and eldest child of Fausto de Elío y Mencos (1827–1901), Count of Ayanz and Marquess of Vessolla, and María Josefa Magallón y Campuzano (d. 1899), daughter of the Marquesses of San Adrián. Fausto León participated in the Second Carlist War (1872–1876) as part of the staff of Prince Alfonso de Borbón, Count of Caserta. He later joined the campaigns in Catalonia and the centre as an aide-de-camp to Alfonso Carlos de Borbón. Following the war, he became one of the most trusted confidants of Charles VII and later of his brother Alfonso Carlos, with whom he developed a close friendship. After his military service, he transitioned into politics, serving as a senator for Navarre beginning in 1872, across five terms.