The Llanzas are one of the oldest families in Catalonia, recorded already in the 12th century. In the early 17th century one of its branches settled at a large pairal estate in Vilassar de Mar. Its descendant and Manuel's paternal grandfather, Rafael de Llanza i de Valls (1772–1833), made a very picturesque figure during the Napoleonic period. His military career was extremely windy: first he fought against the French (in Catalonia), then as a French ally against the English (in Galicia and Portugal), the Austrians (in Italy) and the Prussians (in Pomerania and Denmark), was incarcerated for attempt to join national anti-French rising of 1808, as a volunteer reached Moscow and ended up in the army of Ferdinand VII. His diary provides excellent first-hand insight into the plight of Spanish troops in Russia.