Count of Torrubia

The Count of Torrubia is a Spanish noble title created on August 29, 1694, by King Charles II in favor of García de Medrano y Mendizábal, a Knight of the Order of Calatrava, lord of San Gregorio. The Counts of Torrubia ruled the County of Torrubia, located in Castile-La Mancha, within the province of Guadalajara, Spain, along with other lands. The Counts of Torrubia became Grandees of Spain on succession to the County of Mollina, and rulers of the Marquessate of Villamayor and the Marquessate of Las Nieves.

Counts of Torrubia

 * García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia, lord of San Gregorio, son of García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos and María Ignacia de Mendizábal. Without descendants. He was succeeded by his brother:
 * Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal (Seville, 1654-Madrid, December 22, 1720), II Count of Torrubia, Lord of San Gregorio, He became a Knight of the Order of Calatrava in 1697 and was an art collector. Don Andres de Medrano married Maria Francisca de Angulo y Albizu, sister of María de las Nieves Angulo y Arbizu, I Marquesa de las Nieves, daughters of Juan de Angulo, Secretary of State of the Universal Dispatch, and Manuela de Albizu y Villamayor. He was succeeded by his son:
 * José Juan de Medrano y Angulo (died in 1765), III Count of Torrubia, IV Marquéss of Villamayor, barón of Purroy, Lord of San Gregorio, married to Isabel de Luján y Colón de Larreátegui, daughter of Juan Francisco de Luján, superintendent and magistrate of Madrid, and Josefa Colón. Isabel de Luján y Colon de Larreategui was a direct descendant of Cristopher Colombus. José Juan de Medrano inherited the Marquisate of Villamayor from his grandmother Manuela de Albizu y Villamayor, wife of Juan de Angulo. He was succeeded by his son:
 * Joaquín de Medrano y Luján (died in 1799), IV Count of Torrubia, V Marquess of Villamayor, Lord of San Gregorio. He entered into three marriages: with María de la Esclavitud Piñeyro y Maldonado, daughter of the Marquesses of Bendaña; with Ana Pardo de Figueroa y Valladares, daughter of the third Marquesses of Figueroa; and with Ángela Antonia Bazán. Joaquín de Medrano's daughter María de la Concepción de Medrano, II Marchioness of Las Nieves (January 28, 1744 – January 1, 1798) inherited the Marquesate of Las Nieves from María de las Nieves Angulo y Arbizu, I Marchioness of las Nieves, great-aunt of María de la Concepción de Medrano. Joaquín was succeeded by his nephew:
 * Francisco Chacón Manrique de Lara y Messía Medrano (Málaga, September 1, 1748 – February 4, 1806), V Count of Torrubia, lord of San Gregorio, IV Count of Mollina, VI Marquéss of Villamayor, and a Grandee of Spain, a title granted on December 5, 1803. He was a field marshal of the Royal Armies in 1796 and participated in the War of the Oranges in which the fortress of Olivenza was captured from the Portuguese by Spain. He had no offspring and his titles were inherited by his brother:
 * Fernando Chacón Manrique de Lara y Messía Medrano (died February 29, 1837), VI Count of Torrubia, lord of San Greogrio, VII Marquéss of Villamayor, IV Marquéss of las Nieves, Grandee of Spain and the VI Count of Mollina. In this last title, he was succeeded by his great-niece, Juana, the seventh Countess of Torrubia.
 * Juana Piñeyro de Echeverri Chacón y Pérez del Pulgar, VII Countess of Torrubia, the seventh Countess of Mollina, and VIII Marchioness of Villamayor, a Grandee of Spain. She was the daughter of Buenaventura Piñeyro de Ulloa and Manuel de Villena, the eighth Marquess of Bendaña, Count of Canillas, and Baron of Molinet, and his first wife, Isabel de Echeverri Chacón y Pérez del Pulgar, Countess of Villalcázar de Sirga. She married on May 9, 1852, Fernando de Guillamas y Castañón, Count of Alcolea de Torote, the ninth Marquess of San Felices. She was succeeded by her daughter:
 * Isabel Guillamas y Piñeyro (died in San Sebastián, June 27, 1932) VIII Countess of Torrubia and Marchioness of Villamayor. She married Álvaro Caro y Széchényi and was succeeded by her son.
 * Álvaro Caro y Guillamas, IX Count of Torrubia, married the Cuban María Francisca Díaz de Tuesta y García.
 * Álvaro Caro Díaz de Tuesta, X Count of Torrubia. Without descendants. He was succeeded by his niece, daughter of his brother Luis Caro Díaz de Tuesta (died in Madrid, January 6, 1994).
 * María Cristina Caro Franck (died in 2016) XI Countess of Torrubia. The succession in the title has been claimed by Alonso Caro Aguirre and by María Rosa Caro y Vázquez. Doña Maria Cristina died on December 6, 2014, and, by Royal Letter of Succession issued on May 9, 2019, she was succeeded in the title by her cousin D. Alonso Caro y Aguirre VII Marquess of Berriz, who became the 12th Count of Torrubia.
 * Alonso Caro Aguirre, XII Count of Torrubia, VII Marquess of Berriz. Don Alonso is the eldest son of D. Rafael Caro y Aznar (VI Marquis of Bérriz), in turn the first-born son of D. Juan Caro Guillas, second son of the Caro-Guillamas marriage.

History
The Counts of Torrubia descend from the noble Medrano family, lords of San Gregorio in Almarza. García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia, inherited the Castle of San Gregorio (Casa Fuerte de San Gregorio) from his father García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos. Domingo and Garcia de Medrano y Mendizábal, fourth nephews of Luisa de Medrano, were both rectors of the University of Salamanca in 1668–1669. The Counts of Torrubia would go on to inherit the County of Mollina, Grande de España, the Marquisate of Villamayor, and unite with the Dukes of Villahermosa, Dukes of Sotomayor, Dukes of Alba, Marquisate of Salamanca and the Marquisate of Las Nieves.

Diego López de Medrano y Salvadores, lord of San Gregorio
The origin of this castle is recorded in the document drawn up in Medina del Campo and dated July 29, 1461, by which King Henry IV of Castile gave Diego López de Medrano y Salvadores permission to build this fortified house on the lands of the entailment established by his ancestor Doña Catalina Rodríguez de Medrano, widow of Don Gregorio Gil de Cabanillas, in 1394. It is a solid square house with his coat of arms, a central patio, defended with a barrier, part of which still exists, battlements on its walls, and round towers in three of its corners, which still preserve the gargoyles carved in stone. Later, under the protection of Don Francisco de Medrano, a Dominican convent was founded in the 16th century, giving up a house and a villa for its establishment.

Garci Bravo de Medrano
Diego Lopez de Medrano y Salvadores' son was called Garci Bravo de Medrano (b. November 20, 1478), perpetual Alcaide of the Atienza castle and lord of the house of Bravo in Atienza, linked to him by his grandfather Don Juan Bravo de Lagunas. Garcí Bravo de Medrano was the great-great-great-grandfather of the 1st Count of Torrubia and the brother of Luisa de Medrano, professor at the University of Salamanca. Garci Bravo de Medrano married Catalina de Mendoza, daughter of Íñigo de Molina, III lord of the towns of Embid, Santiuste, and El Pobo de Dueñas in the Molina de Aragón lordship. Catalina was the granddaughter of Pedro Carrillo de Mendoza, second Count of Priego, and María de Quiñones, sister of Diego Fernández de Quiñones, the first Count of Luna, chief merino of León and Asturias. Garci Bravo de Medrano and Catalina de Mendoza were the parents of: Garci Bravo de Medrano y Mendoza who married Dona Ana Sarmiento de Ayala y Rojas, and Diego López de Medrano y Mendoza.

Diego López de Medrano y Mendoza
Diego López de Medrano y Mendoza was the second son of García Bravo de Medrano and the great-great-grandfather of the 1st Count of Torrubia. Diego was the lord of San Gregorio, he married Francisca de Vinuesa, and they inherited many lands in Soria, and their son succeeded them. From Diego López de Medrano y Mendoza and Francisca de Vinuesa, the counts of Torrubia are descended. Diego was the father of García de Medrano y Vinuesa.

García de Medrano y Vinuesa
The 1st Count of Torrubia's great-grandfather Don Garcia de Medrano y Vinuesa, second cousin of Luisa de Medrano and son of Don Diego López de Medrano y Mendoza, later played a significant political role: he was a member of the Cortes of Segovia from 1592 to 1593, and the speeches he delivered are preserved in the protocols of those Cortes. Garcia de Medrano y Vinuesa, born in Soria, married Catalina de Castejon. Garcia was the father of García de Medrano y Castejon.

García de Medrano y Castejon
Their son, Garcia de Medrano y Castejon, was a professor at the University of Salamanca. Garcia de Medrano y Castejon was the owner of the Casa Fuerte de San Gregorio and lord of San Gregorio, he married Maria de los Rios y Mendoza (b. September 27, 1561). This marriage was the root and origin of one of the most widespread families of academic, military, and legal professionals serving the monarchy during the 17th and 18th centuries.

García de Medrano y Alvarez de los Rios
Garcia de Medrano y Castejon was the father of Garcia de Medrano y Alvarez de los Rios, father of the 1st Count of Torrubia. He was the regent of the Kingdom of Navarre and Seville, professor at the University of Salamanca, Lord of the house and fortress of San Gregorio and of the Council and Chamber of the King, who married doña María Ignacia de Mendizábal y Uribe, a native of Granada (daughter of Greg de Mendizábal, a native of Oñate, Knight of the Order of Santiago and of the Royal Council of Castile, and doña Teresa de Uribe, a native of Lequeitio, Vizcaya). They were parents of:


 * Domingo de Medrano y Mendizábal, a native of Madrid and Knight of the Order of Calatrava, into which he was admitted on October 7, 1659.
 * García de Medrano y Mendizábal, a native of Madrid and Knight of the same Order of Calatrava, dated August 9, 1690, he was made I Count of Torrubia.
 * Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, a native of Seville and Knight of the Order of Calatrava, from January 9, 1690, second Count of Torrubia.

García de Medrano y Mendizábal, 1st Count of Torrubia
Don García José Francisco de Medrano y Mendizábal was born in Madrid on September 7, 1652, and died on March 3, 1695. He was a Knight of the Order of Calatrava, lord of San Gregorio, rector of the University of Salamanca (1668-1669), alcalde of hijosdalgo in Valladolid (1675), oidor of Valladolid (1680), alcalde of Casa y Corte (1684), and a member of the Council of Orders (1690). He is the first born son and heir of the regent Garcia de Medrano y Alvarez de los Rios, and held the title of first Count of Torrubia. He was perpetual regidor of the city of Soria, and procurator of Cortes for the city of Soria (1660). He entered the major college of the archbishop of Salamanca in 1671. He became rector of the University of Salamanca after his brother Domingo de Medrano. He was granted the title of Count of Torrubia shortly before his death on November 23, 1692, made official on August 29, 1694. As he died without any descendants, he was succeeded by his brother Andrés in 1695.

Don Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, 2nd Count of Torrubia
Don Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal (1654–1720) of Seville, later residing in Madrid, was granted knighthood in the Order of Calatrava in 1690. He had a distinguished career serving King Charles II, holding positions such as Secretary of State and member of the Council of Castile. In 1695, he inherited the title of Conde de Torrubia from his brother, Don García de Medrano. In 1693, he married Francisca de Angulo y Arbizu, daughter of Don Juan de Angulo, a knight of Santiago. Like his father García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos, he became counselor and collegiate of San Bartolomé at the University of Salamanca. Andrés became the chief judge of Vizcaya and then an oidor in Valladolid, before being promoted to a supernumerary position in the Council of Finance. Andrés was later appointed as a councilor of the Royal Council of Castile and served in this position until his retirement. He was then granted a place in the Council of Castile, where he remained until his death.

Don Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal owned a portrait of King Charles II, and of the regent, Mariana of Austria (d. 1696). His collection was made up almost entirely of religious paintings, including a picture by Mateo Cerezo of the miraculous statue of Christ from Burgos. Details of his art collection, including portraits of King Charles II and Mariana of Austria, along with religious paintings predominately featuring works by Mateo Cerezo and Luca Giordano, are documented in an estate partition dated August 12, 1724, in Madrid. Notable pieces include a Nativity of Christ by Luca Giordano and an unfinished work by El Greco. It is speculated that some of the older works by El Greco and copies after Titian and Jusepe de Ribera may have been inherited rather than acquired directly by Medrano himself.

José Juan de Medrano y Angulo, 3rd Count of Torrubia
José Juan de Medrano y Angulo (died in 1765), III Count of Torrubia, IV Marquéss of Villamayor, barón of Purroy, Lord of San Gregorio, married to Isabel de Luján y Colón de Larreátegui, daughter of Juan Francisco de Luján, superintendent and magistrate of Madrid, and Josefa Colón. Isabel de Luján y Colon de Larreategui was a direct descendant of Cristopher Colombus. José Juan de Medrano inherited the Marquisate of Villamayor from his grandmother Manuela de Albizu y Villamayor, wife of Juan de Angulo. He was succeeded by his son.

Joaquín de Medrano y Luján, 4th Count of Torrubia
Joaquín de Medrano y Luján (died in 1799), IV Count of Torrubia, V Marquess of Villamayor, Lord of San Gregorio. He entered into three marriages: with María de la Esclavitud Piñeyro y Maldonado, daughter of the Marquesses of Bendaña; with Ana Pardo de Figueroa y Valladares, daughter of the third Marquesses of Figueroa; and with Ángela Antonia Bazán. Joaquín de Medrano's daughter María de la Concepción de Medrano, II Marchioness of Las Nieves (January 28, 1744 – January 1, 1798) inherited the Marquesate of Las Nieves from María de las Nieves Angulo y Arbizu, I Marchioness of las Nieves, great-aunt of María de la Concepción de Medrano. Joaquín was succeeded by his nephew.

After the death of Joaquín de Medrano, IV Count of Torrubia in the year 1799, he left behind a two-year-old daughter, María del Pilar de Medrano Lorieri Pardo de Figueroa y Zabala, who passed away at the age of three in 1800, the title of Mollina passed to the son of his aunt Manuela de Medrano y Angulo, daughter of Andrés de Medrano, II Count of Torrubia.

The daughter of the II Count of Torrubia, Manuela de Medrano y Angulo, was born in Madrid on January 4, 1695. She married on May 21, 1714, with Don Francisco Chacón y Chacón, and they had a son, among others, José Chacón y Medrano, who succeeded his paternal grandfather Fernando Chacón Manrique de Lara as the III Count of Mollina. First cousin of Joaquín de Medrano y Luján, IV Count of Torrubia and born in Málaga on March 20, 1727, D. José Chacón y Medrano married doña María Mesía y Carvajal on April 27, 1743, in Úbeda. D. José passed away in the year 1784. From this marriage, the following two individuals inherited the title of Count of Torrubia:

Francisco Chacón Manrique de Lara Mesía Medrano, 5th Count of Torrubia
Francisco Chacón Manrique de Lara Mesía Medrano who, already the V Count of Torrubia, obtained in 1803 the Grandee of Spain attached to the County of Mollina which he also held as the V in line. He passed away in the month of April 1814.

Fernando Chacón Manrique de Lara Messia Medrano, 6th Count of Torrubia
Fernando Chacón Manrique de Lara Messia Medrano, VI Count of Torrubia, VI Count of Mollina, VII Marquéss of Villamayor, IV Marquéss of las Nieves, Knight of Santiago, was baptized in Málaga on May 19, 1755. He passed away without descendants on February 27, 1837. The Marquisate of Las Nieves groups together 9 of the Municipalities of Málaga Province. The municipalities which comprise the Marquisate of Las Nieves are: Alozaina, Casarabonela, El Burgo, Guaro, Istán, Monda, Ojén, Tolox and Yunquera. On August 12, 1847, his great-grandniece succeeded him.

A third daughter of the marriage between José Chacón y Medrano and María Mesía y Carvajal was Isabel. Isabel Chacón y Mesía was born on December 31, 1746. She married Juan Felipe Echeverri y Vargas, Count of Villalcázar de Sirga, and their son was José Echeverri y Chacón, born in 1767 and deceased on December 12, 1826.