García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia

García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia (b. Madrid, September 7, 1652 - d. March 3, 1695) was a prominent noble from the house of Medrano, lord of San Gregorio, alcalde of hijosdalgo in Valladolid (1675), supernumerary alderman of noble birth in the Royal Audiencia and Chancery of Valladolid (1675), oidor of Valladolid (1680), alcalde of Casa y Corte (1684), rector of the University of Salamanca, a knight of the Order of Calatrava and a member of the Council of Orders (1690). He is the son of the regent Don García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos and María Ignacia de Mendizábal y Uribe.

Rector of Salamanca University (1668–1669)
For at least 160 years, many nobles in the House of Medrano were linked to the University of Salamanca: in 1508, Don Luis de Medrano was the rector and his sister Luisa de Medrano was the first female professor at the University of Salamanca and most likely all of Europe. The next generation of the Medrano family from the lordship of San Gregorio also produced two rectors at the University of Salamanca: Domingo and García de Medrano y Mendizábal, both fourth nephews of Luisa de Medrano and knights of the Order of Calatrava.

The Most Excellent and Most Illustrious Lord Professor Doctor Don García de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia, was rector of Salamanca University in 1668–1669. The Book of the university's Claustro for the year 1668–1669 describes Domingo's abdication and García's election for the rest of the year very clearly. The Book of the university's Claustro of 1668–1669 indicates that Domingo de Medrano, due to urgent business in Madrid, was forced to resign, and was succeeded by García de Medrano y Mendizábal, his brother. The younger sons of this family were also at the university.

Legal Career (1671–1690)
García de Medrano y Mendizábal completed his bachelor's degree and then enrolled in the major college of the Archbishop of Salamanca in 1671. Four years later, he left the college and was appointed as a supernumerary alderman of noble birth in the Royal Audiencia and Chancery of Valladolid on August 31, 1675. Subsequently, he was regularly promoted to the position of oidor in the same Tribunal on October 4, 1680, officially assuming this role a few days later on October 9, 1680.

He continued his career by serving as the corregidor of Guipúzcoa. Later, he was appointed as an alderman of Casa y Corte on February 18, 1684, and took the oath a month later on March 23, 1684. After six years in this position, he was further promoted to supernumerary minister of the Council of Orders on May 23, 1690. He received his official title months later on August 17, 1690, and joined the Order of Calatrava in the same year. This fulfilled a previous grant made to his father on December 30, 1673, which had promised a habit for his son.

Counts of Torrubia
The County of Torrubia is a Spanish noble title created on 29 August 1694, by King Charles II of Spain in favor of García de Medrano y Mendizábal, a Knight of the Order of Calatrava, lord of San Gregorio. The County of Torrubia is located in Castile-La Mancha, within the province of Guadalajara, Spain. Just before his passing, he was honored with the title of Count of Torrubia on 29 August 1694.

As he had no heirs, his brother Andrés de Medrano succeeded him in 1695. Andrés de Medrano, II Count of Torrubia had a distinguished career, serving as a collegian of Colegio Mayor de San Bartolomé, chief judge of Biscay in 1676, oidor in Valladolid in 1683, advisor of Finance in 1693, and becoming a member of the Council of Castile in 1697, later also joining its Chamber in 1720. The County of Torrubia inherited the County of Mollina, Grandee of Spain, the Marquisate of Villamayor and the Marquisate of Las Nieves. He had a son and heir named José Juan de Medrano y Angulo.

José Juan de Medrano y Angulo (died in 1765), III Count of Torrubia, IV Marquéss of Villamayor, 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.

Family and ancestry
The Most Excellent Don García José Francisco de Medrano y Mendizábal, I Count of Torrubia was born into high nobility from the Medrano lordship of San Gregorio in Soria. He is the son of García de Medrano y Álvarez de los Ríos, born in Valladolid and baptized in the parish of Santa María Magdalena (July 20, 1604), and María Ignacia de Mendizábal y Uribe, born in Seville and baptized in the parish of Santa María Magdalena (September 27, 1561).

His father Don García de Medrano y Alvarez de los Rios was the regent of Navarre and Seville, lord of San Gregorio, professor at the University of Salamanca, knight of the Order of Santiago, a crime prosecutor in Valladolid, Judge of Valladolid, Minister of the Treasury, Minister of the Indies, perpetual regidor of the city of Soria and procurator of Cortes for it (1660), prosecutor of the Council of Castile, Minister of Castile and of its Chamber, Minister of Inquisition and again counselor of Castile until his death.

Paternal grandparents
He was the paternal grandson of Don García de Medrano y Castejon, owner of the fortified house of San Gregorio and lord of San Gregorio, and Maria de los Rios y Mendoza. His grandfather earned his bachelor's degree in Laws, and was admitted to the College of San Bartolomé in Salamanca on March 1, 1573. His grandfather obtained a master's degree in Laws. Medrano's grandfather continued to study at the college until he was appointed as an alcalde del Crimen (criminal judge) of the Royal Audiencia and Chancery of Granada on February 17, 1584, replacing Licenciado Escobar. Garcia's grandfather was granted the role of prosecutor in the Council of Orders, for which he swore an oath in the court on May 4, 1599.

On March 3, 1600, his grandfather took office as a minister in the Council of Orders and was granted a habit of the Order of Santiago in 1600. Finally, he was promoted to a supernumerary position in the Royal Council of Castile on February 21, 1604. He began to serve in this position a few months later, on February 21, 1604, and he remained in it until his death. Just before his passing, while already ill, he requested (on August 23, 1604) to be granted the encomienda of Ocaña from the Order of Santiago.

His grandfather was the son of Don García de Medrano y Vinuesa, born in Soria, and his wife Catalina de Castejon; the Medrano and Castejon marriage was the root and origin of one of the most widespread families of legal professionals serving the monarchy during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Maternal grandparents
His maternal grandparents were Gregorio López de Mendizábal, born in the town of Oñate and baptized in the parish of San Miguel (1590), knight of the Order of Santiago, who died as a councilor of Castile, and Teresa de Inzaurraga y Uribe, baptized in the town of Lekeitio, in the lordship of Biscay (July 9, 1606).

Brothers
Andrés de Medrano y Mendizábal, II Count of Torrubia, (b. Seville, November 5, 1654 - d. Madrid, December 22, 1720) was a knight of the Order of Calatrava, a counselor and collegian of San Bartolomé, chief judge of Biscay (1676), oidor in Valladolid (1683), advisor of Finance (1693), of the Council of Castile (1697) and of its Chamber (1720). 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.

Domingo de Medrano y Mendizábal (1650–1672) was a knight in the Order of Calatrava, Judge of Degrees in Sevilla (1672), a Chief Judge of Vizcaya (June 2, 1676), an oidor in Valladolid (1683), a counselor of Finance (1693), a counselor of Castile (1697) and its Chamber (1720), professor and rector at the University of Salamanca. Domingo is also the fourth nephew of Luisa de Medrano.