Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz

Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz (1475 – 16th century) was a noble from the House of Medrano in the independent Kingdom of Navarre. Jaime was a knight of Navarre, royal guard of the king, captain of the kings standing army, alcaide and mayor of Amaiur-Maya and one of the leading defenders of the Navarrese crown against the Spanish conquest of Iberian Navarre. Jaime Vélaz de Medrano is believed to have served as the alcaide of Maya Castle from 2 October 1521, to 19 July 1522.

Personal life
Jaime was the son of the noble Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Goñi, lord of Iguzquiza and Learza. Jaime is the maternal great-great-great-grandson of king Philip III of Navarre and Queen Joan II of Navarre by way of their son Prince Louis, Duke of Durazzo. Jaime is the paternal great-great-great-great-grandson of the regent of Navarre, Don Juan Martínez de Medrano. Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz is described as an exemplary model of knights and of unconditional loyalty, who defended the castle of Maya: "...in this last act of resistance to the power of Carlos V. The memory of these martyrs of Navarrese liberty, models of fidelity and knights, [Medrano] must be revered and held as one of the purest glories of that nobility." Jaime Vélaz de Medrano was born in the Palace of Velaz de Medrano around 1475. The Medrano family are a rich and warrior family of the Navarrese high nobility, Jaime's life spanned crucial battles and political turmoil as he fought to keep the Kingdom of Navarre independent. Known as Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Etxauz (Echauz), he became a symbol of Navarrese identity. Driven by profound loyalty, and marked by virtue, Medrano's enduring legacy is his unwavering resistance to Spanish conquest, embodying the spirit of Navarre's struggle for sovereignty.

Ancestry
Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz was the son of the noble Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Goñi and Dona Elvira de Echauz y Beaumont. He was a descendant of the distinguished and noble lineage of Medrano in Igúzquiza, first established by his progenitor in the ancient Palace of Vélaz de Medrano. The Medrano family is a very ancient house of noble origin, it is found in different times and in different places. Many principles are attributed to them by authors and historians "for its antiquity, its splendor, for their military prowess and virtue and for every other value of chivalry that prospered with this family, in great numbers, magnificent and generous."

Paternal ancestry
He was the paternal grandson of Don Ferran Vélaz de Medrano and Elvira de Goñi. His paternal grandfather Don Ferran Velaz de Medrano was the Lord of Learza and Iguzquiza, ricohombre of Navarre. He rebuilt the castle of Veláz de Medrano into a fortified palace, which was famous for the splendor of the festivities held by Don Ferran Vélaz de Medrano and his children and grandchildren, which were often attended by the Navarrese Monarchs themselves.

Jaime is the paternal great-grandson of Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano, fourth of the name, lord of Igúzquiza, Arguiñano, Arzoz, Learza, Artazu, Zabal, Orendáin, Alcaide of the castle of Monjardin and Viana, royal chamberlain of King Charles III of Navarre and John II of Aragon and Navarre. Don Juan Velaz de Medrano IV accompanied Don Carlos III to France in the year 1397.

Jaime is the paternal great-great-grandson of Don Alvar Diaz de Medrano y Almoravid, Lord of Iguzquiza, ricohombre of Navarre. In 1380 he was Alcaide of Monjardin Castle, and the following two years he was listed among the Mesnaderos of the king.

Jaime is the paternal great-great-great-grandson of Don Juan Velaz de Medrano y Sanchez and Dona Bona de Almoravid. Don Juan Velaz de Medrano, third of the name, was the alcaide of Viana and Dicastillo.

Jaime is the paternal great-great-great-great-grandson of the noble baron and lord Don Juan Martínez de Medrano y Aibar, lord of Sartaguda, Arroniz, Villatuerta, knight, lieutenant and regent of the Kingdom of Navarre in 1328 in awaiting the arrival of his Queen Joan II and her husband Philip III de Évreux.

Maternal ancestry
Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz was the great-great-great-grandson of Philip III, King of Navarre and Queen Joan II of Navarre. Jaime was the maternal grandson of the 15th Viscount of Baigorri, Don Carlos de Echauz, from the House of Echauz, and Juana Margaret de Beaumont. His maternal grandmother Juana Margaret de Beaumont was the daughter of Carlos de Beaumont, of the House of Beaumont, and Ana de Curton. Juana Margaret de Beaumont was the granddaughter of Prince Louis of Navarre, Duke of Durazzo, son of King Philip III of Navarre, of the House of Évreux, which is a minor branch of the Capetian dynasty.

Despite being linked to the House of Beaumont, Jaime and his brother aligned with the Agramontese faction. However, his maternal grandfather, the 15th Viscount of Baigorri, participated in the unstable political situation in Navarre, which evolved into the conflict between the Beaumontes side and the Agramonteses. Due to the marriage of the 15th Viscount of Baigorri to Juana Margarita de Beaumont, sister of the head of the Beaumontese, Louis de Beaumont, 1st Count of Lerin; the House of Echauz supported the Beaumontes side, in favor of the Prince of Viana, Carlos de Trastámara. After the conquest of Upper Navarre, by Ferdinand the Catholic, the viscounts of Baigorri withdrew.

Military career (1507–1521)
Jaime Vélaz de Medrano was primarily a noble trained for warfare, deeply rooted in the Agramontese tradition, and even served in the personal royal guard of King John III of Navarre. He was ordained a knight in Navarre around 1496 (roughly 21 years old). Recognized for his leadership, he was named captain of the Hermandad, the kingdom's standing army, by the Cortes in 1507.

Distinguished from many Navarrese nobles, Jaime Vélaz de Medrano consistently represented the independence of Navarre and loyalty to its crown, rejecting any offers from Fernando el Católico that would acknowledge him as the king of Navarre. He emerged as a charismatic leader of the Navarrese resistance, leading his own army to defend Upper Navarre's last bastion.

Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz was a key figure in the Kingdom of Navarre who directly experienced the major military events that occurred, Medrano was present in all of them. Jaime Vélaz de Medrano raised an army with his relatives and participated in the uprising of Estella-Lizarra. He would also attempt to recapture Pamplona in 1512, defended Amaiur-Maya the following year, then went into exile. He returned with the marshal and narrowly escaped the disaster of Isaba in 1516. He once again returned, this time with Lesparre in 1521, where he would defend Estella. Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz also fought in the important battle of Noáin on 30 June 1521 with his close friend and comrade Juan Remírez de Baquedano, lord of San Martín de Ameskoa, who perished in battle in Irun. On 30 June 1521, the Franco-Navarrese forces led by Asparrot suffered a pivotal defeat on the plains of Noain near Iruña/Pamplona, leading to the retreat of King Enrique de Albret's loyalists. That autumn, the defeated troops, under Marshal Bonnivet, reclaimed parts of the Navarrese Pyrenees, culminating in the 29 September 1521 siege of Amaiur Castle, and on 2 October 1521, Medrano would take up government in Amaiur-Maya.The battle of Amaiur-Maya in 1522 marked the height of his career.

After the Spanish conquest of Iberian Navarre (1512–24), Lower Navarre was restored to the rule of the native king, Henry II of Navarre. Its capitals were Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Saint-Palais.

The battle of Amaiur-Maya (1522)
Jaime Vélaz de Medrano served as the alcaide of Maya Castle from 2 October 1521, to 19 July 1522. In the Baztán valley's fortress of Maya, 200 Agramontese knights and 8 or 9 nobles led by Jaime Vélaz de Medrano defended the Castle of Amaiur-Maya against the forces sent by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. By 4 July 1522, a Castilian expedition left from Pamplona, and by 15 July Amaiur was invested. Medrano's entourage included the brothers Miguel de Jaso and Juan de Azpilicueta, along with their cousin Juan de Olloqui, vigorously they defended an independent Navarre. For ten months, they resisted a siege by an army 5000 strong with heavy artillery. By 19 July 1522, Jaime was forced to negotiate a surrender to the new viceroy, the Count of Miranda, and his ally, the Count of Lerín, Don Luis de Beaumont. This surrender marked the final conflict between the Beaumont and Agramont factions, concluding a sixty-year feud that had fueled devastating civil wars and led to the fall of the Old Pyrenean Kingdom.

Historians note that the tenacity of the Navarrese was remarkable: enduring 9 days of relentless bombardment using rudimentary weapons like stones, crossbows, and possibly a musket, along with tar. Despite facing a force of five thousand fighters equipped with 16 cannons and 300 ladders to seize the castle, they displayed uncommon resolve. Their breach into the fortress was facilitated by a Guipuzcoan named Mendizabal, who planted explosives on one of the castle's towers. Otherwise, their entry would have been impossible. When the Spanish viceroy expressed surprise at the fierce resistance of the Amaiur defenders, the Count of Lerín, hailing from Beaumont, remarked, "Those, my lord, are Navarrese."

Legacy
An obelisk was designed to commemorate the battle of Amaiur-Maya on top of where the castle of Maya used to be. Carved on the monolith are the names of: Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, the castle's Alcaide, his son Luis Vélaz de Medrano, Miguel de Jaso, brother of San Francisco Javier, Juan de Olloqui, Juan de Azpiliketa, Luis de Mauleón, Victor de Mauleón, and other Navarrese.

Casualties
The conflict resulted in numerous casualties on both sides. Medical supplies were sent to a field hospital to treat hundreds for severe injuries, including burns and injuries from destroyed artillery. In the aftermath, instructions were issued to compensate certain individuals with 1 ducat each for burying the dead at the Amaiur church.

Additionally, Don Diego de Medrano was paid for provisioning 39 prisoners, while the remaining captives had perished in the battle. These prisoners were subsequently transferred to the San Nicolas prison in Pamplona, where they faced strict penalties. Despite the Viceroy Count of Miranda's efforts to protect them, some accounts report Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz and his son Luis were found deceased later that month, suspected to have been poisoned, however there is limited information to verify this.

Agramont and Beaumont
Since the mid-15th century, Navarre experienced significant instability regarding its throne, leading to a split among its nobility into two opposing factions during the Navarrese Civil War (1451–1455) and the War of the Bands: the Beaumonts and the Agramonts. This division had widespread effects both within Navarre and in the broader Basque Country, leaving the region vulnerable to external influences.

In the early 16th century, the Agramontese faction was represented by prominent figures such as Marshal Pierre de Navarre, Viscount of Muruzubal and Val d’Ilzarbe, Alphonse de Peralta, Count of Sant-Esteban, and Jaime's brother Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, Lord of Learza and Iguzquiza, among others. They were joined by notable lords and viscounts, including the Baron of Ezpeleta and various merinos and alcaides like Pierre de Peralta of Tudela.

In contrast, the Beaumont faction, supporting the constable, included close family and principal captains such as Charles, Philippe, and Jean de Beaumont, his son Louis, and his son-in-law Jean de Mendoza, along with other distinguished lords and barons from regions like Ostabat, Monteagudo, and Béhorléguy.

Correspondences of Jaime Vélaz de Medrano
A notarized, numbered collection of the personal correspondence of Don Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz are preserved. Medrano provides historians with 51 letters authored by key legitimist figures such as the Lord of Xavier, the notaries of Etxalar and Elizondo, the son of Marshal Pedro de Navarra, the abbot of Urdax, Antonio de Peralta, and Henry II, King of Navarre, along with correspondence from France's leading lieutenants. The letters are encased in a box featuring a gold-plated, metal-enriched coat of arms of Jaime Vélaz de Medrano. These letters, crucial historical records written by the figures themselves, are the sole surviving firsthand accounts from that era. Accompanying these letters, written in Béarnese, Occitan, French, and Old Spanish, is a book that includes research studies, transcriptions, and translations into both modern Spanish and Basque, documenting the Navarrese resistance.

Jaime Vélaz de Medrano's correspondence emerged at a time when Navarre had just undergone the battle of Noáin in June 1521, and except for two letters from between 1500 and 1512, all the rest are from November 1521 to seven days before the fall of the castle of Amaiur. The letters are important because "they talk about war plans, the positions of the enemies, the feelings of the resistors, where they are." A letter from the Lord of Bonnivet, Admiral of France, to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, alcaide of Maya, informs him of the dispatch of the comptroller to pay the garrison of the castle, to be reduced to 100 soldiers, and of the shipment of provisions. Another letter from Clement Le Jarc to Don Jaime Vélaz de Medrano informs him of the dispatch of 20 escudos in payment for the cider and requesting a report of the provisions received. A letter dated 30 November 1521, this time from the Lord of Saint André, lieutenant of Guyenne, to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, informs him of his departure to Bayonne with the Lord of Bonnivet, Admiral of France, and the needs for the defense of the fortress of Maya. One letter dated 29 December 1521 from Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, mayor of Maya, reveals he threatened Miguel de Espinal, vicar of Espinal, to reveal the origin of the false rumor about the castle being put up for sale for 4,000 ducats, however the vicar of Espinal denied his responsibility for the false rumor of the sale of the castle and responded to his threats on 30 December 1521. There is even a letter dated 26 March 1522 from King Henry II of Navarre to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, regarding the oath of fidelity of the inhabitants of Cinco Villas, Baztán and Tierra de Lerín and to request an end to mistreatment. Another letter from Henry II of Navarre to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano on 26 March 1522 informs him of the dispatch of the Lord of Gelás, his chief squire, with news on his behalf.

One dated 7 April 1522 from Juan de Orbara, abbot of Urdax, to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, seeks to obtain information about the concentration of troops in Pamplona. There is word from Juan de Orbara, abbot of Urdax, to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, Juan requested that supplies be sent to Miguel de Javier, lord of Javier, and to the garrison of the church of Ciga. A crucial letter dated 6 July 1522 from Juan de Orbara, abbot of Urdax, to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano, informs him of the departure from Pamplona of the army led by the Count of Miranda, Viceroy of Navarre, and Luis de Beaumont, Count of Lerín. Jaime's relative Juana de Echauz, lady of Ezpeleta, wrote to Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, she informed him of the imminent attack by the Spanish and the arrival of the substitute for the Lord of Saint André, lieutenant of Guyenne. Before the battle of Amaiur-Maya, Jaime received letters from Miguel de Javier, lord of Javier, warning him about the leakage of information regarding their positions by the wine carriers.

Following the siege of Amaiur, the Spanish military confiscated Medrano's letters to track down and penalize their authors, as notes on the documents suggest. Historian Peio Monteano explains that these letters were later placed in the care of Juan Rena, an army paymaster who later became the bishop of Pamplona. Rena was tasked with overseeing the assets seized from those who resisted the Spanish conquest. After his death, by imperial decree, these documents were moved to the Chamber of Accounts’ archive. There, amidst extensive administrative records, the letters remained overlooked for almost four centuries, as detailed in Monteano's analysis accompanying the correspondence.

Aritz Otazu, through his publishing house Mintzoa, has released a facsimile edition of the previously unknown letters from the last defenders of Amaiur Castle, entitled "The Letters from Amaiur in 1521-22." They provide a first-person account of the events at Amaiur, offering valuable insights into the historical narrative of that period. Historian Peio Monteano provided an analysis of these documents, which reveal the sentiments of loyalty and national identity among the Navarrese during a tumultuous time marked by the battle of Noáin in 1521. This edition, limited to a hundred copies, reveals a pivotal moment in Navarrese history.

Family background
Jaime descends from the ancient and noble House of Medrano, ricohombres and lords of Igúzquiza and Learza who held a family seat in the Palace of Vélaz de Medrano in the Kingdom of Navarre. His father Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Goñi, Lord of Learza, Igúzquiza, Agos and Aguinano, Alcaide of the castle of Monjardin, was an important member of the royal Navarrese court during the reign of John III of Navarre and Dona Catherine of Navarre. His mother was Doña Elvira de Echauz y Beaumont, daughter of Carlos, Viscount de Baigner (Baigorri) and Juana Margarita de Beaumont, sister of the first Count of Lerín, Luis de Beaumont.

The Vélaz de Medrano family, lords of Igúzquiza, were entrusted by the Navarrese monarchs with organizing the defense of the Santesteban de la Solana valley, operating from their palace which also served as an armory (Cabo de Armeria). Following the 1512 invasion of Navarre, this palace became crucial during the Merindad Uprising and the Insurrection of Navarre. Facing external threats, the lords rallied their kin, distributed weapons, and formed their own army to unite with forces from other Navarrese valleys. However, after Navarre's defeat, The Medrano fortresses of Vélaz de Medrano and Monjardin, along with others like Cabrega, and Aberin, was captured and heavily damaged by the invaders. In 1521, with Navarre's brief restoration of independence, the fortress of Vélaz de Medrano resumed its key role in defending the legitimist cause. At the door of their palace enclosure you can see the noble coat of arms of the Velaz de Medrano family who were lords of Iguzquiza and Learza.

The noble Medrano family were deeply loyal and even related to the Navarrese and French monarchs, when the last French ruler from the House of Capet fell, Jaime's direct ancestor Juan Martínez de Medrano y Aibar was elected by the Navarrese Cortes as regent of the Kingdom in the year 1328, while Queen Dona Juana, who was in Paris, was unable to assume the throne.

Noble titles
In the mid 16th century Jaime's family were granted the noble hereditary title Vizcounts of Azpa, and in the 18th century, Marquess of Fontellas.

Siblings
Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz was the younger brother of Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, sixth of the same name, Lord of Learza, Igúzquiza and Agos, alcaide of the castles of Del Castillo, Santacara and Monjardin, in addition to being the major knight of King John III of Navarre, who gave him in 1496 the property that belonged to Langarot de Yaniz, who was declared a traitor.

The Prince of Viana granted the Santacara estate and its royal castle to Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz, a member of the Beaumont family. In 1500, Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano resided at the castle for eight to ten years, remaining loyal to the Navarrese monarchs. In October 1512, he rebelled against the invading forces of Fernando el Católico from Castile and Aragon. Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano valiantly resisted the Castilian conquest and, following the successful takeover of Navarre by Fernando el Católico, he followed his rightful king into exile in France. Stationed in France, Jaime, Juan and Julián Íñiguez de Medrano participated in the effort to reclaim the Navarrese throne.

The second Count of Lerín allied himself with Juan de Aragón, who married him to his natural daughter, thereby securing the Count's loyalty to the King of Aragon and his brother-in-law, Fernando el Católico. When expelled from Navarre, the Count was compensated by the Catholic King with the marquisate of Huéscar in Granada, but lost his Navarrese titles and lands.

It was then that Juan Vélaz de Medrano assumed command of Santacara Castle, where he had been since 1500. The castle fell to Castilian forces in December 1512. As noted by Jerónimo Zurita in the Annals of the Crown of Aragon, several castles including those of Sancho Abarca, Mélida, and Santacara, among others, were demolished in December 1512 after Navarre's unsuccessful bid for independence.

In 1513 Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano was already listed among the quarter remitters of the merindad (administration and financial governance of the Estella region).

His brother Don Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Echauz married with Dona Ana de Mauleon y Navarra, daughter of Landron de Mauleon y Claver and Juana de Navarra y Enriquez de Lacarra. Juana de Navarra was the daughter of Pedro de Navarra y Peralta, III Viscount of Muruzábal and Inés Enríquez de Lacarra y Foxan. The Viscount of Muruzabal takes its name from an old royal manor town called Muruzábal. In 1407, King Carlos III included it within the viscount created in favor of his brother Prince Leonel de Navarra, both sons of King Charles II of Navarre.

In 1543, there are records of his son Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Mauleon y Navarra, Lord of Orendain, Agos, Learza, Igúzquiza, Aguiñaro (Arguiñano), Arróniz, and Zabala (Zabalza). Through his mother Doña Ana de Mauleon y Navarra, Juan Vélaz de Medrano y Mauleon y Navarra was a descendant of King Charles II of Navarre and his son Prince Leonel de Navarra; he was the 7th of this name.

After the conquest of Navarre, the king and queen decreed restrictions on travel for several notable figures, including mossen Juan Velaz de Medrano. He was prohibited from visiting Pamplona, Puente-la-Reina, and Huarte-Araquil, among other locations under the constable's control, except for significant events such as the entry and coronation of Their Highnesses in Pamplona.

Legacy
In 2023, the 500th anniversary of the Battle of Amaiur-Maya was celebrated at an event held in the Parliament of Navarra. During the ceremony, the photobook 'Amaiur 1522-2022' and a facsimile of the 1922 photographic album were unveiled by Juantxo Agirre, the general secretary of the Aranzadi Society of Sciences. Additionally, engineer Iker Ibero presented a 3D recreation of the castle of Maya.

A folk-rock band of Basque origin known as Lur Barnea published a trilogy called "Amaiur" on 13 October 2022 in honor of Jaime and the battle of Amaiur-Maya, written by Aingeru Gorrotxategi.

Biography

 * JAIME VELAZ, EL CAPITÁN DE AMAIUR by Peio J. Monteano Sorbet