Marquisate of Vessolla

The Marquisate of Vessolla also known as "Vesolla" and even "Besolla," is a Spanish noble title created on September 6, 1702, by King Philip V of Spain in favor of José de Elío y Ayanz de Navarra de Esparza Artieda y Velaz de Medrano. He was a native of Elío, Navarra, and served as the equerry and royal steward to Queen Mariana de Austria. He held the rank of maestre de campo in the Tercios de Navarra, a captain of infantry in the valley of Urraúl, a nobleman of Navarra, mayor of Pamplona, and a representative of the military estate in the Kingdom in 1685.

He was the son of Gaspar Piñeiro de Elío y Esparza de Artieda y Vélaz de Medrano (born in Pamplona, 1614), maestre de campo in the Tercios de Navarra, and captain of infantry in the valley of Urraúl. Gaspar Piñeiro de Elío was also the lord of Elío, Vesolla, Eriete, Igúzquiza, baron of Artieda, Learza, and Esparza; and his wife Antonia de Ayanz de Navarra y Berrio Garro de Beaumont, lady of the Berrio estate, principal lady of Navarra, and daughter of the first Count of Guenduláin, Jerónimo Ayanz de Navarra y Garro de Beaumont y Javier (Gaspar and Antonia married in 1640).

The IX Marquess of Vessolla united his marquessate with the Duchy of Elío, a Spanish noble title, created on March 30, 1875, by Carlos VII (pretender of the Carlist branch), in favor of Joaquín Elío y Ezpeleta, General of the Carlist army.

Coat of Arms of the Marquessate of Vessolla
This branch of the Elío family always used the coat of arms of their own surname to represent the Marquesado de Vessolla, as all its holders bore the same surname: "On a field of gold, a cross recrucetada and voided, in red."

Ancestry of the I Marquess of Vessolla
Don José is the son of Gaspar Piñeiro de Elío y Esparza de Artieda y Vélaz de Medrano (b. Pamplona, 1614), I Marquis of Vessolla (unofficially), maestro de campo of the Tercios of Navarra and Infantry captain of the Urraúl valley, lord of Elío, Besolla, Eriete, Igúzquiza, of the barony of Artieda, Learza and Esparza, who married in 1640 with Antonia de Ayanz de Navarra y Berrio Garro de Beaumont, Lady of the mayorazgo of Berrio, montera mayor of Navarra and daughter of the first count of Guenduláin, Jerónimo Ayanz de Navarra y Garro de Beaumont y Javier.

He is the paternal grandson of Francisco de Elio y Esparza y Artieda; great-grandson of Luis de Elio y Goni, lord of Elio; great-great-grandson of Tristan de Elio, lord of Elio.

He is the paternal grandson of Antonia Velaz de Medrano y Lapeña; great-grandson of Jeronimo Velaz de Medrano y Piniero, lord of Learza, Igúzquiza, Agos, Aguinaro, Orendain, Zabala, Arroniz etc.; great-great-grandson of Juan Velaz de Medrano y Mauleon, seventh of the name, Lord of Learza, Igúzquiza, Agos, Arguiñaro, Orendain, Zabala and Arroniz; great-great-great-grandson of Juan Velaz de Medrano y Echauz, Alcaide of the Castle of Monjardin and Santacara, and his wife Ana de Mauleon y Navarra.

Don José de Elío y Ayanz de Navarra de Esparza Artieda y Velaz de Medrano is a direct descendant of Juan Martinez de Medrano, regent of Navarre in 1328, through his great-great-great-grandfather Juan Velaz de Medrano y Echauz.

Coat of Arms of the I Marquess José de Elío y Ayanz de Navarra de Esparza Artieda y Velaz de Medrano: Gules and the empty gold cross, accompanied by a natural hand with a silver goshawk: the border of this metal, with the legend: Ave Maria, gratia plena, dominus tecum, which is of Medrano.

Ascendancy of the Marquesses of Vessolla

 * Jose de Elío y Ayanz de Navarra de Esparza Artieda y Velaz de Medrano (Pamplona,?-Pamplona, June 25, 1706), I Marquess of Vessolla, lord of the palaces of Cabo de Armería and of the lordships of Elío, Vessolla, Eriete, Igúzquiza, Esparza, and Artieda - hereditary lord of Orendáin and Learza and of the pechas of Arzoz and Arguiñano, the palace of Uriz, through which he was the hereditary owner of the places of Besolla, Zuasti, Arguíroz, and Usarren, and of the pechas of Uli, Mugueta, Imirizaldu, Ozcoidi, and Artajo, and the sole patron with the right of abbatial presentation of Esparza, Ezcároz, Sarriés, Ibilcieta, Besolla, and Zuasti.

Children of the I Marquess of Vessolla:


 * Don Tomás Enrique de Elío Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano Jaureguizar y Subizar


 * Dona María Josefa de Elío Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano Jaureguizar y Subizar, who married Don Juan José de Beaumont y Peralta, Lord of Valtierra, and they had a daughter and heir, Dona María Josefa de Beaumont y Elío, Lady of Valtierra, who in turn married Don Luis Ángel de Salcedo, the third Count of Gomara, of the Order of Santiago, and Standard-Bearer Major of Soria.

Marriage and Succession of the I Marquess of Vessolla:

Don José de Elío y Ayanz de Navarra de Esparza Artieda y Velaz de Medrano married in 1658 to Antonia de Jaureguízar y Subízar (born in Sumbilla, July 5, 1658), señora of Jaureguízar y Subízar, lady of the place of Adériz, of Navaz, of Naquilz, and head of the ancient estate of Cruzat in Pamplona. Children of the I Marquis of Vessolla:
 * 1) Tomás Enrique de Elío Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano Jaureguizar y Subizar, future II Marquis of Vessolla.
 * 2) Dona María Josefa de Elío Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano Jaureguizar y Subizar, who married Don Juan José de Beaumont y Peralta, Lord of Valtierra. They had a daughter and heiress, Dona María Josefa de Beaumont y Elío Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano, Countess of Gomara, Lady of Valtierra, who, in turn, married Don Luis Ángel de Salcedo, the third Count of Gomara, of the Order of Santiago, and Standard-Bearer Major of Soria.

Don José was succeeded by his son:


 * Tomás Enrique de Elío Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano Jaureguizar y Subizar (Pamplona, March 10, 1670 - 1730), II Marquess of Vessolla, lord of Elío, Eriete, Igúzquiza, Besolla, Artieda, and Subizar, baron of Artieda, Learza and Esparza, Maestre de Campo of the National Armies.

He married on October 26, 1691, at the Church of San Juan Bautista in Pamplona, to Teresa Beatriz de Robles y Ollauri (born and baptized in Buenos Aires on August 17, 1677), daughter of Andrés de Robles y Gómez (Reinosa, March 14, 1629, Pamplona, 1694) and María Magdalena de Ollauri y Dávalos (born in Haro, February 25, 1652), and sister of Andrés Antonio de Robles y Ollauri, I Marquess of las Hormazas.

Children of the II Marquis of Vessolla:


 * 1) Francisco Joaquín de Elío y Robles Esparza y Artieda Vélez de Medrano, Jaureguizar y Subizar, future III Marquis of Vessolla.
 * 2) Dona María Antonia de Elío y Robles Esparza y Artieda Vélez de Medrano, Jaureguizar y Subizar, who married Don Fernando de Salamanca y Aguilar, Perpetual Mayor of Burgos.

Don Tomás was succeeded by his son:


 * Francisco Joaquín de Elío y Robles Esparza y Artieda Vélez de Medrano, Jaureguizar y Subizar (Elío, April 16, 1696 - April 13, 1759), III Marquess of Vessolla, lord of Elío, Eriete, Igúzquiza, Artieda, Subizar, etc., field marshal of the Royal Armies.

He married on June 5, 1740, at the Church of San Tiburcio and San Juan Bautista in Sumbilla, Navarra, to María Josefa de Alduncín-Bértiz y Larreta (Rentería, December 3, 1725 - 1787), lady of Alduncín and Bértiz, daughter of Joaquín de Alducín y Bértiz and María Nicolasa de Larreta y Echeverría.

Don Francisco was succeeded by his son:

Vessolla unites with the Vizcountess of Val de Erro, Countess of Ayanz
He married on June 14, 1772, at the Church of San Juan Bautista in Pamplona, to Joaquina Regalada de Aguirre y Veráiz de Enríquez de Lacarra-Navarra (Tudela, 1756–1821) XIII Viscountess of Val de Erro, V Countess of Ayanz, XII Baroness of Ezpeleta, Gostoro, Amotz, and Noailhan, VII lady of Eriete and the Town of Castillo de la Peña, Berriozar, Tajonar, Luzaide, Torres, Beriáin, Aos, Irurozqui, Zugazqui, Alduides; head of the House of Enríquez de Lacarra-Navarra. Joaquina Regalada de Aguirre was the daughter of Don José María de Aguirre y Enríquez de Navarra, IV Count of Ayanz, and Dona Beatriz Miguela de Veráiz y Magallón.
 * Fausto Joaquín de Elío y Alduncín Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano (Pamplona, December 15, 1747 - Elío, January 25, 1806), IV Marquess of Vessolla, lord of Elío, Bértiz, Eriete, Igúzquiza, Artieda, Subizar, Aderis, Orendain, Learza, Nogués, Zugasti, lord of the tributes of Orcoyen and Novar, lord of the House of Santamaría and of the palaces of his surnames. He was the Chief Constable of the Holy Inquisition of the Kingdom of Navarra, Preeminent Alderman of the City of Pamplona, Patron of the Company of Jesus in Pamplona and Trápani (Sicily).

His wife was the paternal granddaughter of Don Jose Joaquin de Aguirre Enriquez de Lacarra Navarra y Ezpeleta, III Count of Ayanz, Lord of Orcoyen, Ayaoz, Aos, Beriain, Lavez, Palaces of iru/ozqui, Field Marshal of the Royal Armies of Spain, and Dona Josefa Teresa Enriquez de Lacarra Cervantes Murgutio de Medrano; great-granddaughter of Captain Don Jose Enríquez de Lacarra Cervantes, Knight of Santiago, and Dona Esperanza Murgutio de Medrano, who in turn was the granddaughter of Don José Enríquez de Lacarra Cervantes Angulo, Knight of Santiago, Captain of the people of Cascante, and Dona Ambrosia de Medrano y Echauz, paternal aunt of Pedro Antonio de Medrano y Albelda.

Fausto Joaquín was succeeded by his son:
 * Fausto María de Elío y Aguirre Enríquez de Navarra y Ezpeleta Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano Alduncín Ayanz y Subízar (Pamplona, July 14, 1776 - Pamplona, October 15, 1825), V Marquess of Vessolla, VI Count of Ayanz, XIV Viscount of Val de Erro, XIII Baron of Ezpeleta de Amotz and Gostoro, VIII lord of Eriete, Elío, Eriete, Igúzquiza, Artieda, Subizar, of the Town of Castillo de la Peña, Berriozar, Tajonar, of Gostoro, of Amotz, and of Noailhan.

He married on May 6, 1796, to María Isabel Jiménez-Navarro y Hurtado de Mendoza (Córdoba, 1778 - Pamplona, May 14, 1843).

Don Fausto María was succeeded by his son:


 * Francisco Javier de Elío y Jiménez-Navarro Aguirre Enríquez de Navarra y Ezpeleta Hurtado de Mendoza Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano (Pamplona, November 20, 1800 - Pamplona, July 7, 1863), VI Marquess of Vessolla, V Marquess of las Hormazas, VII Count of Ayanz, XV Viscount of Val de Erro, XIV Baron of Ezpeleta de Amotz and Gostoro, lord of Elío, Eriete, Igúzquiza, Artieda, Subizar, Ayanz, Bértiz, and the Palace of Berriozar, lord of the Town of Castillo de la Peña, Berriozar, and Tajonar in Navarra, Maestrante of Seville. Life Senator, Procer of the Kingdom, and Gentleman of the Chamber of His Majesty. Francisco Javier inherited the Marquisate of las Hormazas, undoubtedly due to the marriage between his ancestor Tomás Enrique de Elío y Jaureguízar, II Marquess of Vessolla, and his wife Teresa Beatriz de Robles y Ollauri, sister of Andrés Antonio de Robles y Ollauri, I Marquess of las Hormazas.

He married in Tafalla on September 29, 1825, to María Micaela de Mencos y Manso de Zúñiga (Santo Domingo de la Calzada, 1801 - December 11, 1889).

Don Francisco was succeeded by his son:


 * Fausto León de Elío y Mencos Jiménez-Navarro y Manso de Zúñíga Aguirre Enríquez de Navarra y Ezpeleta Hurtado de Mendoza Esparza y Artieda Vélaz de Medrano (June 28, 1827 - Pamplona, December 23, 1901), VII Marquess of Vessolla, VIII Count of Ayanz, XVI Viscount of Val de Erro, IV Marquis of Fontellas, lord of Bértiz, head of the House of Elío, of Ezpeleta, and of the ancient ones of Enríquez de Lacarra-Navarra, Esparza, Artieda, Vélaz de Medrano, Alduncín, Bértiz, Jaureguízar y Subízar, Carlist cavalry colonel, aide-de-camp to General Joaquín Elío y Ezpeleta, mayor of Pamplona, and senator of the Kingdom for Navarra in 1872. Fausto León inherited the Medrano Marquisate of Fontellas from Ramón Vélaz de Medrano y Álava (d. 1875), the III Marquis of Fontellas, who died unmarried without descendants. Don Ramón Vélaz de Medrano y Álava distributed his fortune among various hospitals and houses of mercy in Tudela, Pamplona, Vitoria, Bilbao, and San Sebastián, as well as in Madrid, and among several convents.

He married in 1848, to María Josefa de Magallón y Campuzano (1830 - Pamplona, August 13, 1899).

Don Fausto was succeeded by his son:


 * Elio de Elío y Magallón (Pamplona, February 14, 1852 - November 14, 1938), VIII Marquess of Vessolla, IX Count of Ayanz, XVII Viscount of Val de Erro, gentleman and aide-de-camp to Infante Alfonso Carlos de Borbón y Austria-Este, brother of Carlos VII, and participated as such in the campaign in Catalonia and in the center. After the war, he accompanied Don Carlos on his trip to America in 1887. Carlist senator of the Kingdom for Navarra in 1904–1905, 1907–1908, 1908–1909, 1909–1910, 1911, 1914, 1915.

In 1920 the Viscount of Val de Erro owned the town of Learza. Elio married on July 26, 1900, in Lezo, to Martina Hermenegilda Doussinague y Casares Tolosa (April 13, 1855 - March 5, 1933). Without descendants, he was succeeded by his nephew, son of his deceased artillery captain brother during the Cuban Campaign, Ángel de Elío y Magallón (San Sebastián, 1860 - Arroyo Naranjo, Havana, Cuba, November 28, 1896):

Vessolla unites with the Duchy of Elio

 * Rafael de Elío y Gaztelu (Pamplona, July 12, 1895 - Seville, March 5, 1975), IX Marquess of Vessolla, XVIII Viscount of Val de Erro, XI Count of Ablitas, Maestrante of Seville, and cavalry colonel.

He married on January 6, 1940, at the Chapel of La Santa Casa de la Misericordia in Pamplona, to María Inés de Gaztelu y Elío (Pamplona, April 15, 1915 - Pamplona, January 12, 2003), II Duchess of Elío, Grandee of Spain, and IV Marquess of La Lealtad. He was succeeded by his son:


 * Francisco Xavier de Elío y de Gaztelu (Pamplona, January 27, 1945 - ibid., June 22, 2016), X Marquess of Vessolla, XIX Viscount of Val de Erro, XIII Count of Ablitas, III Duke of Elío, Grandee of Spain, XI Count of Ayanz — inherited from his paternal aunt Isabel de Elío y Gaztelu (1896-1986), X Countess of Ayanz — V Marquess of La Lealtad, and XI Marquess of Góngora — the latter inherited from his maternal aunt María Teresa de Gaztelu y Elío.

He married María del Pilar Aguilera y Narváez, XV Countess of Foncalada. With no descendants, he was succeeded in 2017 by his sister:


 * Inés Elío y de Gaztelu (Pamplona, 1941 - Seville, 2020), XI Marquess of Vessolla, XX Viscountess of Val de Erro, IV Duchess of Elío, Grandee of Spain, XIV Countess of Ablitas, and XII Marquess of Góngora (since 2009 by cession from her brother Francisco Xavier de Elío y de Gaztelu).

She married in Pamplona on August 22, 1963, Antonio Mendaro y Maestre (Seville, 1934 - Seville, 2007), a knight of the Order of Malta. He was succeeded by their son:


 * Santiago Mendaro y Elío (born in Pamplona, 1964), XII Marquess of Vessolla, V Duke of Elío, Grandee of Spain, and XXI Viscount of Val de Erro.