Baron of Mahave

• Alfonso Federico Vélaz de Medrano Rioja
• Federico Vélaz de Medrano y López-Montenegro
• José María Vélaz de Medrano y Magallón
• Federico Vélaz de Medrano y Muro
• Diego José Vélaz de Medrano y Vélaz de Esquivel

The Barons of Mahave are one of the largest rural landowners in the Province of La Rioja. Historically, the village of Mahave served as the residence of the Baron of Mahave, which included a palace, a farmstead, and the parish church of San Román.^[2] Diego Vélaz de Medrano y Vélaz de Esquivel, born into a prominent Spanish noble family, became the first Baron of Mahave on June 22, 1747, through a Royal Decree issued by King Ferdinand VI.^[2]

During the middle ages, Pedro Fernández de Velasco, who is noted among the knights serving under King Enrique of Castile, held the title of Lord of Mahave. During the Battle of Nájera on April 3, 1367, Enrique’s forces were defeated, and he was forced to retreat. As Enrique fled with a small group of knights, he passed through the Mahave area before continuing on to Aragón and eventually seeking refuge in France.^[3] Written records of the village date back at least to the 10th century.^[2]

By the 18th century, the Mahave estate, under the House of Medrano, spanned 704 hectares and housed a small population of just 8 residents. The baron of Mahave obtained complete royal prerogatives to administer municipal offices, appointing a chief magistrate and an ordinary mayor. Revenues included royal tithes of 2 fanegas of wheat, 1 fanega of barley, 1.7 fanegas of rye, and 14.5 cántaras of wine, collectively valued at 103 reales. Additionally, the barony controlled production resources like a flour mill, which processed 57 fanegas of wheat and generated 940.5 reales.^[4]

The coat of arms of the Medrano family, Barons of Mahave, features a gules shield with an argent hollow cross, the family motto 'Ave Maria' encircling it, and a goshawk in the upper left corner. The shield is bordered in azure, with eight Or Saint Andrew crosses, and is crowned with a baron’s coronet. This coat of arms dates back to the middle ages and is associated with their progenitor, Andrés Vélaz de Medrano.

During the proclamation of the Second Spanish Republic in 1931, the Baron of Mahave was listed among the largest rural landowners in La Rioja.^[5] This distinction ensures the enduring influence and wealth of the Medrano family, whose Barony had been inherited continuously since its creation in 1747. The Barons of Mahave are part of the titled nobility that shaped the socioeconomic landscape of the Rioja region, alongside other prominent figures.^[5]

Federico Vélaz de Medrano y López-Montenegro, the Baron of Mahave, was one of the largest landowners in rural La Rioja. His holdings encompassed a total of 137.3 hectares spread across six municipalities, with the majority (117.2 hectares) situated in Camprovin, the municipality that includes the village of Mahave referenced in his noble title. In addition to his Riojan properties, the Baron also owned 26.2 hectares in Álava. Furthermore, his relatives maintained smaller estates in the town of Alfaro.^[6] He was the son of José María Vélaz de Medrano y Magallón, Baron of Mahave, and Petra Agustina López de Montenegro y García del Valle.^[7] He was the father of Federico Vélaz de Medrano y Muro, Baron of Mahave (b. 1910 – d. 10 July 1973).^[8]

Located on the main street of Castañares de Rioja, the Real de Siota is a rural accommodation housed in an 18th-century building that once belonged to Diego José Vélaz de Medrano y Esquivel y Varona, a former Baron of Mahave. The property features traditional stone construction and has been carefully designed to reflect the region’s heritage. It includes a café, a small dining room, and a former wine cellar repurposed for gatherings. A terrace with a garden completes the accommodations.^[9]

Alfonso Federico Vélaz de Medrano Rioja, Baron of Mahave, Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, and founding member of the Association of Friends of San Millán.^[10] He was a friend of San Millán and a co-founder of the Association of Friends of San Millán de la Cogolla,^[11] an organization dedicated to preserving the cultural and religious heritage of the San Millán de la Cogolla monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site.^[12] Alfonso Federico Vélaz de Medrano Rioja died on March 2, 2018, in Camprovín, Spain, at the age of 86, having received the Holy Sacraments. A funeral service was held in Mahave on March 4, 2013-01-24.^[10]

The Association of Friends of San Millán de la Cogolla honored his memory and requested prayers for the eternal rest of his soul. His death was commemorated with the words:

"May the Father, who gifted you with temporal life, welcome you into His home and reward you with eternal life, joyful and blessed among your loved ones." - in Mahave, March 3, 2018.^[11]

Alfonso Federico Vélaz de Medrano Rioja was associated with Arratzua-Ubarrundia, a municipality in Álava, Spain. He is listed among the proprietors affected by infrastructure projects in the region, as recorded in the Boletín Oficial del Territorio Histórico de Álava. Alongside F. Javier Velaz de Medrano Rioja and Isabel María Velaz de Medrano Rioja, he appears in land registry records related to the modernization of electrical distribution networks in Álava, particularly within Arratzua-Ubarrundia.^[13]

His daughter Almudena Vélaz de Medrano, a Riojan artist from Mahave, held an exhibition at the La Merced cultural center in 2015, from April 21 through May 2. Her collection, titled Gazes, Looking, Painting, showcased her artistic evolution, spanning from traditional restoration to an explorative abstract style.^[14]

As the daughter of the Barons of Mahave, Vélaz de Medrano blended classic and modern techniques, transitioning from realistic, psychologically nuanced portraits to freer, more expressive abstract compositions. Her training in restoration provided the foundation for her craft, which evolved to embrace a broader creative range.^[14]

On August 31, 1780, King Charles III granted the title of Baron of Maabe to Diego-José Vélaz de Medrano y Vélaz de Esquivel,^[15] owner of the town of Maabe and Corregidor of Ferrol and Burgos.^[16] In 1950, it was passed on to Federico Vélaz de Medrano y Muro.^[15] The title was also inherited by his descendant, Alfonso Vélaz de Medrano y Rioja.^[17] The title of Baron of Maabe, a historic Spanish noble designation, was recently conferred upon Alfonso's daughter María de la Consolación Vélaz de Medrano y Ureta. This succession was authorized by Royal Order on March 14, 2019, under the Royal Decree of May 27, 1912.^[17] The succession, following the death of her father, Alfonso Federico Vélaz de Medrano y Rioja, was granted through a Royal Letter of Succession issued by the Ministry of Justice,^[18] ensuring compliance with all legal requirements and rights.^[17]

The Abandoned Site of Mahave (Despoblado de Mahave), near the village of Mahave, located in Camprovín within La Rioja’s Najerilla Valley, has been identified as a possible Roman-era pottery workshop. First investigated in 2009 during archaeological monitoring for gas pipeline installations, the site revealed early imperial and late Hispanic terra sigillata ceramics, suggesting a long period of production.^[2] Although only a small area has been excavated, evidence such as ceramic slag and potter’s wheel fragments points to artisan activity. The site’s proximity to clay deposits, water sources, and a presumed Roman road further supports its significance within the region’s pottery industry. Within the territory of the Baron of Mahave, its historical records and archaeological findings reveal its importance as a center of ceramic production and its connection to the broader industrial network around Tritium Magallum.^[2]

• Elenco de Grandezas y Títulos Nobiliarios Españoles. Ediciones de la revista Hidalguia, 2006.