Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano

Preceded byPedro de Villafranca

Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano
Coat of arms of the House of Molina de Medrano at the Palace of Beniel

Magistrate of the Criminal Court of the Chancery of Granada
In office November 27, 1639 – 1660
Monarch	Philip IV of Spain
Magistrate of the Audiencia of Galicia
In office February 18, 1633 – November 26, 1639
Monarch	Philip IV of Spain
Fiscal (Prosecutor) of the Royal Council of Navarre
In office June 18, 1630 – 1633
Monarch	Philip IV of Spain
Preceded by	Pedro de Villafranca
Fiscal (Prosecutor) of the Royal Court of Seville
In office 1627–1630
Monarch	Philip IV of Spain

Personal details
Born	16th century Crown of Castile
Died	1660 Granada, Crown of Castile
Spouse	Teresa de Villavicencio
Parent(s)	Juan de Medrano y Molina and Isabel de Ávalos y Biedma
Alma mater	University of Salamanca, University of Seville, University of Alcalá
Occupation	Legal scholar, statesman
Known for	Legal reforms, administrative and judicial roles

Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano (b. XVI – d. Granada, 1660) was a nobleman and Crown official from the House of Medrano. He served as the fiscal (prosecutor) of the Royal Court of Seville, a professor of Law at the University of Seville, a fiscal of the Royal Council of Navarre in Plaza de Castilian, a magistrate of the Audiencia of Galicia, and a magistrate of Crime (Alcalde de Crimen) in the Real Audiencia and Chancery of Granada for the Crown of Castile.^[1]

Education

Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano is the natural son of Juan de Medrano y Molina and Isabel de Avalos y Biedma.^[2]

Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano obtained a Bachelor's degree at the University of Salamanca, where he was also a member of the Colegio Mayor de Cuenca.^[2] He graduated with a PhD from the University of Seville. He also studied two years of Arts at the University of Alcalá.^[1]

Professor of Law

As a collegiate member of the University of Seville, he became a First Class Professor of Prima Law by competitive examination, an activity he carried out until 1627.^[1]

Career

Early career (1627-1631)

Medrano's administrative career began in 1627 as a fiscal (prosecutor) in the Royal Audiencia of Seville. He was then appointed as a fiscal (prosecutor) of the Royal Council of Navarre on 18 June 1630, filling the vacancy left by the death of Pedro de Villafranca. In 1631, he was commissioned by the Navarrese high court, along with Juan de Lizarazu, to oversee the amortization of debts owed by the city of Pamplona at a five percent interest rate on its revenues, using capital from the kingdom's General Deposit at a four and a half percent interest rate.^[1]

Judge of smuggling (1632)

In 1632, he was appointed judge of smuggling, facing several difficulties in this role. His actions were discussed in the General Courts held that year due to his zeal in preventing smuggling, which led him to investigate the General Deposit of the kingdom, encountering resistance from the treasurer, Juan de Zabala. Similarly, in 1632, he faced problems when, against the provisions of the council's Ordinances and the kingdom's laws, the viceroy granted Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano a salary of 5 ducats for each day he dedicated to overseeing a judicial process against Bernardo de Eguiarreta at the Tribunal.^[1]

Magistrate and death (1633-1660)

He was in Pamplona for more than three years, then in 1633 Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano was promoted to magistrate of the Audiencia of Galicia, with Gabriel de Cámara appointed as advisor on February 18, 1633. He then rose to magistrate of the Criminal Court of the Chancery of Granada on November 27, 1639, a position he held until 1660, the year of his death.^[1]

Marriage

Alonso Molina de Medrano married Teresa de Villavicencio.^[1]^[3] Alonso came from a vast and noble lineage, which he passed on to his children. He was related on the paternal line to the illustrious Medrano, Molina, Vera and Barnuevo family; and by maternal line with the Tovares, Ávalos, Viedma and Cuevas.

Royal Memorandum and Legitimacy (1629)

A royal memorandum from 1629 entitled "By the Doctor Don Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano, Collegiate of the College major of Quenca, in the University of Salamanca against Don Francisco de Molina," still exists.^[2] The memorandum was segmented into two parts. The initial section centers on confirming Antonio Molina de Medrano's legitimacy, supported by ample evidence of his parents' lawful union and his status as their legitimate offspring. The subsequent section offers additional evidence, emphasizing Antonio's rightful ownership of the properties central to this legal dispute, stemming from a donation by his grandmother, María de Medrano, resolving any doubts regarding his legitimacy as the son of Juan de Medrano y Molina and Isabel de Avalos y Biedma.^[2]

Juan de Medrano and Isabel Avalos y Biedma

His mother Isabel de Avalos y Biedma had promised marriage to Juan de Medrano y Molina when she was between 15 and 16 years old, before the Council of Trent, and that he treated her as his wife, and that the Doctor Alonso Molina de Medrano was born from this secret marriage.^[2]

In questions 5 and 6 of the 1629 royal memorandum, it was articulated about the secret marriage and the publication made by his parents to respectable and religious persons at that time, and how the said marriage remained secret. These questions are supported by many elderly witnesses over 70 years old, who all testify to what they heard and name authors who confirm the existence of the hidden and secret marriage, and how they behaved and were treated as husband and wife due to their high status and equality, and if they weren't married they would not have behaved like that. All testify to it being public and well-known (recorded in the memorial).^[2]

There are also four witnesses who are neighbors, among them is Isabel de Antas, mother of Juan de Medrano y Molina, who, as he confessed, brought Isabel de Abalos y Biedma to Valladolid to make the secret marriage public, confessing the promise and consummation of the marriage there. His father states,

From the moment I first had dealings with her, it was always my intention and desire to be her husband, to marry her in the manner prescribed by the Holy Mother Church.^[2]

His father also says that he gave his word and promise to her before knowing her, primarily to persuade her to accept a will, under no circumstances would she have done otherwise. From this evidence, it conclusively appears that the legitimacy of Doctor Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano is proven, as there is no doubt about him being the son of Isabel and Juan de Medrano, his parents. All witnesses confirm what they heard, referring to many and various authors whom they heard from. In this case, they provided full proof, according to Canon Law, with reference to canonical laws.^[2]