Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano

In this Basque name, the surname is de Medrano.

Don Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano (b. XVI – d. Granada, 1660) was the prosecutor of the Royal Court of Seville, professor of Laws, counselor of the Royal Council of Navarre in Plaza de Castilian, magistrate of the Audiencia of Galicia and magistrate of Crime of the Chancery of Granada in the Empire of Spain.

Family

Descendant of a vast and noble lineage, 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. Medrano married Teresa de Villavicencio.

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," reveals more about the life of Don Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano. 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, Doña María de Medrano, thus resolving any doubts regarding his legitimacy.

Parents

In question 4 of the first interrogation, it was stated that Doctor Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano is the natural son of Don Juan de Medrano y Molina and Doña Isabel de Abalos y Biedma. His mother had promised marriage to Juan de Medrano 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.

In questions 5 and 6, it was articulated about the secret marriage and the publication made by their 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).

There are also four witnesses who are neighbors, among them is Doña Isabel de Antas, mother of Don Juan de Medrano. Don Juan de Medrano, who, as he confessed, brought Doña Isabel de Abalos y Biedma to Valladolid to make the secret marriage public, confessing the promise and consummation of the marriage there. He 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." He 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. The article also mentions the agreement with which the said Don Juan de Medrano died.

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 Doña Isabel and Don 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.

Education and career

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. Graduated with a PhD from the University of Seville, he was also a college student and became a First Class Professor of Laws by competitive examination, an activity he carried out until 1627. He also studied two years of Arts at the University of Alcalá.

Prosecutor and judge (1630-1631)

Medrano's administrative career began as a prosecutor in the Royal Audiencia of Seville. He was then appointed as a judge of the Royal Council of Navarre on June 18, 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.

Customs judge (1632)

The following year, he was appointed as a customs judge, 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.

Magistrate (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.