Alonso Molina de Medrano
Alonso Molina de Medrano was a Spanish jurist, aristocrat, and advisor of the Kingdom of Castile, who served as Inquisitor of Córdoba and Zaragoza, professor at the University of Seville, Councilor of the Indies, the first Councilor and Chamberlain of the Chamber of the Indies, member of the Board of Finance of the Indies, Councilor on the Royal Council of Castile, ambassador to Lisbon, a member of the 12 lineages of Soria, and participated in the investigative boards during the reign of kings Philip II and Philip III of Spain. He was a knight of the Military Order of Santiago, Commander of Benazusa and Villafranca in the Supreme Councils and Senates of the Indies and Castile, and Patron of the Main Chapel of San Francisco in Vélez-Málaga. He married Francisca de Hinojosa.
Due to his oratory skills and peacemaking abilities, Felipe II transferred him to Madrid and appointed him as a member of the Royal Council of the Indies by Royal Decree on July 27, 1592. Felipe III later appointed him as Counselor of the Council of the Indies in 1601 by Royal Decree. Following a royal mission in Portugal, he was named a Member of the Supreme Council of Castile in 1606.
Ancestry and Palace of Beniel
Alonso Molina de Medrano was the son of Antonio de Molina Rodríguez de Carrión and Maria de Medrano y Barrionuevo, from the Soria branch, and a member of the 12 lineages of Soria. He was therefore a descendant from the noble Molina, Medrano, Carrión, and Barrionuevo families.The entire history of the Palace begins with the union of two prominent families, the House of Molina from Murcia and the House of Medrano from Soria. On January 20, 1536, in Sant Sebastià, Alonso's grandfather Antonio de Molina, along with four other knights, killed Alonso Carrillo de Barnús, and as a result, he was forced to flee and take refuge in Vélez-Málaga. This marked the beginning of the relationship between Vélez and Beniel. Alonso's father Antonio de Molina Rodríguez de Carrión was the son of Alonso de Molina, a Juror of the City of Murcia and a knight of well-deserved fame, and Loeonor Rodríguez de Carrión.
Parents
Alonso Molina de Medrano was the son of Antonio de Molina Rodríguez de Carrión and Maria de Medrano y Barnuevo. In Vélez-Málaga, Antonio de Molina married María de Medrano y Barnuevo, daughter of the Alcaide of his fortress, Juan de Medrano, and Francisca de Barnuevo, both natives of Soria who arrived in the 15th century with the conquest of Granada. The latter were members of the 12 lineages of Soria.His father Antonio de Molina obtained the title of councilor of the town council of Vélez, appearing as such in the council records of 1562, serving himself until January 31, 1570, when he resigned the position in favor of his eldest son, Juan Antonio Molina de Medrano. Both were Captains for the Guard and Defense of the city of Cabildo during the Morisco rebellion.
Construction of the Palace of Beniel
Its architectural style, a blend of Renaissance Mudéjar with influences from local design, sets it apart. With its striking appearance, the palace boasts two floors and a penthouse, connected by a Renaissance-style staircase. An interior courtyard featuring stone columns ending in semicircular arches reflects the classic Mudéjar architecture readopted during the Baroque period, adding to its charm and grandeur.Don Alonso Molina de Medrano ordered the construction of a palace to serve as a residence. The contract was signed in Malaga on December 6, 1609, and the work would proceed according to a plan delivered to the royal councilor D. Luis Tello Eraso by the commander with all the guidelines to follow, which unfortunately was not attached to the deed. The construction of the house began in January 1610, of which there is no further news until July 1612, when the work was practically completed, although some works remained pending. The last works on record date back to the year 1916 with the repair of the roof of the main hall. The final Construction of the Palace of Beniel cost was 3275 ducats.
Establishment of the entailment
Don Alonso Molina de Medrano had no children. One way to preserve what he left in a single heritage was to establish an entailment, and after his death, his entailment and possessions were bequeathed to his nephews, the Marquises of Beniel. Alonso Molina de Medrano made his will in Madrid and died in 1616. His remains were transferred to the main chapel of the Royal Convent of Francisco in Vélez-Málaga, where the remains of his parents were already laid to rest. He was the patron of this chapel and it was part of the entailment he founded.19th century
In 1861, in the city of Alicante, Doña Escolástica Palavicino, widowed Marchioness of Beniel and Peñacerrada, granted power to Don Juan Nepomuceno Enríquez, a resident of Vélez-Málaga and Provincial Deputy, to proceed with the deed of sale of the mansion owned by Don Antonio Pascual, Marquis of Beniel and Peñacerrada, in favor of the Hon. City Council of Vélez-Málaga.Municipal ownership
Later, in the 19th century, following the widowhood of the marquess, it transitioned to municipal ownership. As municipal property, it had multiple uses: grain market, Municipal Free Institute of Secondary Education in 1871, and from 1877, it also housed the Courts of First Instance and Municipal, the Civil Registry, Post Office and Telegraphs, and the Infantry Deposit Battalion. In 1899, the palace was vacated to convert it into a town hall, remaining as such until 1982.In 1988, this palace was fully restored and became the headquarters of the María Zambrano Foundation, located on the upper floor, where today visitors can explore the thinker's archives, which were donated to the city, as well as her magnificent library. It also houses the Department of Culture of the Vélez-Málaga City Council.The Marquis de Beniel Palace in Vélez-Málaga serves as the central hub for the local Department of Culture and the María Zambrano Foundation, making it the city's most significant civic structure.
Portrayal in the arts
In the historical drama Don Juan de Lanuza, written by José María Huici, the character of Alonso Molina de Medrano is portrayed as the Inquisitor of Zaragoza, a key representative of royal and ecclesiastical authority during the tumultuous events surrounding the imprisonment of Antonio Pérez, the 1591 Zaragoza revolt and the execution of Juan de Lanuza y Urrea. This portrayal is not fictional: Huici draws directly from historical fact, as Alonso Molina de Medrano was indeed the Inquisitor of Zaragoza at that time, later rising to become Councilor of the Indies and Castile, Chamberlain of the Indies, and a Knight of the Order of Santiago.In the play, Medrano appears repeatedly alongside the Viceroy as a decisive, unwavering, and feared figure of institutional power—an embodiment of the Holy Office and a bulwark against local rebellion. His presence reflects the political weight he held in life, particularly during the Aragonese crisis, where his refusal to release Pérez and Mayorini sparked an armed uprising. Huici's dramatization thus immortalizes Molina de Medrano as a symbol of royal intransigence and inquisitorial resolve, aligning with his real-life legacy as a statesman who operated at the heart of Spain's imperial and religious institutions.
Early career
Professor at the University of Seville
Alonso Molina de Medrano was a student at the college of Seville. After graduating from the University of Seville, he held a professorship, a chair in Prima. According to Francisco Cascales, D. Alonso Molina de Medrano served as a professor of Vespers and Canons.Inquisitor of the Tribunal of Córdoba and Zaragoza
Alonso Molina de Medrano held the position of Inquisitor of the Tribunal in Córdoba and Zaragoza. This appointment dates back to at least 1584, when he was acknowledged as such during a visit to Vélez-Málaga. Alonso was Inquisitor during the 1591 popular uprising related to the imprisonment of Antonio Pérez and Juan Francisco Mayorini, in which he played a decisive role, leading to his promotion to the Royal Council of the Indies.Trial of Antonio Pérez
Licenciado Alonso Molina de Medrano, inquisitor of Zaragoza in 1591, played a decisive role in one of the most politically charged episodes of late 16th-century Spain: the imprisonment of Antonio Pérez. Alongside Doctors Morejón and Mendoza, Medrano received orders from the Suprema to detain Pérez and Juan Francisco Mayorin. His written responses, dated between May and August of 1591 and preserved in the Archivo de la Aljafería, reveal his strict adherence to procedural orthodoxy, despite widespread unrest in Zaragoza and mounting pressure from the Viceroy, the Archbishop, and civil authorities.Molina de Medrano consistently argued for the integrity and independence of the Holy Office, resisting efforts to release Pérez. His determination, however, made him a target of public outrage. Pasquines, death threats, and riots culminated in his request to be allowed to withdraw from Zaragoza, citing the real and increasing danger to his life. His correspondence shows both his legalistic reasoning and the political complexities of operating as an inquisitor in a volatile moment when religious authority collided with royal intrigue.
Trial of Antonio Perez, former secretary of the king
, once a secretary to King Philip II of Spain, fell from grace due to his involvement in the murder of Juan de Escobedo, the secretary of Don John of Austria, Philip II's half-brother, in 1578, leading to his eventual persecution by the Spanish Inquisition. In early 1577, Don John of Austria was in the low Countries and Escobedo, his secretary, was visiting Madrid having been sent there by Don John. After three clumsy attempts to poison Escobedo failed, Pérez recruited swordsmen to assassinate him. Pérez removed himself from Madrid and, on the night of March 31, 1578, in a narrow alley, the assassins stabbed Escobedo to death. Seeking refuge under the protection of Aragon's fueros, Perez became a target not only for political reasons but also under charges of heresy and blasphemy, marking a strategic effort by the monarchy to neutralize a potential threat.Alonso Molina de Medrano, the Inquisitor in Zaragoza and a cousin of Íñigo López de Mendoza y Manrique de Luna, I Marquess of Almenara, played a critical but complex role in his trial. The Princess of Eboli, Ana de Mendoza,–also a cousin of the Marquess of Almenara and a powerful figure at court–was implicated in the murder of Escobedo.
As an inquisitor, Alonso Molina de Medrano is described in a more favorable light compared to his colleague, Juan Hurtado de Mendoza; Alonso was reluctant to persecute and made his decision to directly send important documents to the inquisitor-general, bypassing the tribunal, "Molina de Medrano received the letter of the regent, and the depositions which accompanied it; but instead of communicating them to the tribunal, he sent them by the first courier to Quiroga, the inquisitor-general."
The Marquess of Almenara informed the Count de Chinchon about the incident, who then relayed it to the king. After consulting with the cardinal, Philip II ordered him to appropriately validate Perez's heretical behavior and ensure he was punished. Consequently, on March 5th, Quiroga directed that only Alonso Molina de Medrano was to handle the depositions. He specified that the inquisitors were to proceed with their examination without involving the diocesan or consultants, and to expedite the documents straight to Madrid.
Alonso Molina de Medrano examined witnesses in Zaragoza on matters involving Antonio Pérez and Juan Francisco Mayorín. According to Licenciado Arenillas de Reinoso:
...witnesses were examined in Zaragoza by Licenciado Molina de Medrano.
His role was to conduct official inquisitorial interrogations under the authority of the Cardinal.