Sebastián de la Cuadra, 1st Marquis of Villarías

Sebastián de la Cuadra y Llarena, 1st Marquess of Villarías (19 January 1687 – 23 April 1766) was a Spanish statesman. He served as Chief Minister (First Secretary of State) between 1736 and 1746 during the reign of Philip V of Spain. The Marquess of Villarías, of the Council of State, Knight of the Order of Santiago, served as a steward of the Royal Chapel of San Genaro.

Early life Simón de la Cuadra y Llarena was born into a prominent Basque noble family in San Julián de Muskiz, within the historic region of Las Encartaciones, Biscay. He was the son of Simón de la Cuadra Medrano, a powerful rural aristocrat and ironmaster who served as Mayor of the Valley of Somorrostro in 1693, 1697, and 1699. He belonged to the influential Cuadra, Salazar, and Medrano family branch.

Education He received his early education at the local school in San Julián, located on the banks of the Barbadún River, before being sent to Madrid in 1700 to begin a career at court. There, he served as a page to José de Grimaldo, who would later become Secretary of State. As Grimaldo’s protégé, Simón refined his manners and political preparation. In 1703, he was formally introduced into the administrative career that would lead him to the highest levels of government.

On March 3, 1732, he reached the rank of secretary of the Secretariat of Aragon of the Chamber of Castile and obtained the title of secretary ad honorem. Villarías responded favorably, expressing Spain’s willingness to accept the terms. However, the negotiations ultimately faltered over disagreements concerning the future of Naples, and the peace initiative collapsed—although the Spanish Crown remained open to resuming discussions at a later time.

Family Isabel Parreño Arce, (1751 - 1823), wife of Spanish diplomat Jose Agustín de Llano y de la Cuadra. Painted around 1770 by Danish-German painter Anton Raphael Mengs (1728 - 1779). Oil on canvas, 250 x 148 cm. Museo de la Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, Madrid, Spain

He died without issue on 23 April 1766. The 2nd Marquess of Villarías was his brother, Agustín de la Cuadra y de Llarena, (5 November 1679 - married 17 December 1709 to Andresa Manuela de Mollinedo).

Agustin and Sebastian had a sister, Francisca de la Cuadra y de Llarena, born also in San Julián de Musques on 13 October 1697. She married Simon de Llano y Musquez on 16 February 1716; they had 8 children. Among their children were:

Sebastián de Llano y la Cuadra, born in 1727, who married in The Hague, Holland, Baroness María de Adelmar Paniariui, in 1783. He became the 3rd Marquess of Villarías in 1766 and was promoted to conde de Senafé (8 August 1780), awarded by King Charles III of Spain. He was also Ambassador to the United Provinces under King Charles IV of Spain. José Antonio de Llano y la Cuadra. Ambassador in Vienna, Austria, He was promoted to Marqués de Llano on the death in 1794 of his brother José Agustín. José Agustín de Llano y la Cuadra (15 October 1722 - 5 March 1794), born also in San Julián de Musques (today Muskiz, in Basque language). Oficial Mayor to the First Secretary of State, Ambassador in Vienna, Austria, Knight of the Military Order of Santiago in 1741, (sig. 4729), 1st Marqués de Llano, (23 April 1772), by King Charles III of Spain. He married on 12 June 1770 the very wealthy Isabel Parreño, from Corral de Almaguer, province of Toledo, Spain. She was painted by the famous Danish-German Court painter Anton Raphael Mengs (1728–1779), and protected in Vienna in 1785, Spanish opera and ballet composer Vicente Martín y Soler, (Valencia, 1754 - Saint Petersburg, Russia, January 1806) monitoring him to become the Director, court composer, after 1788 of the Saint Petersburg Opera, with Empress Catherine II of Russia.

Relatives Sebastián de la Cuadra y Llarena descended from the distinguished de la Cuadra Medrano lineage, a noble family rooted in San Julián de Muskiz. His paternal uncle Francisco de la Cuadra Medrano served as Mayor of the Valley of Somorrostro in 1717 and Procurador General in 1719. Francisco married María de Achiaga de la Bodega, and their children included Pedro de la Cuadra Achiaga, Archbishop of Burgos; Nicolás de la Cuadra Achiaga, Secretary to the King, Mayor of Somorrostro in 1725, and Knight of the Order of Santiago (1730); and Francisco de la Cuadra Achiaga, who inherited the family estate. Their daughter Isabel de la Cuadra Achiaga became the grandmother of José Antonio de Salcedo, Lord of the Torre Menor de Salcedo de Aranguren and ancestor of the Marquesses of Castillejos, notably Juan Prim, 1st Marquess of Castillejos, and Prime Minister of Spain, a leading figure of the Glorious Revolution who was assassinated in 1870.

Sebastián’s paternal aunt Isabel de la Cuadra Medrano married Juan de la Bodega y Salazar. Their daughter, Isabel de la Bodega y de la Cuadra, baptized in Santa Juliana de Abanto in 1681, married Pedro de Lavalle y San Martín, a member of another distinguished Basque lineage. Through these close relatives, Sebastián was firmly embedded within a network of ecclesiastical power, royal service, and noble patronage that extended across the Basque Country and into the Castilian court.