| Honorific-Prefix: | The Most Excellent |
| The Marquess of Villarías | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | KOS OSJ |
| Order: | First Secretary of Spain |
| Term Start: | 26 November 1736 |
| Term End: | 4 December 1746 |
| Predecessor: | José Patiño |
| Successor: | José de Carvajal |
| Birth Date: | 19 January 1687 |
| Birth Place: | San Julián de Musques, Spain |
| Death Place: | Madrid, Spain |
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.
He was the third son of Simón de la Quadra y Medrano, Síndico General of the Comarca of Las Encartaciones, and the grandson of Francisco de la Quadra de Llano and Isabel de Medrano y Foncerrada. In 1700, he moved to Madrid, where he was a protégé of future Secretary of State José de Grimaldo. There he perfected his manners and preparation, until in 1703 he introduced him to the administrative career.
He was the third son of Simón de la Quadra y Medrano, who had been General Trustee of Las Encartaciones and mayor of San Julián, and of María de Llarena y Sobrado. His family belonged to the Basque rural nobility, and he used to hold administrative positions in the Biscayan region of the Somorrostro valley, Las Encartaciones, to the North West of the Basque Country, on the border with Cantabria. Sebastián first studied at the San Julián school, close to his house, on the banks of the Barbadún river; Later, since his father wanted to direct his career towards the Court, he went to Madrid in 1700, to serve as a page for José de Grimaldo (who would later be Secretary of War and Finance).[1]
Under the protection of José de Grimaldo, Sebastian was appointed official of the Secretariat of the Office of War and Finance in 1705 and was ascending the ranks until on November 30, 1714 he was appointed sixth official of the same secretariat. Three years later, on May 1, 1717, he was elected fourth officer, on November 21, 1719, second officer. He became in 1719 Mayor of Muskiz, a Basque town exploiting iron ores and local smelters, having two himself, one working as early as the 15th century. But he remained in Madrid and was represented in Muskiz by his brother Agustin. He became a Knight of the Military Order of Santiago in 1730 (sig. 2239). in 1723 he reached the rank of senior officer and he had been appointed secretary to the King with the exercise of decrees.[2] 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.
In 1736 he became himself First Secretary of State, when José Patiño died. From 1741 he also controlled the Justice Department. For much of this late period in office, Spain was involved in the War of Jenkins' Ear with Britain and the War of the Austrian Succession in Italy. Jaime Vélaz de Medrano y Barros, III Marquess of Tabuérniga made contact with Sebastian in August 1746 - setting out proposed British terms for a peace agreement. The Prime Minister of Spain Villarías told him Spain was ready to agree to the terms. The talks floundered over the future of Naples and finally broke down, although the Spanish remained open to further discussions at a later date. He was replaced by José de Carvajal y Lancáster in December 1746. For his service he was made Marqués de Villarías by King Philip V of Spain on 22 March 1739, an honour awarded sometimes either to outgoing First Ministers or during their tenure.
Sebastian was a prominent co-founder of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in 1744. The recognition of his protection over this academy is perfectly reflected in the work The Allegory of Fine Arts
From these assemblies, in 1744, Olivieri and the Marquis of Villarías drafted a project for the foundation of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts entitled "Rules that are proposed to the Hon. Mr. Marqués de Villarías so that after two years of practice that seem convenient for now, they can contribute to the formation of laws for the Academy of Sculpture, Painting and Architecture that is intended to be founded in Madrid under the protection of the King". Later, and after different procedures, it was approved in 1744 by the Marquis himself, first on May 20 and, definitively, by the King on July 13 with the foundation of said Royal Academy. It was then that the "Preparatory Board" was formed, in which The Marquis of Villarías became the main protector of the company. In this way, he, and the rest of the members of the board, fell on all the responsibilities until the definitive institutional creation of the Academy of Fine Arts by Fernando VI in 1751.
Although Sebastián de la Cuadra had left for the Court as a child, he kept a strong bond with his homeland. His mediating action in different questions and conflicts of the lordship and the Encartaciones before the King himself meant that, together with his action in favor of his house, he became patron of those territories, which led him to directly influence his policy. In addition, his ascendancy in the Court and his closeness to the King placed him in a position to patronize, an action that he exercised over young relatives and associates who came from the northern lands, both in the Court and in other areas of the Monarchy. Sebastian placed six of his nephews in the Secretary of State and of the Office that he directed and was able to influence the appointment of several of his relatives as dignities of various cathedrals. Despite being in Madrid, he obtained different jobs in his community of origin, which he must have completed through a relative. In this way, he was required to occupy positions of the lordship (alderman in 1730 and deputy general in 1740) and from 1722 he enjoyed the provost of the towns of Ondárroa, Guernica and Bermeo, which were administered by his older brother Agustín.
Also in 1722, he was granted the patronage of the Biscayan churches of San Andrés de Gámiz and San Andrés de Pedernales, which further extended his power and his social significance in those territories. On the other hand, he carried out patronage work in his small homeland, diverting a large flow of capital to collaborate in economic needs and to make different donations in the community.
Together with several members of his family, they began construction in 1742, almost in its entirety, of the parish church of San Juan Bautista de Somorrostro. Taking advantage of the new plant, he was able to build a chapel next to the gospel dedicated to Saint Clement, where his coat of arms is displayed, as well as the Carrara marble bust of his figure. Already ill and without having married, the Marquis of Villarías made his will on March 9, 1766, naming his brother Agustín as universal and sole heir, and in the event of his death, his nephew Simón de la Cuadra.
Through said testament he founded the bond and mayorazgo, which was added to the one that had been constituted by his father, integrating the title of Castilla de Marqués de Villarías, his jurisdiction and his Lordship and Vassalage. All the houses, lands and other possessions that in that town of Villarías and Merindad de Castilla la Vieja, his brother Agustín had bought as a result of the orders that he had given him for this, were also joined. The portions of land that he had bought in the meadow of Villanueva de la Serena (Badajoz), made up of 5,133 and a half head of sheep, were added.
Sebastian died in Madrid on April 23, 1766, at the age of seventy-nine, and was buried the following day in the church of the convent of the Agonizing Sick Ministers Regular Clergy Fathers, on Fuencarral de la Villa y Corte street.
Sebastián de la Cuadra was of a quiet and discrete nature. He was very religious and never married. He had a large network to gather all necessary information to serve the King and even more the Queen. The British Ambassador Benjamin Keene didn't hold him in high regards, and the Queen treated him as a servant.[3]
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: