José Díez de la Cortina y Olaeta

Spanish politician

José Díez de la Cortina y Olaeta

Born	José Díez de la Cortina y Olaeta 1856 (1856) Marchena
Died	1937 (aged 80–81) Madrid
Nationality	Spanish
Occupation(s)	landowner, public servant
Known for	politician
Political party	Carlism

José Díez de la Cortina y Olaeta, 2nd Count of la Cortina de la Mancha (1856–1937) was a Spanish politician and military. He is best known as leader of Andalusian Carlism and as member of the national party executive in the early 20th century. Having fought on the insurgent side during the Third Carlist War and as militia volunteer during the Philippine Revolution, in the Carlist army he rose to general de división; the Madrid government recognized him as comandante.

Family and youth

The Díez de la Cortina family originated from Cantabria, related to the town of Liébana; the first representative is noted in the 16th century. Modest members of the hidalguia, none of the family grew into a public figure until in the mid-18th century one of its branches moved to the Andalusian Marchena; they settled as arrendatarios in estates of Duque de Osuna. The great-grandfather of José, José Antonio Díez de la Cortina Gutiérrez, was born in the Cantabrian Potes and upon arrival in Marchena he built a house, which was later to become a family hub. José's grandfather, Juan Díez de la Cortina Layna Pernia (1782–1854), as the oldest surviving son became the family heir; in the 1830s he was already one of top local taxpayers. In the 1840s he formed part of the emerging "burguesía agraria", a group of local hidalgo families which grew into major proprietors as duque de Osuna was selling out his estates. Though not comparable to grand Andalusian landholders, they soon assumed leading role in the local agricultural regime.

The oldest son of Juan and the father of José, José Díez de la Cortina Cerrato (died 1874), owned some 400 ha and rented further 700 ha, which rendered him the 6th largest arrendatario in Marchena. At unspecified time he married Elena Olaeta Bouyon, a native of San Fernando; none of the sources consulted provides any information on her parentage, though she was probably descendant to two very distinguished Cádiz families of navy commanders and public servants; both the Olaetas and the Bouyons made their names in Spain and in the New World. José and Elena had three children, all of them sons, born between 1855 and 1859; José was born as the second oldest one.

Nothing is known about education of José. At unspecified time he married Carmen Torres Ternero, a local girl he was distantly related to as her great-grandmother descended from the Díez de la Cortina family; her grandfather, José de Torres Díez de la Cortina, was alcalde of Marchena and a cattle-breeder. The couple had no children. The best known relative of José Díez de la Cortina is his younger brother Rafael, who in the early 1880s migrated to the United States; in New York City he set up a language school which soon developed into a successful business; himself he became a pioneer of modern teaching of foreign languages, with a number of works published and Cortina Institute of Languages well operational until today. The Torres Díez de la Cortina relatives made their name developing the bull-breeding business and gained acknowledgement in the late 19th century. José's distant relative was José Gómez Acebo y Cortina, a conservative politician who held various ministerial jobs during final years of the Restoration. The Carlist title of Conde de la Cortina de la Mancha, conferred upon José's father in the 1870s, was recognized by the Madrid court in 2003 and currently rests with Mariano Ternero Caro.

Civil War (1872-1876)

There is no information on political preferences of the Díez de la Cortina family until the mid-19th century; in the 1860s various members of the family, including José Díez de la Cortina Cerrato, his wife and sons, started to appear as signatories of various open letters printed in Neo-Catholic and Carlist papers; they pledged loyalty to the Catholic Church and lambasted "corrupción de las ideas y de costumbres", especially in education. Later his son recollected that it was the 1868 revolution and its aftermath which triggered Díez de la Cortina Cerrato's access to Carlism; in 1870 he already declared his "completa adhesión al señor Duque de Madrid". When the Carlist insurgency rocked Vasco-Navarrese provinces in 1872 he pondered upon joining the rebels, the idea which soon became his obsession. In June 1873 the 17-year-old José was dispatched North to agree the logistics and learn the war craft; he left home for Cádiz, then sailed to Marseille, crossed the Pyrenees and in July joined the Carlist troops, nominated cadete and assigned to Regimente de Caballeria del Rey.

Throughout the summer of 1873 Díez de la Cortina took part in victorious campaign across central Navarre. In October he made it back to Marchena, where together with his father, both brothers, a cousin, few associates including a family chaplain, some servants and a handful of volunteers they formed a 20-men group, soon heading North. In two weeks they covered some 350 kilometers across the provinces of Córdoba, Jaén, Ciudad Real and Cáceres, finally joining the 300-men column of general Vicente Sabariegos.

Surrounded by family members, starting November Cortina resumed combat during failed skirmishes at Retamosa; upon death of Sabariegos, command was assumed by general Villar y Perez. During late 1873 and early 1874 the group fought guerilla war across New Castile, Extremadura and La Mancha, engaged at Villar del Pedroso, Navahermosa, Montiel, Santa Cruz de los Cañamos, Talavera la Vieja (November), Torre del Campo (December), Puertollano, Los Yébenes, Talarrubias (January), Alcoba, Garbayela, Artiñano, Agudo, (February), Moral de Calatrava and Luciana (March). The campaign ended in April 1874 at Piedrabuena, when during close engagement he witnessed own father killed in action; his older brother perished during the same battle. The two brothers who survived the carnage – José wounded - made it to Portugal and from Lisbon sailed to Bordeaux, via Pau crossing to Carlist-controlled area in the North just on time to take part in last battles in Biscay. At unspecified time he was promoted to captain and assigned as adjutant to general Berriz. Promoted again to comandante, he took part in the 1875 battle of Lácar. During final months of the war the claimant rewarded Rafael with condado de Olaeta and confirmed condado de Cortina de La Mancha for José, who inherited the title from his late father; he was also promoted to teniente coronel and awarded a number of honors. They parted the claimant in Arneguy, the first French town on their way to exile.

On exile and overseas (1876–1898)

Once the Madrid government declared amnesty Cortina returned to Spain, though exact year remains obscure. There is no information on his fate during the early 1880s; he might have accompanied his younger brother when the latter settled in Mexico in 1879; one source claims he resided in Argentina. At unspecified time he took up residence in Cuba, most likely already as a civil servant. In 1884 he rose to secretary of gobernador in the province of Matanzas; some time afterwards though perhaps no later than in 1885 he moved to Cienfuegos, probably provisionally taking the job of local customs official. In early 1887 Cortina was transferred back to Matanzas, where he assumed the parallel post. His career in Cuba came to an abrupt end later that year, when officials of Ministerio de Hacienda discovered large quantities of gold and substantial sums of money missing. Though he was not charged with fraud and officially he was not even related to the scandal, in October Cortina was dismissed, later called back to La Habana and soon got his license temporarily suspended.

At unspecified time in the late 1880s Cortina left Cuba; in 1889 he was no longer counted among officials of Ministerio de Hacienda. In 1890 he was noted back in Spain, residing in his native Marchena. His spell there did not last long, as in the early 1890s Cortina resumed his civil servant career. Instead of Ministerio de Hacienda this time he was employed by Ministerio de Ultramar, nominated auxiliar de la secretaria del ministerio. He was dispatched to another of Spanish overseas territories, the Philippines; neither the date nor exact assignment is known. In 1895 Cortina was nominated jefé de administración de cuarta clase de la Dirección General de Administración de Filipinas.

Upon outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in 1896 Cortina initially remained in Manila. In September he joined Escuadron de Voluntarios, a cavalry militia unit. Since the squadron did not form part of regular army, its officers were elected; he was chosen teniente ayudante. The squadron initially performed patrol duties in endangered boroughs of Manila like Santa Mesa and Balic-Balic in Sampaloc district, Loma and Gagalanging in Santa Cruz and in Tondo; their tasks covered also vigilance at main bridges in San Fernando de Dilao and Malate. At later stage the cavalry escorted convoys to besieged pockets of Spanish resistance like Parañaque. In November 1986 Díez was assigned to operations in Cavite and fought at Binakayan-Dalahican. At unspecified time and at own request he was transferred to 2. Brigade of general José Marina Vega, engaged in southern provinces of Luzon at least until the battle of Presa Molino in March 1897. His bravery in action earned Cortina a number of military awards and promotion to captain, but his last months in the Philippines are not clear. The 1898 official annual listed him as secretary of Comisión Superior de Instrucción Primaria on the islands, but in January 1898 he was released from administration and later that year returned to Spain.

Back in Andalusia (1899–1915)

Cortina settled back in Marchena, assuming what was left of once large estate of his father. It is not known whether it was expropriated as repressive anti-Carlist measure or - during 20 years of his absence - divided among the relatives; in the press his economy was referred to "hacienda de Porcun". He immediately resumed Carlist activity and in 1899 entered the Sevilla Junta Provincial, soon growing to its vice-president. His engagement in gear-up to a Carlist uprising, planned at that time, is unclear. None of the sources treating the subject mentions his name, while a single but highly reliable work claims he remained actively involved and as a reward the claimant promoted him to general; most other authors suggest the promotion acknowledged his wartime Philippine advantages.

Little is known of Cortina's contribution to the legitimist cause in the early 1900s, except that he entertained national Carlist leaders visiting Andalusia and himself travelled to Venice to see Carlos VII. He remained adamant in public and got expulsed from the Seville agricultural organization for his vehemently hostile stand towards Alfonso XIII. In 1907 he was rumored to run for the Cortes from Seville, but the news proved false. In 1909 he visited Melilla and the same year he travelled to Venice again, this time to attend the funeral of his king and to welcome the new claimant, Don Jaime, who promoted him to general de división. Also in 1909 Cortina appeared already as regional leader of the Andalusian Carlism; exact year of his nomination is not clear.

Given scarce support for Carlism in Andalusia the regional party structures were rather skimpy; Cortina threw himself into organizational work, building local juntas, youth circles, female sections and requeté units. In 1910 he launched El Radical, a periodical initially based in Dos Hermanas to move later to Marchena and finally to Jérez de la Frontera, and tried to mobilize support by organizing contests and semi-scientific conferences. Double hatting as jefe provincial in Seville he negotiated coalition candidates during elections, yet his intransigent stand prevented understanding with right-wing Catholic groupings and in 1911 he recommended abstention.

The climax of Cortina's Andalusian efforts fell in 1912, when as counter-celebration to official centenary of liberal Cádiz constitution he mounted commemoration honoring an anti-Cádiz thinker, Francisco Alvarado, a native of Marchena. The municipality was already turned into a Carlist hotbed; in April a number of Carlist political heavyweights including the party leader Feliú descended upon the town, the sequence of 2-day celebrations crowned with unveiling of Alvarado's monument. Cortina, a rather back-row party figure nationwide, enjoyed his days of glory, noted in Carlist papers across the country. In 1913 he was nominated to the newly formed national executive and entered its organization and financial committees, temporarily heading also the Extremadura party branch; in 1914 he was even noted on a unique trip beyond Andalusia. The apogee did not last long; in 1915 he ceased as regional jefe and as a result he also fell off Junta Nacional.

Madrid (after 1915)

None of the sources consulted clarifies why Cortina left the regional jefatura. At the time Carlism was divided into supporters of de Mella and those standing by the claimant, but in historiography he is only marginally mentioned as a somewhat disoriented Mellista sympathizer. It seems that the circumstances were strictly personal. Third Carlist War broke the back of the family; while other Marchena representatives of "burguesia agraria" kept growing into wealth, Cortina struggled. Turning 60 and with health problems, he concluded that he would be better off on the state payroll possibly earning a pension and perhaps assumed that moving to Madrid would facilitate his return to public service. Starting 1917 he was already noted as resident of the capital. As Ministerio de Ultramar no longer existed he knocked at the doors of Ministerio de Hacienda and got finally restored as 3. class administrative official in Ministerio de Fomento, success probably conditioned by distant family ties.

Though no longer holding high party jobs, in the capital Cortina was more exposed to big politics. He mixed with Madrid-resident Traditionalist leaders and royal figures, e.g. entertaining princess Beatriz in 1918. His call to create militia protecting religious establishments in wake of social unrest of late 1918 and early 1919 briefly gained him attention in the Cortes. When the conflict between de Mella and Don Jaime exploded into a full-scale confrontation in 1919, Cortina decided to side with the rebels. However, he was scarcely involved either in internal struggle or later in buildup of the new secessionist organization; in the early 1920s he rather withdrew from politics, attending only vaguely related gatherings. This was the case also following the Primo de Rivera coup of 1923; somewhat sympathetic to Somatén he stayed clear of politics and limited himself to posthumous homages to de Mella. Until 1927 Cortina was listed on various assignments within Ministerio de Fomento.

In the early 1930s Cortina returned to Carlist loyalty by joining Comunión Tradicionalista; moderately exposed in propaganda as a veteran figure, he was noted as sitting in minor decorative bodies rather than engaged in real-life politics. Another moment of glory came on April 15, 1934, when he was invited to take part in massive gathering of Andalusian Carlists at Quintillo. Overwhelmed by the picture of 650 uniformed and trained requetés on field practice, the 78-year-old cried and declared the day "the happiest in his life". One of few alive officers from the Third Carlist War, in the mid-1930s Cortina ascended to president of Asociación de Veterano, engaged in mutual assistance program of the Carlist elderly and occasionally presided over party feasts; the last one noted took place in March 1936. Upon outbreak of the Civil War he was seized and detained in the Modelo prison. It is not clear how much time he spent behind bars; he survived workers’ militias raiding the prison and executing the prisoners. Cortina was released at unspecified time and died shortly afterwards as result of treatment he suffered when incarcerated.

Footnotes

^ one source claims that he passed away in 1938 as "victima de las privaciones que habia tenido que soportar", Ferrer 1955 (25), p. 175. Most sources point to 1937 (and some to November 1937) as the date of his death, compare e.g. Biografía de un general carlista sevillano de la Tercera Guerra Carlista, Hispanismo service or José Díez de la Cortina entry, MyHeritage service, available here
note that in contemporary press the name could appear in different spelling versions, e.g. "Díez de la Cortina", "Díez de la Cortina", "Díez de Cortina", "Díez de Cortina", "Diaz de la Cortina", "Díaz de la Cortina", "Diaz de Cortina" or "Díaz de Cortina". The version followed here is the one adopted in official governmental documents, compare BOE 01.02.03, available here
Ramón Luis Retamero Díez de la Cortina, Raíz de los Díez de la Cortina procedentes de Marchena, s.l. 2013, p. 5
Retamero 2013, p. 5
named José Antonio Díez de la Cortina Gutiérrez de Caviedes
Retamero 2013, p. 26
in the 1990s the building was declared part of local historical patrimony and covered with appropriate regional protection scheme, see Marchena. Plan espacial de protección del conjunto histórico, Ficha No. 16: Casa palacio de José Díez de la Cortina, available here. However, it did not prevent further dilapidation; currently there are only few walls standing, compare google.maps service, available here
Juan Díez de la Cortina Layna entry, ariasdereyna service, available here Archived 2017-01-04 at the Wayback Machine
José Fernando Alcaide Aguilar, Marchena durante la regencia de María Cristina. Aspectos políticos, sociales y económicos, Actas de las IV Jornadas sobre Historia de Marchena 1999, pp. 31, 38
Alcaíde 1999, p. 54
Adrian Shubert, José Luis Gil Aristu, Historia social de España (1800-1990), Madrid 1991, ISBN 9788486763473, p. 110, Rafael Mata Olmo, Pequeña y gran propiedad en la depresión del Guadalquivir, Madrid 1987, ISBN 9788474795240, pp. 110-112
few of them owned an estate larger than 1,000 ha while Duque de Osuna, a typical case of grand Andalusian landowner, possessed some 8,000 ha, Mata 1987, p. 108
which rendered Marchena a rather exceptional county; in most of Andalusian counties it was the grand properties which prevailed: "la gran propiedad de Marchena en 1860 constituye, frente al caso cordobés analizado, un buen exponente de latifundio más evolucionado y próximo al capitalismo agrario pleno", Mata 1987, p. 105, general discussion pp. 105-125
Mata 1987, p. 117
see the scan of Díez de la Cortina birth certificate at family.search service, available here
except that her father was José Olaeta from San Fernando, and her mother was Elena Bouyon from Cádiz, see family.search service, available here
compare e.g. El Comercio 11.03.50, available here
Guillermo C. R. G. Perez, Honorato Bouyon Serze, Contando Historias Antiguas blog, 23.12.14, available here
, Informe Genéalogico Completo de Juan Díez de la Cortina, s.l. 2013, p. 15
Informe Genéalogico 2013, p. 15, Retamero 2013, p. 37
the claim made on January 17, 2012 by Mariano Ternero Caro at network54 forum, the post can not be linked due to Misplaced Pages blacklisting the network54 service; if going there at your own risk, copy-paste and replace "www.etwork" with "www.network" of "http:www.etwork54.com/Forum/66218/message/1326795688/Re-+Díez+de+la+cortina+olaeta" address. The same person claims that José had an extramarital son, though nothing is known about him. The claim appears to be corroborated by the fact that in the 1920s José Díez de la Cortina and his wife lived separately; he resided in Madrid and she remained in Marchena, compare La Opinión 23.08.23, available here. However, one source claims that he had an unnamed daughter, who in turn was the mother of Francisco de Alvear y Gómez de la Cortina, Javier M. Pérez-Roldan y Suanzes-Carpegna, Francisco de Alvear, conde de la Cortina, El Boletín Carlista de Madrid 101 (2009), p. 14. Genealogic chart indicated that maternal grandfather of Francisco de Alvear was José Justo Gómez de la Cortina, see 5ta Condesa De La Cortina María Joaquina Gómez de la Cortina Rodríguez Rivas entry, Genealogiafamiliar service, available here
compare the Cortina Institute web page, available here
the ganaderia was sold in the late 19th century, see García Jiménez, Hermanos entry, ganaderias.toroslidia service, available here
exact year is unclear, the options possible being 1873, 1874 and (unlikely) 1872
BOE 01.02.03, available here; great-great-grandmother of Mariano Ternero Caro, Rocio Diez de la Cortina y Layna Pernia, was the sister of Juan Diez de la Cortina y Layna Pernia, father of the first Count of la Cortina de la Mancha, Informe Genealógico Completo de Rocio Díez de la Cortina Layna Pernia, s.l. 2013, available here
during the First Carlist War Marchena was briefly taken by the Carlists but there is no note of any Díez de la Cortina involved; later on the alcalde claimed in report to higher authorities that there were no Carlist supporters in the area, Alcaide 1999, pp. 46-47
El Pensamiento Español 13.07.64, available here
José Díez de la Cortina, El fracaso de un plan, Tradición 16 (1933), p. 387, available here
La Regeneración 25.05.70, available here
Díez de la Cortina 1933, p. 387
Díez de la Cortina 1933, pp. 387-388
in July he was engaged in combat at Cirauqui, Ortigosa, Arrayoz and Dicastillo, in August present among troops laying siege to Estella and Viana and in September fighting at Oyón and Lumbier, own account referred after Díez de la Cortina 1933, pp. 387-388
in Andalusia their group was a quite unique, compare "algunas de las partidas formadas en el sur tuvieron que desplazarse a otros puntos más propicios para poner el combate por la causa carlista. Así ocurrió, para poner un caso curioso, con la partida de José Díez de la Cortina, formada en octubre en la localidad sevillana de Marchena e integrada por tres de sus hijos, un sobrino, los criados y servidores, el abogado, el capellan y tres voluntarios del pueblo", Jordi Canal, El carlismo, Madrid 2000, ISBN 8420639478, p. 185
"sumando un total de veinte hombres, perfectamente armados, montados y equipados", B. de Artagan , Principe heroico y soldados leales,. Barcelona 1912, p. 118
Díez de la Cortina 1933, p. 388, Melchor Ferrer, Historia del tradicionalismo español, vol 25, Sevilla 1955, p. 175
almost all of them cavalrymen, Ferrer 1955, p. 168
Díez de la Cortina 1933, p. 389
where they broke up a local prison and set the prisoners free, Melchor Ferrer, Historia del tradicionalismo español, vol. 26, Sevilla 1955, p. 234
Díez de la Cortina 1933, pp. 389-390; slightly different sequence in Ferrer 1955 (26), pp. 234-242, 273
detailed account in Ferrer 1955 (26), pp. 241-245. A very picturesque and dramatic account of Piedrabuena episode in Diario de Valencia 05.05.12, available here
Díez de la Cortina 1933 1933, pp. 390-391
Ferrer 1955 (25), p. 175. Rafael had his horse shot, El Estandarte Real July 1889, available here
he joined troops of Coronel Villar and at his orders made it to Castillo de Galiana to recover. Then in Ciudad Real he joined another Carlist unit, within its ranks withdrawing to Portugal, B. de Artagan , Principe heroico y sus soldados leales, Barcelona 1912, p. 122
where he was looked after by his queen, Doña Margarita, who co-ordinated services for the Carlist wounded, Brea 1912, p. 122
^ El Estandarte Real July 1889
^ Ferrer 1955 (25), p. 175
Brea 1912, p. 122
Ferrer 1955 (26), p. 325
Brea 1912, p. 121-122Ferrer 1955 (25), p. 175
three times red cross of Mérito Militar, one white cross of Mérito Militar, la Encomienda de la Real de Carlos III, Medalla de plata de Carlos VII, Brea 1912, p. 122-123
Diario de Valencia 05.05.12, available here
Brea 1912, p. 125
post of Mariano Ternero Caro at network54 service, 17.01.12, as the site is blacklisted by Misplaced Pages it can not be linked, at your own risk you might go to "http://www.etwork54.com/Forum/66218/message/1326795688/Re-+diez+de+la+cortina+olaeta" address and replace "etwork" with "network"
Guía Oficial de España 1884, p. 849, available here
as it appears that he spent at least a year in Cienfuegos, Santiago Barroeta Scheidnagel, Los sucesos de Cienfuegos, New York 1897, p. 120, available here
his maternal grandmother’s family was related to Cienfuegos and some of his distant relatives might have still lived there, Perez 2014
perhaps as replacement of a sick official, La Correspondencia de España 28.10.87, available here
administrador de la aduana
El Día 31.08.87, available here
El Día 22.10.87, available here
El Día 10.11.87, available here
Boletin oficial de la provincia de Murcia 12.02.19, available here
El Estandarte Real May 1890, available here
El Día 06.08.95, available here
El Día 06.08.95
La Epoca 17.09.96, available here
El Grano de Arena 24.10.96, available here
El bien público 19.10.96, available here. The unit was composed of two sections, though Cortina did not serve in any directly, La Iberia 16.10.96, available here
Manuel Sastrón, La insurección en Filipinas, Madrid 1897, p. 480, available here
El Globo 03.03.97, available here
in Spain known as "acción de Noveleta"
Brea 1912, p. 123-124; there are some claims – which appear to be obviously incorrect – that he rose to commander of the entire Luzon, compare Tradición carlista y republicana, Museo Virtual Marchena service, available here
^ Quintillo, el principal acto del Carlismo andaluz, Carlismo Andaluz service, available here
crosses of Mérito Militar, encomienda de Orden de Isabel la Católica, Medalla conmemorativa, Brea 1912, p. 124, also La Correspondencia Militar 15.12.97, available here
El Correo Militar 28.09.97, available here
Anuario del Comercio 1898, p. 2683, available here
La Epoca 24.02.98, available here. It seems that his discharge had nothing to do with rolling back the Spanish administration in the Philippines, which would commence after the Spanish–American War had been concluded, especially that Cortina was replaced at his post by another individual, Diario del comercio 26.02.98, available here
in 1899 he was already noted as active in Seville, El Correo Español 09.03.99, available here
El Correo Español 10.07.08, available here
El Correo Español 09.03.99
compar e.g. appropriate chapters in Agustín Fernández Escudero, El marqués de Cerralbo (1845-1922): biografía politica , Madrid 2012, pp. 311-367
see e.g. Brea 1912, p. 124, Diario de Valencia 05.05.12, available here
e.g. de Mella in Cádiz in 1906, El Guadalete 21.05.06, available here
El Correo Español 28.09.05, available here
named Circulo de Labradores
El Correo Español 17.05.04, available here
El País 13.04.07, available here
apparently on a private trip to visit the Spanish military, he was greeted as "ilustre caballero de Marchena" and declared intention to visit general Marina, whom he knew from the Philippines war, El Imparcial 02.09.09, available here
El Porvenir 27.07.09, available here, Melchor Ferrer, Historia del tradicionalismo español, vol. 28/1, Sevilla 1959, p. 230, Manuel Polo y Peyrolón, D. Carlos de Borbón y de Austria-Este, Valencia 1909, p. 194
La Cruz 17.11.09, available here
a single source claims that Cortina assumed the Andalusian jefatura already in 1904, Juan María Roma, Album historico del Carlismo, Barcelona 1933, p. 331. From another work it might be understood that when visiting Venice in 1909 he was already the Andalusian jefe, Polo 1909, p. 194., The only Carlist personality of comparable standing in Western Andalusia was Jesús de Grimarest y Villasís, who as late as 1908 was the provincial Seville jefe, El Correo Español 10.07.08, available here
when he assumed jefatura hardly a circle existed in Andalusia - Diario de Valencia 05.05.12, available here
El Correo Español 30.12.09, available here
El Norte 19.01.10, available here, Marco Antonio Gavira Berdugo, El tradicionalismo en la Marchena de principio de siglo, Actas de las VIII Jornadas de Marchena, Marchena 2002, ISBN 849323219X, p. 58-59
El Correo Español 30.04.12, available here, also El Defensor de Cordoba 27.04.12, available here
Biografía de un general carlista sevillano de la Tercera Guerra Carlista, Hispanismo service
the daily disappeared in 1913, Julio Ponce Alberca, Marchena durante el primer tercio del siglo XX, Actas de las IV Jornadas sobre Historia de Marchena, Marchena 1999, ISBN 8492149965, p. 411; he also contributed himself as "Patricio marciense", "Un Jaimista", "el Corresponsal", "José Decemerys" and perhaps "Pero López", Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 59
Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 59
Melchor Ferrer, Historia del tradicionalismo español, vol. 29, Sevilla 1960, p. 324
setting up prizes for lectures envisioned at a conference titled Apuntes sobre algunos carlistas ilustres de Andalucia, El Norte 11.01.10, available here
El Norte 08.02.10, available here
the incident prompted a contemporary scholar to charge Cortina with "obsesivo antiliberalismo", Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 54
Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 54
La Tradición 19.08.11, available here also La Defensa 27.08.11, available here. For detailed discussion of Alvarado and his thought, written from the Traditionalist perspective, see Andrés Gambra, La publicística antigaditana (1810-1814): el Filósofo Rancio, Anuario de Historia del Derecho Español 84 (2014), pp. 647-696
one scholar ponders upon a thesis that it Marchena was a Carlist capital , Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 52. In the late 19th century the town was politically dominated by the Liberals, Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 49, Ponce Alberca 1999, p. 407. Later it tilted towards José Torres Díaz de la Cortina, an ex-Carlist turned a Conservative in wake of the Pidalista breakup, Ponce Alberca 1999, p. 408. In 1900-1923 local elections revealed almost perfect split between the Conservatives and the Liberals, Ponce Alberca 1999, p. 408. When the Carlist círculo was opened in the early 1910s, the Conservative and Liberal circles existed since respectively 1903 and 1908. It seems that the Carlist resurgence in Marchena was ephemeric and existed thanks to personal Cortina activity; when he left, the Carlist life languished. In 1922 there was already no Jaimista círculo existent in Marchena, Ponce Alberca 1999, pp. 410-411
apart from Roca y Ponsa, a clear Carlist supporter, other personalisites present were Conde Rodezno and Jaime Chicharro, Gavira Berdugo 2002, pp. 67-71
Gavira Berdugo 2002, pp. 60-66. The ayuntamiento decided to send its representatives to celebrations staged during the first day only and formatted as homage to a great Marchena thinker; they ignored the second day events, highly flavored with Traditionalism. When responding to official enquiries later on, the ayuntamiento informed the civil governor that no openly rebellious activities took place, the most disturing ones having been the cries of "viva don Jaime" and "viva nuestros principios", Gavira Berdugo 2002, pp. 67-71. Official attention is hardly surprising given a Carlist rally in Eibar just 2 weeks earlier led to riots and fatalities, Gavira Berdugo 2002, p. 73
Ferrer 1960, pp. 53-4. The monument still stands in Marchena, though there are calls to remove "horroroso monumento" dedicated to "uno de los personajes más siniestros de la cultura democrática y de las libertades", the monument being "símbolo del absolutismo y de la intolerancia" which "sociedad más autónoma y progresista" should remove, compare a letter of Antonio Casero Rodríguez, El Filósofo Rancio, La Voz de Marchena 31.08.09, available here
he is hardly mentioned in massive work dealing with Carlist politics during leadership of Marqués de Cerralbo, compare Fernández Escudero 2012. A work dealing with internal power struggle within Carlist command structures during the tenure of Bartolomé Feliú does not mention Cortina at all, see Juan Ramón de Andrés Martín, El caso Feliú y el dominio de Mella en el partido carlista en el período 1909–1912, Historia contemporánea 10 (1997), pp. 99–116
also as "bizarro general", compare Diario de Valencia 03.02.13, available here
Diario de Valencia 31.01.13, available here
El Norte 07.08.13, available here
to Avila, El Correo Español 02.07.14, available here
estimated year; he ceased between the summer of 1914 and the fall of 1916. In August 1914 he was still noted as Andalusian jefe, see El Adelanto 02.07.14, available here, and in October 1916 was already referred to as "former leader", El Correo Español 31.10.16, available here. A single and not entirely reliable source claims he ceased already in 1912, Roma 1933, p. 331
standing third from right
especially in relation to the anti-Entente position adopted by de Mella, Juan Ramón de Andrés Martín, El cisma mellista. Historia de una ambición política, Madrid 2000, ISBN 9788487863820, p. 97. Another source notes that he seemed pretty defiant, in August 1914 suggesting to de Cerralbo that the Carlists should commence insurgency in case the Madrid government abandons neutrality in favor of the Entente, Fernández Escudero 2012, p. 481
in the 1930s the so-called latifundios (holdings above 250 ha) occupied 1/3 of the county territory, compared to 40-66% in neighboring counties; unlike elsewhere, most land belonged to category defined as "extracción burguesa"; among its 15 representatives listed no Díez de la Cortina is listed, Ponce 1999, pp. 403-404
also a modest Cortina-built Carlist political strength disappeared once he left the town. In the 1931 local elections not a single Carlist was elected, Ponce 1999, p. 421-422; in general elections of the Republic Carlist candidates stood only once, in 1933, but failed to get a ticket, Ponce 1999, p. 430. The Carlist circle, re-opened in 1933, counted 6 members, Jose Antonio Parejo Fernández, Falangistas en Marchena. Estudio sociológico de un pasado desconocido, Actas de las IX Jornadas sobre Historia de Marchena, Marchena 2005, ISBN 849340702X, p. 14. Though one author claims that "el carlismo tenía sólidaimplantación en Marchena", his account of the Civil War in the city suggests that it was the Falangists ruling, with almost no note of the Carlists, see Javier Gavira Gil, En busca de una Historia Oculta: La Guerra Civil en Marchena (1936-1939), Marchena 2007, ISBN 9788461166749. In 1937 there were some 1200 Falangists in Marchena, compared to only 37 Carlists; no Díez de la Cortina appears in both groups, Parejo Fernández 2005, pp. 41-87
in 1916 he sought relief in an Aragon spa, El Correo Español 31.10.16, available here
his wife remained in Marchena. Her house, named Villa Patrocinia, was attacked twice; in 1923 it was set ablaze by unidentified perpetrators, see La Opinión 23.08.23, available here, and in 1927 it was invaded by two robberes who holding her at gunpoint demanded money, see La Opinión 26.10.27, available here; it is not clear whether both attacks were politically motivated
Diario de Valencia 26.07.17, available here
Boletin Oficial de la Provincia de Murcia 12.02.19, available here
in 1921
El Debate 12.02.21, available here
Rafael Benjumea, descendant to a distantly related Benjumea family, also from Marchena, was Minister de Fomento at the time
El Norte 30.04.18, available here
Diario de Córdoba 30.11.18, available here
La Correspondencia de España 02.03.19, available here
Ferrer 1960, p. 125, Ferrer 1955 (25), p. 175
he is recorded only once, when in 1920 taking part in a meeting of the Mellistas and the social-Catholics, José Luis Orella Martínez, El origen del primer catolicismo social español, Madrid 2012, p. 214
in 1922 he attended the funeral of de Cerralbo, Diario de Valencia 30.08.22, available here
El Somatén July 1924, available here
in 1928 he acted as secretary of the junta which co-ordinated homage activities, El Siglo Futuro 04.06.28, available here
in 1922 he was assigned to Sección de Comercio, Industria y Minas, Guía Oficial de España 1922, p. 840, available here; active also in Dirección General de Obras Publicas as "negociado de urbanización y construcciones", Guía Oficial de España 1922, p. 865, available here. In 1924-1925 he worked for the section of Minas y Industrias Metalurgicas, Guía Oficial de España 1924, p. 840, available here, and Guía Oficial de España 1925, p. 830, available here. In 1926 he switched to Ferrocariles y Tranvias, Guía Oficial de España 1926, p. 838, available here, and continued there in 1927, see Guía Oficial de España 1927, p. 830, available here. It seems that he retired in 1927, compare La Opinión 16.08.27, available here, and El Siglo Futuro 16.08.27, available here. In 1929 he apparently attempted to obtain some pension-related benefits from the army, but to no avail; the press note identifies him as comandante retirado, which appears to be his highest rank acknowledged by the Madrid government, La Correspondencia Militar 16.01.29, available here
e.g. in 1932 donating money to Carlist initiatives, El Cruzado Español 29.04.32, available here
there is only a 2-line brief footnote mention of him in a luxury Carlist centenary album, Roma 1933, p. 331
e.g. sitting in presidency of a local Madrid gathering in 1933, Pensamiento Alavés 09.01.33, available here, or present at a 1934 opening of a circulo in Sevilla, Las Provincias 17.04.34, available here
the only case of Cortina taking part in what seemed like political negotiations was his taking part in December 1932 monarchist conference in Madrid, which involved also Acción Popular, see El Defensor de Córdoba 19.12.32, available here
Leandro Alvarez Rey, La derecha en la II República, Sevilla 1931-1936, Sevilla 1993, ISBN 9788447201525, p. 370
Tradición 01.05.34, available here. "Hay más carlistas hoy en esta tierra que cuando me eché al monte hace sesenta años con los criados de mi casa", he declared, Javier Ugarte Tellería, Fal Conde: Carlismo y modernismo, Revista Universitaria de Historia Militar 7/13 (2018), p. 506
Pensamiento Alavés 01.12.41, available here; another source prefers to name him rather jefe of Tercio de Veteranos Carlistas, which seems to be the same organization, Ferrer 1955 (25), p. 175
Pensamiento Alavés 10.03.36, available here
Retamero 2013, p. 37

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