José de Grimaldo
Encyclopedia
José de Grimaldo y Gutiérrez de Solorzano (1660 – 1733) was a Spanish
statesmen.
in 1660 to a wealthy family who had gained experience serving in the administration of the colonies of the Spanish Empire
. In 1683 he was admitted into the Order of Santiago
as a gesture to his parentage, but while he began to be acknowledged as a rising politician he failed to gain any serious appointment in government until the 1690s when the old dynasty died out.
who had arrived in Madrid in 1695. Grimaldo was found a position in the Ministry of War and Finance. He continued in this position throughout the War of the Spanish Succession
.
for the first time in 1714. It was a turbulent era for Spain, as they had been forced to accept the loss of huge amounts of territory (particularly to Austria in Italy, as well as losing Minorca and Gibraltar to Britain). Grimaldo helped to re-assert Spain, rebuilding its shattered army and navy.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
statesmen.
Early life
Grimaldo was born in MadridMadrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
in 1660 to a wealthy family who had gained experience serving in the administration of the colonies of the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. In 1683 he was admitted into the Order of Santiago
Order of Santiago
The Order of Santiago was founded in the 12th century, and owes its name to the national patron of Galicia and Spain, Santiago , under whose banner the Christians of Galicia and Asturias began in the 9th century to combat and drive back the Muslims of the Iberian Peninsula.-History:Santiago de...
as a gesture to his parentage, but while he began to be acknowledged as a rising politician he failed to gain any serious appointment in government until the 1690s when the old dynasty died out.
War of the Spanish Succession
Grimaldo became a follower of the politician Jean OrryJean Orry
Jean Orry was a French economist whose broad financial and governmental reforms in early 18th-century Bourbon Spain helped to further the implementation of centralized and uniform administration in that country.Jean Orry's career as a munitioneer for the army of Italy between 1690 and 1698,...
who had arrived in Madrid in 1695. Grimaldo was found a position in the Ministry of War and Finance. He continued in this position throughout the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
.
First Spell
Grimaldo became Secretary of StateSecretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
for the first time in 1714. It was a turbulent era for Spain, as they had been forced to accept the loss of huge amounts of territory (particularly to Austria in Italy, as well as losing Minorca and Gibraltar to Britain). Grimaldo helped to re-assert Spain, rebuilding its shattered army and navy.