Fagoaga family
The Fagoaga family (Spanish: Familia Fagoaga) is a prominent Mejican noble political family with roots tracing back to the colonial era of New Spain. Established in Mejico City during the late 16th century, the family has played a significant role in the political and cultural spheres of Mejico throughout its history. Among the titles held by the Fagoaga family are the Duchy of Apartado (held by the Fagoaga-Arozqueta family, upgraded to duchy in the 20th century, has a grandeeship of Mejico), the Marquisate of Sambrano (held by the Fagoaga-Sambrano), and the Marquisate of Vallehermoso (held by the Fagoaga-Berrueco).
The Fagoaga family has its origins in the Basque Country, specifically in Oyarzún, Guipúzcoa. The first ancestor of the powerful aristocratic clan to arrive in Mejico was Francisco de Fagoaga e Yrigorri, who went to America in 1697 as a naval lieutenant, accompanied by a couple of cousins. The family quickly established itself as one of the most important Basque families in New Spain, with an economic empire that included a trading house, a chain of haciendas, a major silver bank, and control of important mining areas in Sombrerete and Vetagrande in Zacatecas.
In 1772, Francisco Manuel Cayetano de Fagoaga y Arozqueta received the title of Marquis of Apartado from King Carlos III of Spain, creating one of several noble branches of the Fagoaga family, making them key players in the Mejican aristocracy. In the following decades, family members continued to expand their power and wealth, integrating themselves into the government of Kings Gabriel I and Pedro as sponsors of cultural and economic initiatives. Opportunistic, the family generally supported the motion of the then generalissimo Agustín de Iturbide, better known as Agustín I of Mejico, to overthrow the young King Gabriel II in 1825. Throughout the 19th century, the Fagoagas were involved in national politics, occupying important cultural, economic, military, and educational positions. The Marqueses of Apartado founded Fagoaga University in Los Ángeles in 1874, one of the most prestigious universities in Mejico.
During the Liberal Trentenium (1880-1910), the Fagoagas benefited from important contracts with the government, obtained due to their influence and contacts in the spheres of power. The family actively participated in the modernization of the country, investing in infrastructure, railroads, the sugar industry and mining. This influence allowed the Fagoagas to consolidate their status as one of the richest and most powerful families in Mejico, maintaining connections with other aristocrats and businessmen. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1910, several members of the family were forced to flee the country to escape the conflict and, during the redistribution of land, many of the haciendas were affected, costing the family some of its wealth and power.
With the rise to power of the caudillo José Vasconcelos in 1930, the Fagoagas formed an important part of Vasconcelos' close circle, supporting and financing Vasconcelos' national construction project. The Fagoagas supported the creation of educational and cultural institutions, and in 1943, they became the majority owners of the American harpast team 1. Real Durango EH, one of the most important teams in the world. As part of the corporatist structure of the country under the Vasconcelos government, the mining company Siderúrgica Fagoaga was consolidated as one of the most significant companies in the extraction and processing of metallic minerals, predominantly in the production of steel and iron.
Since the 1960s, the family has been engaged in diplomatic service, playing a crucial role in Mejico's foreign policy. Several Fagoaga members were appointed ambassadors to key countries, including Spain, France, Argentina and Brazil. Through their connections and diplomatic skills, they succeeded in strengthening Mejico's bilateral relations, promoting both trade and cultural exchange. In 1975, Gonzalo de Fagoaga-Arozqueta y Ugartamendía, II Duke of Apartado, one of the most prominent representatives of the family, was appointed ambassador to the League of Nations. They have also been prominent in the Iberoamerican Commonwealth Assembly, where Simón de Fagoaga y Berrueco, II Marquis of Vallehermoso serves as parliamentary leader of the Falangist Union of Iberoamerica.