José María de Orbe y Gaytán de Ayala, 5th Marquess of Valde-Espina, 1st Viscount of Orbe (1848–1933) was a Spanish Carlist soldier and politician. His career climaxed during presidency of the provincial Gipuzkoan self-government in the 1910s, though he is known mostly as member of the iconic Basque Valde-Espina dynasty. In the party ranks he rose to provincial leader in Gipuzkoa and was briefly member of the national Carlist executive.

Family and youth

José Maríafull name José María Juan Nepomuceno Ramón Leandro Andrés Martín de Aguirre de Orbe y Gaytán de Ayala, see Antonio Gaytán de Ayala Artázcoz, Parientes mayores de Guipúzcoa: señores del palacio casa-fuerte de Murguía en Astigarraga, [in:] Revista Internacional de los Estudios Vascos 3/25 (1934), p. 380 was descendant to a Basque aristocratic lineage. The Orbes originated from a Gipuzkoan hamlet of Anguiozar;now administrative part of Vergara (Gipuzkoa province), Gaytán de Ayala 1934, p. 374 in the 17th century their centre shifted to the nearby Biscay Ermua. The family rose to prestige in the mid-18th century, following completion of a palace,Historia de Ermua [anonymous summary of José Manuel Azcona Pastor, Historia general de la villa de Ermua: del paleolítico al asesinato de Miguel Ángel Blanco, Ermua 2003, ], p. 7, available here , furtherly referred as Azcona Pastor 2003 awarding Andrés de Orbe y Zarauzgreat-great-grandfather of Jose Maria, compare Andrés Agustín de Orbe y Zarauz, 1. marqués de Valdespina e 1. vizconde de Santa Cruz entry [in:] Geneallnet service, available here with marquesado of Valde-Espina,the title was originally granted to Andrés de Orbe y Larreategui, archbishop of Valencia, in 1736; he arranged for its ceding to his nephew, Gaytán de Ayala 1934, p. 373. There are two different spelling versions of the title widely in circulation, "Valde-Espina" and "Valdespina", and there is little integrity even in family-ordered obituaries, compare ABC 17.09.94, available here and ABC 14.01.06, available here. The officially acknowledged version is "Valde-Espina", followed also here, compare BOE 05.01.71, available here, though "Valdespina" exists in official realm as well, e.g. as part of a street name in Ermua, compare "calle de marqués Valdespina", BOE 17.01.11, available here and intermarriage with a Murguía y Arbelaiz dynasty; the latter multiplied family wealth by estates in eastern Gipuzkoa, centred around a mansion of Astigarraga.Gaytán de Ayala 1934, p. 373-5 An heir to the fortune, which in the early 19th century comprised 30 estates in Biscay15 estates in Ermua, 15 in neighboring locations, mostly Mallabia and Zaldibar, Joseba Agirreazkuenaga, Mikel Urquijo (eds.), Diccionario biográfico de los diputados generales, burócratas y patricios de Bizkaya (1800-1876), Bilbao 1995, , p. 367 and an unspecified number in Gipuzkoa,Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, p. 367 was the 3rd marqués and the grandfather of José María, José María de Orbe y Elío (1776–1850).Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, p. 362 He lost his arm during the War of the Pyreneesand was dubbed "El Manchuelo de Ermua" afterwards, Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, p. 362 and gained his name during the Peninsular War; opposition to the 1812 Cadiz constitution cost him imprisonment and nearly execution.Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, p. 363 A general brigadier, during the First Carlist War he joined the legitimists and served as minister of war;named also Secretario de Estado de Guerra, B. de Artagan [Reynaldo Brea], Príncipe heróico y soldados leales, Barcelona 1912, p. 104; he served also as ministro del Consejo General de Negocios del Reino, Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, p. 363 he died on exile in Bordeaux.Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, pp. 362-368

The sonhe was the second son and the third child; his older brother died in infancy, Gaytán de Ayala 1934, p. 378 of Orbe y Elío and the 4th marqués, Juan Nepomuceno de Orbe y Mariaca (1819–1891),Juan Nepomuceno de Orbe y Mariaca, 4. marqués de Valdespina entry, [in:] Geneallnet service, available here during the First Carlist War fought under command of his fatheras alférez de caballería and was twice wounded.first at Azpeitia then during the siege of Bilbao; he fought also at Puente-la-Reina; Los Arcos, Puente de Arquijas, Larrainzar, Echarri-Aranaz, Abárzuza, Montejurra, Arlaban, and Ondárroa, Brea 1912, p. 104 In 1848in 1848 promoted to teniente coronel for taking part in conspiracy of General Alzáa, Brea 1912, p. 104 and 1860 he took part in subsequent conspiracy attempts,in 1860 promoted to coronel for taking part in conspiracy of San Carlos de la Rápita, Brea 1912, p. 104 briefly serving as a senator.elected in 1871 from Biscay, Brea 1912, p. 106, see also Orbe y Mariaca, Juan Nepomuceno de. marqués de Valde-Espina entry, [in:] official Senate service, available here During the Third Carlist War he was Jefe de Estado Mayor del Ejército del Norte, held admin positionse.g as Comandante General de Vizcaya, nominated 1872 and commanded in line,he joined the insurgency in 1872 and commanded at Manaría, retreating back to France; in 1873 he led Carlist troops in Gipuzkoa, commandind during the battles of Marquina, Echevarría, Guernica, Solluve, Oñate, Azcárate, Peñacerrada, Las Campanas, Estella, Allo, Dicastillo, Vianá, Montejurra, Bilbao, Irún and Lacar, Brea 1912, p. 106 including personally leading cavalry charges.at Eraul in May 1874, Brea 1912, p. 106 Following brief exile in France he returned to Spain, among Vasconagadas Carlists already an iconic figure.Agirreazkuenaga, Urquijo 1995, pp. 362–368, Agustín Fernández Escudero, El marqués de Cerralbo (1845–1922): biografía politica [PhD thesis Complutense], Madrid 2012, pp. 80–81, see also numerous references in Javier Real Cuesta, El Carlismo Vasco 1876–1900, Madrid 1985, He married Casilda Gaytan de Ayala y AreizagaFrancisco de Paula Oller, Album de Personajes Carlistas con sus Biografias, vol. 2, Barcelona 1888, p. 80 (1824–1881),Luis M. Zavala y Fernández de Heredia (ed.), La sociedad vasca del siglo XIX en la correspondencia del archivo de la Casa de Zavala, vol. 1, Lasarte-Oria 2008, , p. 132 descendant to another Gipuzkoan aristocratic dynasty.the Gaytans originated from Toledo, but one of its branches settled in Gipuzkoa in the 17th century. She was the daughter of 9. Conde de Villafranca, 7, Marqués de Tola, 10. Conde de Sacro Romano Impero José María Gaytan de Ayala (1775–1837), her father was a native of Mondragon, her mother, María Casilda de Areizaga y Zuloaga, was a native of Tolosa, compare Gaytán de Ayala 1934, p. 379, see also Los Gaytán de Ayala entry, [in:] Euskalnet service, available here The couple shared their time between family residences in Ermua and Astigarraga; they had a pair of children,Gaytán de Ayala 1934, p. 379 José María born as the older of two sons.