Joel Reyes - Descendants of Melchor De Los Reyes de Ecija: Circa 4 1/2 Centuries in America (2 Centuries in Nueva España/present day México and circa 2 1/2 Centuries in Texas)

Descendants of MelchorDe Los Reyes de Ecija:

Circa 4 1/2 Centuriesin America (2 Centuries in Nueva Espaa/present day Mxico andcirca 2 1/2 Centuries in Texas)

Published by Joel Reyes

Copyright 2016 Joel Reyes

Second Edition, 2018

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I dedicate my family tree to mygreat-grandmother Elena Villanueva (see cover page for 1933portrait of my great-grandparents Elena Villanueva and AnicetoReyes) who inspired me to pursue and complete my familys genealogytree. Elena was born on August 10, 1900 in Toluca, Hidalgo County,Texas, and was the familys matriarch up until 2008 when she passedaway at the blessed age of 107 years and 8 months old. Mygreat-grandmother Elena was extremely proud of her Tejano roots(original Spanish settlers of Texas) and Hispanic Heritage asshould all of her descendants.

I also dedicate my family tree to my parents,Joe David Reyes Sr. and Maria Norfelia Perales who without themthere would be no family tree and finally to my precious daughter,Laken Morgan Reyes who was born in 2016 and is the youngest of theReyes clan in my lineage.

Laken Morgan Reyes

Reyes Lineage inEurope: Nobles and Knights

The Reyes lineage dates back toancient Rome so to refer to it with some historical foundation wemust first accept what was written in the 8 th Century by the famous Bishopof Orense, Don Servando, Confessor to King Don Rodrigo (last of theGothic monarchy) and Prince Don Pelayo 2, 5, 8, 22-23 . The Bishopstates in his Book of Lineages that theReyes surname originatesfrom Claudio Clemente de Reyes, a Noble Knight from an illustriousRoman family around the year 230 A.D., father of Santa ClaudiaRegina 2, 15-17, 26 ,128,179 . Since the Spanish language didnot evolve until after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire in5 th Century A.D., Claudios Latin name was Claudius Clemens Regum(Claudius means from Roman family nameClaudius - gens Claudia , Clemens meansmerciful, and Regum means of Kings 49, 79, 82, 126-127 .Additionally the Latin word Regina means Queen and the Spanishsentence "Noble caballero de la sangre mas elevada de Roma impliesthat he was from a patrician family of the highestnobility/military rank in Roman Empire which was "Dux" orDuke) 16, 26, 75,81 .

Rodrigo Mndez Silva(17 th Century Historian) states in his book "Genealogy of theCaptain of Armored Knights Don Luis Garca Reyes" that the originalReyes Solar (Spanish word Solar means Ancestral lands/First Manorhouse which implies that he was Lord of the Manor), before the7 th Century, originated in las Montaas de Burgos (Mountains ofBurgos). Miguel de Salazar substantiatesthis information by describing the exact location - el Vallede Mena (Valley of Mena which belongs to the jurisdiction ofVillarcayo Burgos)2, 12, 15-17, 21, 26.

According to the historical datacontained in ancient chronicles and stories on the first Nobles andKnights with Reyes surname, the cradle was observed to be Galician.Francisco Piferrer (19 th Century Historian) states in his book Nobles ofthe realm and Knights of Spain thatthe Noble with the most viable andconsistent data begins with Gomez de Reyes,in the year 611 A.D. (during the reign of 7 th Century Visigothic KingGundemar), Lord of the house and Castle de Bocirios in Chantada,Lugo, Spain (second Reyes Solar). His sonwas Garca de Reyes who founded a newManor house (third Reyes Solar) in an eminent hill calledAltamira near Noya (La Corua) who had a son or grandson namedGonzalo de Reyes, one of the renowned soldiers who served under DonPelayo (Early 8 th Century King ofAusturias) in his heroic endeavor againstthe Moors 2, 15-17, 22-23, 26, 179,194 .

Towards the end of the8 th Century the well-known Nuo deReyes is shown. Nuo de Reyes served under the reignof Alfonso II "the Chaste" (Late8 th Century King of Austurias) and was one of the twelve Knightsof high blood chosen to form a brotherhood that, over time, becamethe Military Order of Santiago 2,14-17, 22, 26 .

The descendants of this ancient andillustrious family are later found elsewhere in Galicia, Murcia,both Castillas, Leon and Andalucia (as a result of wars and theMoorish conquest), and later, during the discovery of the newworld, in America 15-17,26 . Within the illustrious family ofdescendants is found Payo de Reyes, a nobleman, one of the 87descendants from the Kingdom of Murcia; Don Martin de Reyes, Knightof the order of Calatrava, Noble Master of the castle de Sanlucarde Barrameda, and Chief Magistrate of Antequera; Don Bernardino deReyes, alderman of the city of Mlaga (Spanish city located inProvince of Mlaga, one of the oldest cities in the world) whoserved King Don Felipe II (16 th Century King of Spain)gloriously in the last Morisco uprisings in the Kingdom of Granada;Don Pedro de Reyes, Canon to Holy Cathedral Church of Trujillo, inthe Indies, and Apostolic Commissioner and Subdelgate to HolyCrusade; Matias de Reyes (early 1700s) who was from Nerja, Provinceof Mlaga; Don Gregorio de Reyes, conquistador of the New Kingdomof Granada (16 th Century Spanish colonial provinces in northernSouth America), and his first cousin Don Benito de Aguilar yReyes 15-17,26 .

One of the lines of the Reyes familywas also established in the city of Seville, Andalucia, Spain, in16 th Century. To her belonged the following descendants: (see nextsection for Patriarch: Melchor de los Reyes de Ecija)

I. Gaspar de los Reyes (born circa1572), a native of Seville, judge and steward of the city in 1603,listed as nobility of Seville in the 17 th Century .

II. Francisco Felix de los Reyes(born circa 1760) judge of the city in 1798 .

Another Reyes line was establishedin the nearby city of Ecija, Seville, Andalucia, Spain. To herbelonged the following descendants: (see next section forPatriarch: Melchor de los Reyes de Ecija)

I. Gaspar de los Reyes (born circa1675), a native of Ecija, was married to Ana Lozano y Guerrero,born of that union was

II. Gaspar de los Reyes y Lozano(born circa 1705), a native of Ecija, was married to Ines de Torresy Prados (daughter of Andres de Torres y Ana Prados Valderrama,natives of Ecija), born of that union was

III. Andres de los Reyes y Torres(born circa 1730), a native of Ecija, alderman of this city,Captain of the Militia Regiment and Knight of the Order of Santiago(entered in 1765; the Order of Santiago is only open to descendants of noble blood ) 10, 14,15 .

Alonso de Santa Cruz(16 th Century Spanish cartographer and historian) states that theReyes lineage was also established in France, and Italy, with abranch in Naples, the Counts of Machia, and another one in Milan,of which Don Antonio de Reyes descended from, a Knight of the Orderof Santiago, who served as Captain of the fast horses in elPiamonte, which is described by Diego de la Mota(16 th Century Canon Friar from the Convent of the Order of Santiagoin Ucls )in his work Catalogo de los caballeros de dichaorden 15-17,24-26 .

The descendants of this illustriousfamily are later found in Portugal (Gaspar de los Reyes born in1644), Chile (Cristobal de los Reyes born circa 1670 in Chile whowas the son of Gaspar from Portugal); and Peru (Captain Gaspar delos Reyes Quintero born circa 1610) .

Patriarch of Reyes Family Lines in Seville and Ecija: Melchorde los Reyes de Ecija