Lorenzo Sáenz y Fernández Cortina (1863–1939) was a Spanish politician and publisher. Politically he supported the Carlist cause, though in the mid-1930s he assumed a somewhat dissident stand and co-led a faction known as Cruzadistas. His career climaxed in 1908–1910, when he served in the lower chamber of the Cortes. Within the party ranks during two spells of 1912-1913 and 1929-1932 he served in the national executive Junta Nacional, and in 1929-1932 he held the regional jefatura in New Castile. As a publisher in the 1890s and 1900s he founded and animated minor titles issued in eastern Andalusia, but is better known as one of key figures behind Madrid-based Carlist periodicals, El Correo Español (1919–1921) and El Cruzado Español (1929–1936). As an entrepreneur he was engaged in banking, olive oil, hydroelectricity and mining businesses.
Family and youth
Sáenz's paternal ancestors were related to Rioja. His grandfather, Manuel Sáenz García (b. 1799), originated from Ortigosa de Cameros and belonged to petty nobility; he married Celestina García Rubio, a girl from the nearby Rasillo de Cameros, whose brother León in the 1820s would open one of the first banks in Jaén. The son of Manuel and Celestina, also Manuel Sáenz García (1828–1904), though born in Ortigosa at one point moved to Jaén and joined the family-related banking business, which since the mid-19th century became a very successful enterprise; he got known as a banquero. Around 1863 he married Joaquína Fernández y Fernández Cortina (died 1914). Her ancestors originated from Pendueles (Llanes, Asturias) and her maternal uncles were Joaquín and Lorenzo Fernandez Cortina, the former the bishop of Sigüenza and the latter the canónigo in Jaén. Though born in Asturias she moved to Jaén, where her brother Manuel Férnandez Cortina became the co-founder of Colegio de Abogados and one of the most prestigious citizens of Jaén. Manuel and Joaquína settled in Jaén and formed part of the local financial oligarchy. It is not known how many children they had, though Lorenzo had at least 3 brothers, Joaquín, Juan and Manuel; it is not clear who was the oldest one, yet Lorenzo outlived all of them. None of the sources consulted provides any information on his early education, though some suggest that he frequented schools in Rioja, perhaps in Logroño. In 1878 he entered Facultad de Derecho at Universidad Central in Madrid. One source maintains that in 1884 he became Doctor en Civil y Canónico thanks to the thesis Reglas equitativas para tratar la línea divisoria entre ambas potestades, o sea, entre los derechos e intereses de la Iglesia y el Estado. Another author claims that in 1883 he became licenciado en derecho, while in 1885 he majored in civil and canon law; one more source notes that his dissertation was accepted as sobresaliente. In 1888 Sáenz entered Colegio de Abogados de Jaén, yet it is not known whether he commenced own practice.
In 1893 Sáenz married Antonia Dosal Sobrino (1872–1933); since she was from Llanes, Lorenzo probably came to know her due to his maternal family links. Her mother was sister to very successful indianos, who thanks to textile business made a fortune in Mexico but who died with no descendancy. The wealth was first inherited by Antonia's brother Sinforiano, but following his childless death part of it eventually passed to her; its crown was the estate in Llanes, known as La Concepción or Palacio Sinforiano. Lorenzo and Antonia lived mostly in Madrid, where he joined the local Colegio de Abogados. They owned a luxurious apartment next to the Cortes building, yet they used to spend long spells in Llanes and Jaén, where he co-owned the family economy. They had no children. Among more distant relatives, Lorenzo's sister-in-law became condesa de Mendoza Cortina, while his brother (who prior to 1905 served as alcalde of Jaén) married condesa de Humanes.
First publishing projects (1890s)
Sáenz inherited political outlook from his father, who was an active Carlist and in the 1890s formed part of the local party executive, Junta Provincial de Jaén. Lorenzo was not noted in Carlist structures before in 1889 he launched a local Jaén-based weekly, El Norte Andaluz. It was not openly Traditionalist (last Traditionalist title disappeared in Jaén in 1877), posed as Catholic periodical, sub-titled "periodico de intereses morales y materiales", and by scholars is described as "cercano al carlismo". Co-edited with Bartolomé Romero Gago, the future Seville cathedral canon, it was barely more than a 4-page bulletin, dedicated mostly to religious issues. The last issue appeared in 1891. According to friendly newspapers, the closing of El Norte resulted from " una conspiración íntegro-conservadora". This conspiracy was principally about later launch of the local Integrist bi-weekly, El Pueblo Católico; since then, hostility towards the Integrists would mark Sáenz's activity for some 45 years to come. Scholars summarize the episode by noting that "la importancia objetiva de El Norte Andaluz es escasa". In the early and mid-1890s Sáenz emerged as major figure in local lay Catholic circles. He served as "corresponsal de esta Diócesis" and later as secretario of Junta Diocesana, entrusted e.g. with collecting money for various projects; as the representative of Jaén he attended Congreso Católico in Zaragoza, and remained engaged in other local activities. He gained status also in Carlist structures. In 1895 he was first noted as member of Junta Provincial de Jaén and as such kept signing various declarations, e.g. in 1896. In 1897 he was elected presidente honorario of the local Jaén círculo and in 1898 served as president of another local organization. In the mid-1890s he was also admitted as member-correspondent to Real Academia de la Historia (unclear on what basis) and friendly titles referred to him as "joven abogado é ilustrado periodista".
… excerpt ends here. Continue reading the full article.
