Naiara Ardanaz Iñarga
The house in Vasconia, as is widely known, transcended the conventional notion of a mere built structure or site inhabited by a specific family.:
In community life, the house, the etxe, is a permanent member of the community, the subject of rights and duties in the Valley, the subject of permanent obligations with respect to other houses or with respect to the whole, whether it is the system of barridiak, of collective work or other obligations codified. The members of each generation, etxekoak, and in particular those who exercise the authority and external representation of the house: etxekonausie ta etxekoandre, assume the rights and duties conferred upon them and must fulfill the obligations imposed upon them”.
Thanks to the Apeo of 1727, we are given a detailed view of the composition of the housing community in that period. At that time, there were 109 neighborhood houses, 29 houses for rent and four uninhabited in the area. Within the neighboring houses were notable buildings such as the palaces of Echeniquea, Echebeltz, Apeztegui and Hugalde.
A prevalent trend among those families who thrived in the 18th century was to enrich, improve or build the family home. In Erratzu, you can see buildings with two towers on their facades, such as Iriartea or Echeniquea, while others followed patterns closer to traditional architecture, such as Sumusua or Buztinaga.
As for the structure of Buztinaga, it covers about 700m2 It is rectangular in design and three floors, in addition to an attic, the gabled roof with canal tiles crowns it. Its construction uses masonry, with corners and opening frames in ashlar, while the walls have a white finish. The main façade integrates a paved space on the second level, providing access to the main entrance. Along the left side, a continuous balcony extends on the third level. At the back, a covered porch with columns gives way to a staircase that descends to the first level. It is also surrounded by small buildings for the storage of crops, herbs and agricultural tools.
Continuing with the facade, the valley’s coat of arms can be seen, a common feature in many local homes. However, if any resident of the house achieved recognition for his merits, he could wear a victor, as a token of his distinction. In our case, the house exhibits two victors that are still preserved: one in honor of the bishop of Pamplona Juan Lorenzo Irigoyen y Dutari, and the other in honor of Miguel José Irigoyen Dolarea, bishop of Zamora and Calahorra.
The same family has occupied the house from before 1590 until recent times. This one was related to other influential families of the valley, and through their genealogies appear surnames and ties of kinship with Goyeneche, Iturralde, Barreneche, Echenique, Narvarte, Borda, Gastón and Elizacoechea or Dolarea. The presence of these surnames reflects the close connection of the family with important figures in the service of the monarchy.
These people were part of the local elite and participated in what is known as the “Hora navarra del siglo XVIII”, a term coined by Julio Caro Baroja in his work. This phenomenon, widely studied, points out how the houses that were renovated in the valley and the outstanding works of sacred art in their churches attest to the moment when the inhabitants of these localities reached high levels of power in the Administration, the Army and the Church. This particular family enjoyed a prominent position both in the valley and outside it, with family and friendly ties in the Court, Cadiz and the American territories. Although commerce was fundamental to the family’s social ascent, not only in Madrid but also in Mexico and Guatemala, their main concerns were ecclesiastical careers.
From the XVII to the XIX century the houses with which the family has special closeness by kinship were, Unandeguía, the neighboring house, Sumusua, also nearby, and Echeniquea located in the neighborhood of Iñarbil. They were related in 1784 to the Dolarea de Gaztelu family -with members among the merchant community of Cadiz-, and the Gaston de Iriarte family of the Iriartea house, one of the most outstanding families for their trajectories in the Court, the Army and other fields. Inbreeding among the palacians and strong houses favored the accumulation of patrimony and the placement of some young men in the houses of relatives who helped them.
We will briefly mention the two sons of Buztinaga for whom the victors still hang on the facade of the house.
Juan Lorenzo Irigoyen y Dutari (Errazu, 1712 – Pamplona, 1778)
Juan Lorenzo Irigoyen’s parents were Pedro Irigoyen Echenique and María Dutari Buztinaga, heiress of the house. The upward trajectory of the young Juan Lorenzo’s family resembles that of other Navarrese families linked to commerce in Madrid. A member of the Buztinaga house, Juan Dutari, in the first half of the 18th century, accumulated his wealth as a merchant established in Madrid together with his partner and relative Juan Bautista Iturralde, who held the title of Marquis of Murillo and occupied the Secretariat of State and of the Treasury Office under the reign of Philip V.
Juan Dutari supported his nephew Juan Lorenzo Irigoyen in his studies. He studied Grammar and Philosophy in Pamplona, Theology in Alcalá de Henares, and was sent to Rome to obtain a benefice, serving the Neapolitan cardinal Troyano Acquaviva, who served as ambassador of Spain. In 1747, Juan Lorenzo obtained a canonry in the cathedral of Jaén, which he exchanged for one of the secular dignities in the cathedral of Pamplona, specifically the priory of Velate. During his residence in Pamplona, he maintained close connections with his family and his place of origin. Likewise, during this period he was a great benefactor of the Sanctuary of San Miguel de Aralar promoting several initiatives for the renovation of the Sanctuary, the image of the patron saint, the conditioning of the access road or the publication of a book on the history of the devotion and the place of worship commissioned to the Capuchin P. Burgui.
In 1768, he ascended to the episcopate of Pamplona, assuming a key role in the construction of the two seminaries of Pamplona: the Episcopal Seminary and the Conciliar Seminary (1777). In addition, he promoted welfare initiatives in the parishes of his diocese, as well as exercising intense pastoral work and undertaking reforms in the clergy.
Throughout his life, Juan Lorenzo stood out for his constant participation in charitable works, even going so far as to give away what he needed to help those in need. In his native town, he promoted and financed the construction of the cloister adjacent to the parish. His life came to an end in Pamplona on March 21, 1778, leaving behind a reputation for holiness.
Miguel José Irigoyen Dolarea (Errazu, 1789 – Calahorra (La Rioja), 1852)
He was born in Errazu to Miguel Fernando Irigoyen and Rosa Dolarea. When his mother died, he was sent to live with his uncle, Fermín Lorenzo Irigoyen, canon of Segovia, who was in charge of his upbringing and education. Upon his death in 1799, also coinciding with that of his father, he went to live with another relative, Pedro Vicente Echenique, a canon of the cathedral of Pamplona. He studied at the University of Zaragoza and Oñate, where he received his doctorate in canons. In 1807, due to the presence of relatives in the chapter and his background, he was elected canon of the cathedral of Pamplona.
In 1822 the liberal government demanded that the bishop appoint a ruler for the diocese, one who would embrace the political Constitution of the Monarchy without resistance. In accordance with this request, before his departure, he granted the position of governor of the Bishopric of Pamplona to Canon Miguel José Irigoyen.
Irigoyen expressed his clear opposition to the participation of the clergy in the royalists’ acts of war. Following his conviction, he suspended the priestly functions of a group of clergymen who had participated in violent actions in favor of the royalists.
However, this stance led him to be arrested by the absolutists on November 11, 1823 at the Episcopal seminary. Although the Cabildo resisted his being subjected to a civil trial, the bishop finally handed Irigoyen over to the authority of the Cabildo and appointed judges for the process: the prior Judas Tadeo and the canons M. J. Goñi and J. A. Muguiro, with the prosecutor R. I. Fernández. During the trial, he affirmed his desire to avoid civil war, maintaining the compatibility between the Catholic religion and the Constitution. As a result, he was acquitted and resumed his activities in 1825.
In March 1831, he was promoted to archdeacon of the Tabla, and in 1836 he received an appointment from the Diputación to be part of the Junta de Suppresión de Conventos (Board for the Suppression of Convents). However, he rejected such designation. On January 27, 1837, the Chapter selected him as vicar general of Pamplona, a position he held until 1847. In the general elections of 1837, he was proposed as senator for Navarre, being officially appointed on March 24, 1838 by the Queen Governor.
Subsequently, on September 10, 1847, his name was proposed for the bishopric of Zamora, obtaining approval in Rome on December 17 and being consecrated in the cathedral of Pamplona on March 15, 1848. Then, on May 20, 1850, he was appointed bishop of Calahorra, where he took office on October 1 of that same year, and finally died in that position on March 18, 1852.