Rodrigo de Murais, 1st Baron Murais (11 May 1621 - 3 May 1680) was a Spanish-Brunanter Jewish banker and businessman. He was founder and head of the Brunanter branch of the Murais banking family. Murais was a wealthy and important figure during the post-Civil War period.
Biography[]
Family background[]
De Murais' family originally lived in Andalucia (present-day Spain) and had been converted from Judaism to Catholicism in the 15th century, but many family members faced difficulties as they were conversos, converts to Christianity. Rodrigo married a Catholic widow, Catalina de los Santos, in 1642 and they had four children. Despite this, he and his family lived well off, as he was a banker and moneylender. Murais, however, decided to move his family from Spain in the 1660s and looked to move to more tolerant Brunant, founding the Brunanter branch of the family.
Brunant[]
Rodrigo came to Brunant in the months after the Civil War, and word of his money had preceded him, so Karl Van Draak, the new king, went to him to borrow money to go towards postwar expenses.
De Murais made a lot of money as a moneylender and banker to the state and became one of the wealthiest figures in the country. Martin Van Neyt, who was Chief Minister from 1670-1677, once wrote <<The Brunanter state owes Rodrigo de Murais millions of thalers. Without his help, King Karl could never reimburse his soldiers.>>
Family[]
Rodrigo de Murais and Catalina de los Santos had four children:
- Antonio Murais (1645-1669), married in 1674 Juana Luísa López Pacheco y Zúñiga, daughter of Diego López Pacheco, 7th Duke of Escalona and a first cousin of Karl Van Draak, without issue
- Fernanda Murais (1649-1720), married Johan Diedericks, with issue
- Alberto Murais (1652-1711), married Princess Alexandra, daughter of Karl Van Draak, with issue
- Rodrigo Murais (1652-1688), married Johanna Neyt, daughter of Johan Alexander Neyt, 1st Count of Kleinebeek, with issue
His second son Alberto inherited much of the family wealth and was married to the second daughter of Karl Van Draak, Alexandra. They continued the Murais banking family.