[1] Quintanilla was the son of Francisco de Quintanilla and Teresa Herrera y Santiago, who were members of distinguished families in the Spanish region of Pámanes.

[3] As a governor of Chiloé, Quintanilla ordered in 1824 the construction of Fuerte Real de San Carlos.

[4] He is also noted for defeating General Ramón Freire's first attempt to liberate Chiloé in 1825 after he dissolved the Chilean congress by force.

[5] By January 1826, Quintanilla finally surrendered and became the last Spanish official to withdraw from Chile.

[5] He came back to Spain and served as a brigadier of the Santander barracks then the deputy general of La Mancha police.