Marquess of Villena (Spanish: Marqués de Villena) is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Spain, granted in 1445 by John II to Juan Pacheco, Grand Master of the Order of Santiago and later also 1st Duke of Escalona.

[2][3][4] It was originally founded as the Lordship of Villena in the thirteenth century by Ferdinand III of Castile for his youngest son, Don Manuel.

In 1369, the estate was elevated to a Marquisate, the first such designation in Castile, and awarded to Don Alfonso of Aragon.

From that point, Villena had a complicated history of awards and reversions back to the crown until John II granted it as a hereditary title to Juan Pacheco in 1445.

[5] The 8th marquess, Juan Manuel Fernández Pacheco, founded the Royal Spanish Academy.