Jurista y teórico regalista. De procedencia social humilde, hijo del sargento Domingo Álvarez y de María de Abreu, estudió en el Convento de San Agustín de La Laguna, desde donde pasó a la Universidad de Salamanca con el fin de graduarse en Derecho. Con posterioridad se instaló en Madrid, donde ocupó el cargo de abogado de los Reales Consejos. En 1721 recibió el nombramiento de gobernador interino de Caracas, alcanzando varios éxitos notables en el desempeño de sus tareas gubernativas. En 1726 publicó en Madrid su famosa Víctima real legal [...], donde abordó el tema del patronato regio, defendiendo posturas acentuadamente regalistas. Este libro fue del agrado de Felipe V, quien premió al autor con la concesión del título de marqués de la Regalía. Tras ocupar varios cargos relacionados con el espacio territorial indiano fue nombrado ministro del Real Consejo de Indias en 1730. En 1740, el marqués de la Regalía se ofreció, junto con José de Carvajal, para llevar a cabo la necesaria reforma de la recopilación de leyes de Indias de 1680. Su hijo, José Antonio de Abreu Bertodano (1717- 1775), II marqués de la Regalía, desarrolló también una interesante carrera burocrática; mientras que su hermano, Domingo Pantaleón Álvarez de Abreu (muerto en 1763), llegó a ser arzobispo de Santo Domingo y obispo de Puebla de los Ángeles (Virreinato de la Nueva España).
Abstract from English Wikipedia:<blockquote> \"Antonio José Alvarez de Abreu (8 July 1688 in Santa Cruz de la Palma, Canary Islands, Spain - 28 November 1756), Marquis de la Regalía by King Philip V of Spain on 8 July 1738, the son of Sergeant Domingo Alvarez Hernandez and Maria Yañez Abreu, studied Latin and Philosophy at the Augustines Convent of La Laguna of Tenerife and graduated at the University of Salamanca being a \"Bachiller\" in 1707 and a \"Licenciado\" in law in 1711. He was nominated as a Surveyor and Controller of the Royal Rents and Taxes in August 1714 in the actual Caracas, Venezuela, in February 1715. In August 1715 he started his lectures on law, the first chair in Caracas, in the Convent of Santa Rosa asked by Archbishop Francisco del Rincón, and in April 1716 married in the Cathedral of Caracas widower Teresa Cecilia de Bertodano Knepper, born 1691. They fathered two boys and two girls between 1717 and 1721 while in Caracas having another two males after returning to Spain. He was involved in September 1720 in the wrangle by the Viceroy to destitute the Captain General of the Province of Caracas, y Castro, and appointing him as a Governor and Lieutenant of the Captain General, which required a further Order from February 1721 and obeying it by the local authorities as from May 1721. By September, he was replaced and then moved to La Habana (Cuba) and Veracruz (Mexico), towards the end of 1722, coming back to Spain towards the end of 1723. In 1726 he publishes statements in the sense that the vacant positions in the churches of the Spanish Empire, and therefore the rents and moneys providing their support for whathever earlier reasons, belong to the King (\"regalism\" from the French churches, hence the marquis title given to him \"de la Regalía\" by the thankful Bourbon King Philip V of Spain, bringing \"over 1 million \"reales\"\" to the Crown). Meanwhile his administrative position within the Exchequer rolled on : Casa de Contratación de Cadiz, Finances Council, the Royal Monopolies on Salt, Mines, Mercury, African Slaves, Tobacco, Foreign Trade, China-Mexico trade from Manila (Philippine Islands), Foreign residents and Merchants..... , getting promoted to Marquis in 1738 by King Philip V, heavily mentally handicapped by then, but assisted by loyal commoners and industriously minded nobility. It is said, that he notified the \"Cabildo Council\" of the Canary Islands on his promotion to the Castile nobility. however, there was never a reply or official congratulation about his title. His son, known as , (Caracas, 13 July 1721 - circa 1765, aged 45) was also a brilliant merchantilist and writer on economic subjects.\"</blockquote>
Resumen biográfico extraído de Wikipedia en español:<blockquote> \"Antonio José Álvarez de Abréu, I marqués de la Regalía (Santa Cruz de La Palma, La Palma, Canarias, 7 de febrero de 1683 – Madrid, 28 de noviembre de 1756) fue un noble y abogado español del siglo XVIII. Hijo de Domingo Álvarez y de María Yánez de Abreu.\"</blockquote>