Born on 13 April 1850 in Figueres, province of Girona,[1] he is sometimes reported to be born in 1848,[2] as his father (a captain of the Spanish Armed Forces) declared him to be 2 years older in his application to the military.[3] He moved as child to Luzon (Philippines). Returned to Peninsular Spain, he joined the Battalion of Hunters Llerena as cadet in 1863.[4]
He fought in the Third Carlist War.[5] With a military career in infantry, and promoted to colonel in 1893, Marina was destined to places such as Philippines and Cuba.[6] He was promoted to the rank of brigader general in 1896.[7] He was promoted to Divisional general in July 1900.[8] Following a brief spell as civil governor in Barcelona (1899),[9] he was destined to Melilla in 1905.[1]
Appointed as High Commissioner of Spain in Morocco in replacement of Felipe Alfau Mendoza, he served from 1913 to 1915.[12]
He served two times as Minister of War (1917 and 1918) in cabinets presided by Eduardo Dato and Antonio Maura.[13] Appointed as senator for life in 1919,[14] he died on 30 January 1926 in Madrid (Calle de Zurbano, 6).[6][15]