 Felipe Manuel Cayetano de Amat y de Junyent was born in March 1707 in Vacarisses (Province of Barcelona), into an aristocratic Catalan family.His father was José de Amat y de Planella, Marquis de Castellbell, and his mother was Mariana de Junyent y de Vergós, daughter of the Marquis de Castellmeià.He entered the army at a young age.