Alonso de Guzmán El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia
Encyclopedia
Alonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Zúñiga-Sotomayor, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia, (10 September 155026 July 1615), Grandee of Spain, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
since 1581, was the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armada
.
Another description of the 7th Duke: (in full).
died and not inheriting the ducal title, therefore being only 9th Count of Niebla.
His paternal grandmother was Ana de Aragón y de Gurrea, deceased 1528, one of the daughters, "born out of sin", of Alonso de Aragón y Ruiz de Iborra, Archbishop of Zaragoza, Royal bastard of king Ferdinand II of Aragón
. She married twice in the year 1518 with a Duke of Medina Sidonia, first with Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia
, deceased childless, 1548, formally declared "mentecato", (out of his mind, unfit to reason properly), and then again, in the same year 1518 with the 5th Duke brother, Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 6th Duke of Medina Sidonia
, (24 March 1502, + Sanlúcar de Barrameda
, province of Cádiz, Spain
, 26 November 1558).
His mother was a most powerful and wealthy lady, Leonor de Zúñiga y Sotomayor, herself daughter of a powerful duchess, Teresa de Zúñiga, 2nd marchioness of Ayamonte, 3rd duchess of Béjar, 4th countess of Bañares, 2nd marchioness of Gibraleón, so it was her name Zúñiga, the one to be passed to the family, as she was married to a "Sotomayor" of a less endowed with nobility titles, county of Belalcázar
, something by no means unique in the High Spanish Nobility of the time.
As his father, Juan Claros, had already died in 1556, Don Alonso became Duke, and master of one of the greatest fortunes in Europe
, on the death of his grandfather in 1559, aged only around 9.
Princess of Éboli. In 1572 when the duchess was twelve years of age, the pope
granted a dispensation
for the consummation
of the marriage. The scandal of the time, for which there appears to be no foundation, accused Philip II
of a love intrigue with the mother of the young girl, princess of Eboli
. The unvarying and unmerited favor he showed the duke has been accounted for on the ground that he took a paternal interest in the duchess, Ana de Mendoza daughter.
Don
Alonso made no serious effort to save his mother-in-law Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Éboli from the persecution she suffered at the hands of Philip I. His correspondence is full of whining complaints of poverty, and appeals to the king for pecuniary favors. In 1581 he was created a knight of the Golden Fleece, and was named Captain General
of Lombardy
. By pressing supplications to the king he got himself exempted on the ground of poverty and poor health.
Don Alonso was also the patron of don Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza
who wrote the premier text on the Spanish system of swordplay which was called the 'True Art' or the Verdadera Destreza. He was asked by King Phillip II of Spain to lead the Spanish Armada.
.
The disadvantages of this choice were highlighted by himself in his own letter to the king, in which he stressed his lack of military experience on land and at sea, his lack of information about either the English enemy or the Spanish war plans, his poor health and tendency to sea-sickness, and his inability to contribute financially to the expedition. Philip II may never have seen this letter, for his secretaries Don Juan de Idiaquez and Don Cristobal de Moura replied to the duke that they dared not show it to the king.
Historians have speculated that Medina Sidonia himself did not believe in the success of the Armada, and that this motivated his attempt to reject the command or his later letter to the king in which he advised to seek peace or at least postpone the operation. The opinion of the duke is unrecorded, but skepticism about the fate of the Armada is known to have existed among senior Spanish officers and informed foreign commentators.
The opinion of modern historians on Medina Sidonia's efforts to prepare the Armada is generally favorable. He reorganized the fleet, rationalized the chaotic distribution of loads and guns, and increased the ammunition supplies from 30 to 50 rounds per gun. The permission of the king to add the Castilian galleons of the "Indian Guard" to the Armada nearly doubled its first-line fighting strength. Under the duke's command the material equipment of the Armada was much improved, although the delay had a negative impact on the number of skilled sailors and the quantity and quality of the available food supplies. He managed to establish good relationships with his subordinate commanders.
, who was supposed to launch his invasion fleet to meet the Armada at sea. However, this problem was fundamental to the operational plan imposed on the two commanders by Philip II.
Allowing for the limitations inherent in a total lack of command experience, Medina Sidonia fought the battle courageously and intelligently. His health suffered badly as a result of the campaign, and after his return to Spain the king finally relieved him of his command and granted him permission to return home to convalesce. Later, he served the Spanish crown for another two decades in various functions. The duke's reputation suffered, because several popular accounts, notably the one written by the monk Juan de Victoria, placed all blame for the defeat on him.
Informed commentators and modern historians have put most of the blame on Philip II himself for imposing an impractical plan on his commanders, and on Diego Flores de Valdes for badly advising the duke. Philip II himself did not single out his chosen commander to bear the responsibility for the defeat. The duke retained his posts of admiral of the ocean and captain-general of Andalusia
, and continued to serve Philip II and later Philip III.
The popular image of the duke in later years was strongly influenced by propaganda surrounding the Armada, including an English account which claimed that the Medina Sidonia was a fool and a coward who hid below decks in a specially reinforced room. This story became a lasting part of popular descriptions of the battle, in which the Duke of Medinia Sidonia was frequently portrayed as an incompetent buffoon.
in 1596, his allegedly slow response was blamed for giving the English enough time to sack the city.
In 1606 the obstinacy and folly of the duke caused the loss of a squadron which was destroyed near Gibraltar
by the Dutch. He died in 1615. This event made the duke a satirical target of Miguel de Cervantes
.
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
since 1581, was the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armada
Spanish Armada
This article refers to the Battle of Gravelines, for the modern navy of Spain, see Spanish NavyThe Spanish Armada was the Spanish fleet that sailed against England under the command of the Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1588, with the intention of overthrowing Elizabeth I of England to stop English...
.
Another description of the 7th Duke: (in full).
Family
His father was Juan Claros de Guzmán y de Aragón, deceased 1556, two years before his father, Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 6th Duke of Medina SidoniaJuan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 6th Duke of Medina Sidonia
Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Guzmán-Zúñiga, 6th Duke of Medina Sidonia was the son of Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 3rd Duke of Medina Sidonia, half brother of Enrique Pérez de Guzmán, 4th Duke of Medina Sidonia, and the brother of Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia...
died and not inheriting the ducal title, therefore being only 9th Count of Niebla.
His paternal grandmother was Ana de Aragón y de Gurrea, deceased 1528, one of the daughters, "born out of sin", of Alonso de Aragón y Ruiz de Iborra, Archbishop of Zaragoza, Royal bastard of king Ferdinand II of Aragón
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
. She married twice in the year 1518 with a Duke of Medina Sidonia, first with Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia
Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia
Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Guzmán-Zúñiga, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia was the son of Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 3rd Duke of Medina Sidonia and became Duke of Medina Sidonia in 1512 when his half brother, Enrique Pérez de Guzmán, 4th Duke of Medina Sidonia died childless.Declared "impotent and...
, deceased childless, 1548, formally declared "mentecato", (out of his mind, unfit to reason properly), and then again, in the same year 1518 with the 5th Duke brother, Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 6th Duke of Medina Sidonia
Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 6th Duke of Medina Sidonia
Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán y de Guzmán-Zúñiga, 6th Duke of Medina Sidonia was the son of Juan Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 3rd Duke of Medina Sidonia, half brother of Enrique Pérez de Guzmán, 4th Duke of Medina Sidonia, and the brother of Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, 5th Duke of Medina Sidonia...
, (24 March 1502, + Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar de Barrameda is a city in the northwest of Cádiz province, part of the autonomous community of Andalucía in southern Spain. Sanlúcar is located on the left bank at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River opposite the Doñana National Park, 52 km from the provincial capital Cádiz and...
, province of Cádiz, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, 26 November 1558).
His mother was a most powerful and wealthy lady, Leonor de Zúñiga y Sotomayor, herself daughter of a powerful duchess, Teresa de Zúñiga, 2nd marchioness of Ayamonte, 3rd duchess of Béjar, 4th countess of Bañares, 2nd marchioness of Gibraleón, so it was her name Zúñiga, the one to be passed to the family, as she was married to a "Sotomayor" of a less endowed with nobility titles, county of Belalcázar
Belalcázar
Belalcázar is a city located in the province of Córdoba, southern Spain.-Main sights:*Castle of the Sotomayor Zúñiga y Madroñiz, in late Gothic style *Castle of Madroñiz*Convent of Santa Clara de la Columna, founded in 1476...
, something by no means unique in the High Spanish Nobility of the time.
As his father, Juan Claros, had already died in 1556, Don Alonso became Duke, and master of one of the greatest fortunes in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, on the death of his grandfather in 1559, aged only around 9.
Betrothal and marriage
The 7th duke was betrothed in 1565 to Ana de Silva y Mendoza, who was then four years of age, the daughter of the Prince and theRui Gomes da Silva, 1st Prince of Éboli
Don Rui Gomes da Silva, 1st Prince of Éboli and 1st Duke of Pastrana and Estremera, and iure uxoris Prince of Mélito, Duke of Francavilla and Count of Aliano . He was a Portuguese noble and one of King Philip's main advisers...
Princess of Éboli. In 1572 when the duchess was twelve years of age, the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
granted a dispensation
Dispensation (Catholic Church)
In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, a dispensation is the suspension by competent authority of general rules of law in particular cases...
for the consummation
Consummate
Consummation or consummation of a marriage, in many traditions and statutes of civil or religious law, is the first act of sexual intercourse between two individuals, following their marriage to each other...
of the marriage. The scandal of the time, for which there appears to be no foundation, accused Philip II
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
of a love intrigue with the mother of the young girl, princess of Eboli
Ana de Mendoza e de la Cerda
Doña Ana de Mendoza y de la Cerda, Princess of Eboli, Duchess of Pastrana, , was a Spanish aristocrat, suo jure 2nd Princess of Mélito, 2nd Duchess of Francavilla and 3rd Countess of Aliano...
. The unvarying and unmerited favor he showed the duke has been accounted for on the ground that he took a paternal interest in the duchess, Ana de Mendoza daughter.
Don
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
Alonso made no serious effort to save his mother-in-law Ana de Mendoza, Princess of Éboli from the persecution she suffered at the hands of Philip I. His correspondence is full of whining complaints of poverty, and appeals to the king for pecuniary favors. In 1581 he was created a knight of the Golden Fleece, and was named Captain General
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
of Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
. By pressing supplications to the king he got himself exempted on the ground of poverty and poor health.
Don Alonso was also the patron of don Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza
Jerónimo Sánchez de Carranza
Don Jerónimo de Carranza is commonly called the "Father of Spanish Fencing" and he wrote his text Of the Philosophy of the arms, of its art and the Christian offense and defense in 1582 under the sponsorship of Don Alonso de Guzmán El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia.His work on Destreza, the...
who wrote the premier text on the Spanish system of swordplay which was called the 'True Art' or the Verdadera Destreza. He was asked by King Phillip II of Spain to lead the Spanish Armada.
Preparations
When the marquess of Santa died, on 9 February 1588, Philip insisted on appointing the 7th Duke to the command of the Armada. He had prepared his orders to the Duke of Medina Sidonia already three days before the death of Santa Cruz. The motivation of Philip's decision is unknown, but it may have been grounded in his consideration of the duke's very high social rank, administrative competence, modesty and tactfulness, and last but not least his reputation as a good Christian. The micro-managing king probably wanted a commander who would obey his instructions to the letter, which was less likely to happen if Santa Cruz was in command, or either of the most experienced officers in the Armada, Juan Martinez de Recalde and Miguel de OquendoMiguel de Oquendo
Miguel de Oquendo y Segura, Spanish Admiral. Born in Guipuzcoa, died at sea in 1588.He was the father of Antonio de Oquendo.-Principal events of his life:*1575 Took part with his owm ship in the voyage of Orán....
.
The disadvantages of this choice were highlighted by himself in his own letter to the king, in which he stressed his lack of military experience on land and at sea, his lack of information about either the English enemy or the Spanish war plans, his poor health and tendency to sea-sickness, and his inability to contribute financially to the expedition. Philip II may never have seen this letter, for his secretaries Don Juan de Idiaquez and Don Cristobal de Moura replied to the duke that they dared not show it to the king.
Historians have speculated that Medina Sidonia himself did not believe in the success of the Armada, and that this motivated his attempt to reject the command or his later letter to the king in which he advised to seek peace or at least postpone the operation. The opinion of the duke is unrecorded, but skepticism about the fate of the Armada is known to have existed among senior Spanish officers and informed foreign commentators.
The opinion of modern historians on Medina Sidonia's efforts to prepare the Armada is generally favorable. He reorganized the fleet, rationalized the chaotic distribution of loads and guns, and increased the ammunition supplies from 30 to 50 rounds per gun. The permission of the king to add the Castilian galleons of the "Indian Guard" to the Armada nearly doubled its first-line fighting strength. Under the duke's command the material equipment of the Armada was much improved, although the delay had a negative impact on the number of skilled sailors and the quantity and quality of the available food supplies. He managed to establish good relationships with his subordinate commanders.
Fleet command
Medina Sidonia's behavior as a fleet commander in the ensuing series of fights with the English has come under more criticism. Lacking military experience, he showed little initiative or self-confidence, instead cautiously obeying the instructions of the king, and relying on the opinion of his advisers and subordinate commanders. This tendency was reinforced by the senior adviser appointed to him by the king, Diego Flores de Valdes, an experienced sea officer but also a man renowned for his caution. Medina Sidonia also seriously underestimated the difficulty of coordinating his actions with the commander of the Spanish forces in the Netherlands, Alexander Farnese, Duke of ParmaAlexander Farnese, Duke of Parma
Alexander Farnese was Duke of Parma and Piacenza from 1586 to 1592, and Governor of the Spanish Netherlands from 1578 to 1592.-Biography:...
, who was supposed to launch his invasion fleet to meet the Armada at sea. However, this problem was fundamental to the operational plan imposed on the two commanders by Philip II.
Allowing for the limitations inherent in a total lack of command experience, Medina Sidonia fought the battle courageously and intelligently. His health suffered badly as a result of the campaign, and after his return to Spain the king finally relieved him of his command and granted him permission to return home to convalesce. Later, he served the Spanish crown for another two decades in various functions. The duke's reputation suffered, because several popular accounts, notably the one written by the monk Juan de Victoria, placed all blame for the defeat on him.
Informed commentators and modern historians have put most of the blame on Philip II himself for imposing an impractical plan on his commanders, and on Diego Flores de Valdes for badly advising the duke. Philip II himself did not single out his chosen commander to bear the responsibility for the defeat. The duke retained his posts of admiral of the ocean and captain-general of Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
, and continued to serve Philip II and later Philip III.
The popular image of the duke in later years was strongly influenced by propaganda surrounding the Armada, including an English account which claimed that the Medina Sidonia was a fool and a coward who hid below decks in a specially reinforced room. This story became a lasting part of popular descriptions of the battle, in which the Duke of Medinia Sidonia was frequently portrayed as an incompetent buffoon.
Later years
When an English fleet attacked CadizCapture of Cadiz
The Capture of Cádiz in 1596 was an event during the Anglo-Spanish War, when English and Dutch troops under Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex and a large Anglo-Dutch fleet under Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham, with support from the Dutch United Provinces, raided the Spanish city of...
in 1596, his allegedly slow response was blamed for giving the English enough time to sack the city.
In 1606 the obstinacy and folly of the duke caused the loss of a squadron which was destroyed near Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
by the Dutch. He died in 1615. This event made the duke a satirical target of Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes
Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was a Spanish novelist, poet, and playwright. His magnum opus, Don Quixote, considered the first modern novel, is a classic of Western literature, and is regarded amongst the best works of fiction ever written...
.