Pedro Henriquez de Acevedo, Count of Fuentes
Encyclopedia
Pedro Henriquez d'Azevedo y Alvarez de Toledo, Count of Fuentes de Valdepero (Zamora
, Spain
, 1525 - Milan
, Italy
, 22 July 1610, aged 85) was a Spanish
general and statesman.
Born at Zamora
, he was a page
at the court
of Philip II of Spain
, training in Naples in 1557, aged 32 with Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
, (1507–1582), Governor of the Duchy of Milan, 1555–1556, Viceroy of Naples, 1556–1557, Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, Viceroy of Portugal, 1582–1584,
He took part in the 1580 campaign in Portugal
under the Duke of Alba
and in 1582 was given supreme command over the Spanish troops. In 1589, as Captain General of Portugal, he successfully defended Lisbon
against the attack by the English Armada
, led by John Norris
and Francis Drake
.
Sent in 1591 by the king to the Netherlands
, he assisted after the death of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, his successor Peter Ernst von Mansfeld and later Ernst of Austria
, after whose death he became intermittent stateholder
of the Netherlands. His excessive severity persuaded Philip II to exchange him for Albert of Austria.
He was then made governor
and Captain General
of Milan
, 1600–1610, dying in office aged 85, where he spread fear among the Italian
nobility
, especially the Venetians
through his policies and use of the army. In 1599, he entered into a treaty with the Count of Savoy and assisted in the conspiracy of Biron. Under his rule a famous fortress, the Forte di Fuentes
, where the river Adda
meets Lake Como
, still named after him and now ruined, was built to guard the border against the Grisons near Colico
, LC.
He died in office at Milan
. He was married, 1585, aged 60, to Juana de Acevedo y Fonseca, who had been awarded the title by king Philip II of Spain
in 1572, being thus suo jure
1st Countess of Fuentes de Valdepero, and during that marriage, he was therefore jure uxoris
1st Count of Fuentes. As he and his wife died childless, the title passed to one of her relatives, Manuel de Acevedo y Zúñiga
, 6th Count of Monterrey
, Ourense
, Spain
, Grandee of Spain by king Philip IV of Spain
on 11 July 1628, Viceroy of Naples, 1631 - 1637.
Zamora, Spain
Zamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
, 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...
, 1525 - Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, 22 July 1610, aged 85) was a Spanish
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...
general and statesman.
Born at Zamora
Zamora, Spain
Zamora is a city in Castile and León, Spain, the capital of the province of Zamora. It lies on a rocky hill in the northwest, near the frontier with Portugal and crossed by the Duero river, which is some 50 km downstream as it reaches the Portuguese frontier...
, he was a page
Page (servant)
A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
at the court
Noble court
The court of a monarch, or at some periods an important nobleman, is a term for the extended household and all those who regularly attended on the ruler or central figure...
of Philip II of Spain
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....
, training in Naples in 1557, aged 32 with Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
, (1507–1582), Governor of the Duchy of Milan, 1555–1556, Viceroy of Naples, 1556–1557, Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands, Viceroy of Portugal, 1582–1584,
He took part in the 1580 campaign in Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
under the Duke of Alba
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba
Don Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel, 3rd Duke of Alba was a Spanish general and governor of the Spanish Netherlands , nicknamed "the Iron Duke" in the Low Countries because of his harsh and cruel rule there and his role in the execution of his political opponents and the massacre of several...
and in 1582 was given supreme command over the Spanish troops. In 1589, as Captain General of Portugal, he successfully defended Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
against the attack by the English Armada
English Armada
The English Armada, also known as the Counter Armada or the Drake-Norris Expedition, was a fleet of warships sent to the Iberian Coast by Queen Elizabeth I of England in 1589, during the Anglo-Spanish War...
, led by John Norris
John Norris
John Norris, sometimes called John Norris of Bemerton, was an English theologian, philosopher and poet associated with the Cambridge Platonists.-Life:...
and Francis Drake
Francis Drake
Sir Francis Drake, Vice Admiral was an English sea captain, privateer, navigator, slaver, and politician of the Elizabethan era. Elizabeth I of England awarded Drake a knighthood in 1581. He was second-in-command of the English fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. He also carried out the...
.
Sent in 1591 by the king to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, he assisted after the death of Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, his successor Peter Ernst von Mansfeld and later Ernst of Austria
Archduke Ernest of Austria
Archduke Ernest of Austria was an Austrian nobleman, the son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor and Maria of Spain....
, after whose death he became intermittent stateholder
Stadtholder
A Stadtholder A Stadtholder A Stadtholder (Dutch: stadhouder [], "steward" or "lieutenant", literally place holder, holding someones place, possibly a calque of German Statthalter, French lieutenant, or Middle Latin locum tenens...
of the Netherlands. His excessive severity persuaded Philip II to exchange him for Albert of Austria.
He was then made governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
and 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 Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
, 1600–1610, dying in office aged 85, where he spread fear among the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
, especially the Venetians
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
through his policies and use of the army. In 1599, he entered into a treaty with the Count of Savoy and assisted in the conspiracy of Biron. Under his rule a famous fortress, the Forte di Fuentes
Fort Fuentes
Fort Fuentes was a military fort built on the hill of Montecchio or Monteggiolo near Colico in the province of Lecco, in Lombardy, Italy. It was built by the Spanish governor of Milan, Don Pedro Enríquez de Acevedo, Count of Fuentes, to command the Pian di Spagna and the strategic Trivio di...
, where the river Adda
Adda
Adda can refer to:*Adda in Italy.*River Adda in Wales.*Adda , a concept/slang in South Asia, especial Bengal, also Addabazi.*Adda , an archaeological site in Nigeria.*Adda Corporation, a Taiwanese fan manufacturer....
meets Lake Como
Lake Como
Lake Como is a lake of glacial origin in Lombardy, Italy. It has an area of 146 km², making it the third largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore...
, still named after him and now ruined, was built to guard the border against the Grisons near Colico
Colico
Colico is a comune in the province of Lecco, Lombardy, Italy. It is situated near the tip of the northern arm of Lake Como, where the river Adda enters the lake...
, LC.
He died in office at Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. He was married, 1585, aged 60, to Juana de Acevedo y Fonseca, who had been awarded the title by king Philip II of Spain
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....
in 1572, being thus suo jure
Suo jure
Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her [or his] own right".It is commonly encountered in the context of titles of nobility, especially in cases where a wife may hold a title in her own right rather than through her marriage....
1st Countess of Fuentes de Valdepero, and during that marriage, he was therefore jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
1st Count of Fuentes. As he and his wife died childless, the title passed to one of her relatives, Manuel de Acevedo y Zúñiga
Manuel de Acevedo y Zúñiga
Manuel de Acevedo y Zúñiga was Viceroy of Naples from 14 May 1631 - 12 November 1637.He was the son of Gaspar de Zúñiga, 5th Count of Monterrey, , founder of the City of Monterrey, Viceroy of Mexico, 1595–1603, Viceroy of Peru, 1604–1606) and Inés de Velasco y Aragón, daughter of Iñigo Fernández...
, 6th Count of Monterrey
Monterrey
Monterrey , is the capital city of the northeastern state of Nuevo León in the country of Mexico. The city is anchor to the third-largest metropolitan area in Mexico and is ranked as the ninth-largest city in the nation. Monterrey serves as a commercial center in the north of the country and is the...
, Ourense
Ourense
Ourense is a city in northwestern Spain, the capital of the province of the same name in Galicia. Its population of 108,674 accounts for 30% of the population of the province and makes it the third largest city of Galicia.-Population:...
, 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...
, Grandee of Spain by king Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
on 11 July 1628, Viceroy of Naples, 1631 - 1637.
Sources
- Parker, Geoffrey. Europe in Crisis, 1598-1648. London: Fontana. (1984)
- Gran Enciclopedia de España, 1992, 22 vols, 11,052 pages, vol 8, page 3,574.