Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz
| Álvaro de Bazán | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
12 December 1526 Granada, Spain |
| Died | 9 February 1588 (aged 61) Lisbon, Portugal |
| Buried at | Viso del Marqués |
| Allegiance |
 Spanish Empire
|
| Service/branch | Spanish Navy |
| Years of service | 1544–1588 |
| Rank |
Captain General of the Sea General Admiral |
| Battles/wars |
Battle of Muros Bay Siege of Malta Battle of Lepanto Battle of Ponta Delgada Conquest of the Azores Drake's 1587 expedition, (there was no direct combat) |
| Awards |
Marquess of Santa Cruz Order of Santiago |
Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz de Mudela (12 December 1526 – 9 February 1588), was a Spanish admiral. According to Spanish sources, he was never defeated, a remarkable achievement in a fifty-year long career. His personal galley, La Loba (The She-Wolf), thus called by her golden figurehead, was feared by Spanish enemies and regarded with hope amongst Spanish sailors and allies.
Álvaro de Bazán was born in Granada, southern Spain.
His grandfather, Álvaro de Bazán, took part in the conquest of Granada in 1492, and his father, Álvaro de Bazán the Elder, took part together with Giovanni Andrea Doria and others marines in the recapture of Tunis in 1535, and was distinguished in the service of Charles V, by whom he was made general of the galleys or commander-in-chief of the Spanish naval forces in the Mediterranean.
The future admiral followed his father in his youth, and was employed in the high command of the Spanish navy at a very early age. At the age of eight he was appointed "Military Governor and captain of the fortress and city of Gibraltar". His command however was via his father who was in commands of the galleys of Spain. It has been speculated that this unusual appointment was intended to show Charles V's confidence but the commander of the galleys did not share that confidence and he suggested to no effect that Gibraltar's Line Wall Curtain be extended to the southern tip of the rock. He was a member of the Military Order of Santiago (St. James). In 1564, he aided in the capture of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera, and commanded the division of galleys employed to blockade Tetuan, and to suppress the piracy carried on from that port. The service is said to have been successfully performed. Bazán certainly earned the confidence of Philip II, by whom he was appointed to command the galleys of Naples in 1568. This post brought him into close relations with John of Austria, when the Holy League was formed against the Turks in 1570.
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Wikipedia