Enrique Macdonell
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Minister of the Supreme Council of the Admiralty Enrique MacDonnell |
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Portrait of Enrique MacDonnell
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| Born | 1753 Pontevedra, Spain |
| Died | 23 November 1823 Cadiz, Spain |
| Allegiance |
 Spanish Empire Sweden
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| Service/branch |
 Spanish Army Spanish Navy Swedish Navy
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| Years of service | 1776 – 1823 |
| Rank | Vice-Admiral |
| Commands held | Santa Ana, Andaluz, Diligencia, Santo Domingo, Oden,San Felipe Apolstol. Astudo, Gallardo, SanCarlos, San Nicholas de Bari, Rayo |
| Battles/wars | |
Enrique MacDonell, also spelled MacDonnell, was an Irish-Spanish navy admiral noted for his participation in several sea battles including the Battle of Trafalgar.
He was born in Pontevedra in Spain, into a prominent Irish-Spanish family, though his naval records state his origin as Irish. His father was a Spanish army brigadier-general and colonel of the Irish Regiment of Irlanda, and his mother a lady-in-waiting to the royal household.
His surname is often incorrectly spelt MacDonell. It is actually signed MacDonnell in his letters and reports to the admiralty.
In the Central Archive of the Spanish Armada' he is listed as an Irish citizen. This is incorrect as his baptismal certificate proves he was born in Spain. Few details exists of his youth but his family had Irish origins and kept strong Irish connections. His grandfather was born in Dublin and his Grandmother from Cork and they fled to Spain to escape from religious persecution in Ireland.
His immediate family had several generals in the Spanish Army and following that tradition he entered the Spanish Army to serve as a second-lieutenant in his father's regiment the Irish Ultonia in January 1764. He was swiftly promoted to lieutenant and then advanced to the rank of captain before requesting a transfer to the Spanish Navy.
MacDonnell had a distinguished career in the navy, that saw him travel extensively and saw him in command positions in several famous battles including the battles of Roatan and Trafalgar. He was injured on several occasions but enjoyed a steady progression up through the ranks from Sub-Lieutenant to Vice-Admiral.
1776: In July, He joined the Spanish Navy as a sub-Lieutenant and was assigned to a frigate ship Gaviota on an Algerian mission in the squadron of Captain Felix de Tejada. In September he was transferred within this squadron to the 34 gun frigate Carmen. In November the Carmen and its support ships fought and burned two Ottoman Algeria xebecs in Melilla cove.
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Wikipedia