Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, whose biography reports many interesting facts about his life and work, was born in 1507. It was a famous Spanish general, as well as a popular statesman. Because of his cruelty, he received the nickname "Iron Duke."
The childhood and youth of the future bloody duke
Fernando de Toleda was born on October 29, 1508 in one of the oldest and most respected noble families in Spain. His father died when Alvarez de Toledo was still a young child, then his strict grandfather was engaged in his upbringing. He made every effort to raise from the boy an ardent Catholic, a faithful servant to the king and a disciplined soldier. At the age of sixteen, the Duke of Alba already served as an officer in the campaigns of Emperor Charles the Fifth against the French.
Since 1531, Fernando played a leading role in operations against the Turks. Moreover, he was promoted to general after two years and distinguished himself during the siege of Tunisia in 1535. After defending Perpignan from the French attack in 1542, he was appointed Charles the Fifth Military Advisor to his successor, Philippe.
The most famous battle dates
The Duke of Alba commanded the cavalry, which greatly contributed to the imperial victory at Mülberg in 1547. And after five years, Fernando Alvarez took over the general command of the Spanish forces in Italy. However, the duke can not prevent the defeat of imperial forces, as a result of this led to the abdication of the emperor in 1556.
Philip II, becoming king of Spain, appointed Fernando de Toleda governor of Milan, as well as commander in chief of the military forces of Italy. There, the Duke of Alba wages war against the papal army of Paul the Fourth, who was a French ally, standing at the head of twelve thousand Spanish soldiers. At the same time, avoiding a direct attack on Rome, so that there would be no repetition of 1527.
Pope's Trick, or Fernando's Complete Victory
Papa pretended to call on opponents for a truce, hoping that the French troops would pull up at this time, but the Spaniards intercepted them and won the battle of San Quentin. And without the support of the expected armies, the papal troops were defeated. Fernando Alvarez forced the Pope to accept peace in 1557, which ensured Spanish domination in Italy for more than a hundred years.
In the same year, a truce was concluded between the monarchs of Spain and France in the city of Kato Cambresi. While this treaty lasted, the Italian peninsula was in a prolonged state of rest. And the next significant stage in the biography of the famous Fernando is the campaign of the Duke of Alba in 1567 and his further rule in the Netherlands, which left a deep mark in history in connection with the cruel and bloody events.
The bloody deeds of the famous duke
In August 1566, the Iconoclastic rebellion took place in the Netherlands, during which a number of not only monasteries, but also churches, as well as Catholic statues were looted or destroyed. To resolve the civil and religious issues that had arisen, King Philip II sent Fernando at the head of an elected army to the Netherlands. There, the Duke of Alba, whose biography dwells in detail on this period, left the most bloody memories of himself.
Fernando entered Brussels on August 22, 1567 and took over as governor-general. And a few days later he founded the "Bloody Council" to suppress heresy and rebellion. This tip works with severe rigor. Even the two most important and famous nobles of the country, the counts, the heads of the Flemish nobility, Egmont and Gorn, were arrested and put on trial. Subsequently, they were executed.
New tax system
More than one thousand men of all ranks were also executed, and many fled abroad for security reasons. All those convicted were executed on June 5, 1568 on the Town Hall Square in Brussels. The Duke of Alba, having a tough character, was not sure of Flemish justice. He perceived her as sympathy for the defendants. Therefore, Fernando Alvarez preferred execution under numerous witnesses.
The maintenance of troops in Flanders entailed significant economic costs. And the bloody Duke of Alba decided to introduce a new type of taxation in the Benelux countries, based mainly on the Spanish tax system in the amount of ten percent on each transfer of goods. Many provinces at that time bought their way in lump-sum payments, in connection with this, a deep concern began that the prosperity of the Benelux countries was undermining.
Tax Refusal, or Rebellion Rebellion
Some residents refuse to pay tithing, as the tax was nicknamed, and a riot has begun, spreading rapidly throughout the Netherlands. The Prince of Orange, nicknamed William the Quiet, turned to the Huguenots of France to provide the necessary support, and began to support the rebels. He, along with troops from France, took many territories.
And the siege of Haarlem is characterized by brutal actions on both sides. It ended with the surrender of the city and the loss of about two thousand people. Thanks to lengthy military campaigns and brutal repressions of rebel citizens by the Duke of Alba, the Netherlands secured him the nickname "Iron Duke."
His reputation was used for propaganda among the rebels and for further influence on anti-Spanish sentiment. Fernando remained popular in the Spanish troops, where he, without hesitating a single minute, could always accurately guess the mood of the people.
Return to Spain, or the Last Years of Life
Despite ongoing hostilities, the situation in the Netherlands is not in favor of Spain. After numerous repressions that lasted for five years, about five thousand executions and constant complaints, Philip II decided to alleviate the situation by allowing Fernando de Toleda to return to Spain.
The duke sailed from Holland, still torn by rebellion, on December 18, 1573. Upon returning to Spain, Fernando found himself out of favor with the king. Nevertheless, after seven years, Philip II entrusted the conquest of Portugal to him.
Fernando Alvarez married in 1527 his cousin Maria Enrique de Toledo. From this marriage, he left four heirs: Garcia, Fadrique, Diego and Beatrice. There is also documentary evidence that his first child was an illegitimate child who was born from the miller's daughter.
The Duke of Alba, whose photo, of course, is little known to an ordinary person, but is well known to any historian studying the biographies of such outstanding personalities, died in Lisbon on December 11, 1582. The remains of Fernando were transferred to Alba de Tormes and buried in the monastery of San Leonardo.