Alonso de Guzman El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia

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Don Alonso Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia (es: Don Alonso Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno, séptimo duque de Medina Sidonia) (September 10, 1550 - 1615) was the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armada. He was the son of Don Juan Carlos de Guzmán, eldest son of the 6th duke, and of his wife Doña Leonor Manrique de Zuniga y Sotomayor. His father died in 1555, and Don Alonso became duke, and master of one of the greatest fortunes in Europe, on the death of his grandfather in 1559.

Contents

1 Betrothal and Marriage
2 Honors Received
3 In Command of the Armada
4 Later years
5 See also
6 References

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 of Eboli. In 1572 when the duchess was a little more than ten 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 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.

Honors Received

Don Alonso made no serious effort to save his mother-in-law from the persecution she suffered at the hands of Philip II. 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'.

In Command of the Armada

Yet when the marquess of Santa Cruz died, on the 9th of February 1588, Philip insisted on appointing him to the command of the Armada. He was chosen even before Santa Cruz was actually dead, and was forced to go in spite of his piteous declarations that he had neither experience nor capacity, and was always sick at sea. His conduct of the Armada justified his plea. He was even accused of showing want of personal courage, and was completely broken by the sufferings of the campaign, which turned his hair grey. The duke retained his posts of admiral of the ocean and captain-general of Andalusia in spite of the contempt openly expressed for him by the whole nation.

Later years

When an English and Dutch armament assailed Cádiz in 1596 his sloth and timidity were largely responsible for the loss of the place. He was held up to ridicule by Cervantes in a sonnet. Yet the royal favor continued unabated even under the successor of Philip II. 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.

References