Fernando Alvarez de Toledo, Duke of Alba, whose biography tells many interesting facts about his life and work, was born in 1507. He was a famous Spanish general, as well as a popular statesman. Due to his cruelty, he was nicknamed "Iron Duke".
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 in his infancy, then his strict grandfather was involved in his upbringing. He made every effort to raise an ardent Catholic from the boy, a faithful servant to the king and a disciplined soldier. At the age of sixteen, the Duke of Alba is already serving as an officer in Emperor Charles V's campaigns against the French.
From 1531, Fernando played a leading role in operations against the Turks. Moreover, he was promoted to general two years later and distinguished himself during the siege of Tunis in 1535. After defending Perpignan from a French attack in 1542, he was appointed by Charles V as military adviser to his successor Philip.
Most famous battle dates
The Duke of Alba commanded the cavalry,which contributed greatly to the imperial victory at Mühlberg in 1547. And five years later, Fernando Alvarez took over the overall command of the Spanish forces in Italy. However, the duke cannot prevent the defeat of the imperial forces, as a consequence, this led to the abdication of the emperor in 1556.
Philip the Second, having become the king of Spain, appointed Fernando de Toleda the governor of Milan, as well as the 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. While avoiding a direct attack on Rome so that there is no repeat of 1527.
The Cunning of the Pope, or Complete Victory of Fernando
The Pope pretended to call the opponents to a truce, hoping that at that time the French troops would pull up, 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 rule 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 Cato Cambresi. While this treaty lasted, the Italian peninsula was in a long 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 reign in the Netherlands, which left a deep mark on history in connection with cruel and bloodyevents.
The famous duke's bloody deeds
In August 1566, the Iconoclastic uprising took place in the Netherlands, during which a number of not only monasteries, but also churches, as well as Catholic statues, were plundered or even destroyed. To resolve the civil and religious issues that arose, King Philip II sent Fernando at the head of a select 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 the territory of Brussels on August 22, 1567 and took the post of governor-general. And a few days later he founded the "Bloody Council" to suppress heresy and rebellion. This Council operates with severe rigor. Even the two most important and famous nobles of the country, the counts, heads of the Flemish nobility, Egmont and Horn, were arrested and put on trial. They were subsequently executed.
New tax system
More than one thousand men of all ranks were also executed, and many fled abroad for safety. All those who were convicted were executed on June 5, 1568 at the Town Hall Square in Brussels. The Duke of Alba, who had a tough character, was not sure of Flemish justice. He perceived it as sympathy for the defendants. Therefore, Fernando Alvarez preferred the execution in front of numerous witnesses.
The maintenance of troops in Flanders entailed significant economic costs. And the bloody Duke of Alba decided to introducea new type of taxation in the Benelux countries, based mainly on the Spanish system of taxes at a rate of ten percent on each transfer of goods. Many provinces at that time bought their way on lump sum payments, in this regard, deep concern began that the prosperity of the Benelux countries was being undermined.
Tax Refusal or Rebellion
Some residents refuse to pay the "tithe" as the tax is called, and a riot has begun that is rapidly spreading 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 a lot of territory.
And the siege of Haarlem is characterized by brutal action on both sides. It ended with the surrender of the city and the loss of about two thousand people. Thanks to the long military campaigns and brutal repression of rebel citizens by the Duke of Alba, the Netherlands has earned him the nickname "Iron Duke".
His reputation was used for propaganda purposes among the rebels and to further influence anti-Spanish sentiment. Fernando remained popular among the Spanish troops, where he, without hesitation for 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 Netherlandsis 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 apart by uprisings, December 18, 1573. Upon his return to Spain, Fernando found himself in disfavor with the king. However, seven years later, 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 Beatriz. There is also documentary evidence that his first child was illegitimate, who was born from the daughter of a miller.
The Duke of Alba, whose photo, of course, is little known to an ordinary person, but is well known to any historian who studies the biographies of such prominent 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.
