Francisco López de Mendoza y Mendoza (
Granada
Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
, 1547 –
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
, 1 March 1623), in the literature often simply referred to as Francisco de Mendoza, was a Spanish nobleman, diplomat, general, and eventually bishop, who briefly played an important role in the
Eighty Years' War
The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt ( nl, Nederlandse Opstand) ( c.1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish government. The causes of the war included the Refo ...
.
Biography
Youth and personal life
Mendoza was the third son
[Hence, under the rules of ]primogeniture
Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
he could not inherit
his father's titles and was relegated to the status of a "segundo" (literally "second man") in the aristocratic pecking order of Spain, though his father was a grandee
Grandee (; es, Grande de España, ) is an official royal and noble ranks, aristocratic title conferred on some Spanish nobility. Holders of this dignity enjoyed similar privileges to those of the peerage of France during the , though in neith ...
. of
Iñigo López de Mendoza y Mendoza, 3rd
Marquess
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
of
Mondéjar, and María de Mendoza y Aragón, daughter of
. At the time of his birth his father was
Captain general
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Command ...
of the viceroyalty of
Granada
Granada (,, DIN 31635, DIN: ; grc, Ἐλιβύργη, Elibýrgē; la, Illiberis or . ) is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the fo ...
in the old kingdom of
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
, that had been only recently (1492) definitively conquered. He was also
Alcalde
Alcalde (; ) is the traditional Spanish municipal magistrate, who had both judicial and administrative functions. An ''alcalde'' was, in the absence of a corregidor, the presiding officer of the Castilian '' cabildo'' (the municipal council) a ...
of the
Alhambra
The Alhambra (, ; ar, الْحَمْرَاء, Al-Ḥamrāʾ, , ) is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the ...
, the presumptive birthplace of Francisco. Around the age of fifteen Francisco started his studies in the
Classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
at the
University of Alcalá
The University of Alcalá ( es, Universidad de Alcalá) is a public university located in Alcalá de Henares, a city 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Madrid in Spain and also the third-largest city of the region. It was founded in 1293 as a ...
and in philosophy at the
University of Salamanca
The University of Salamanca ( es, Universidad de Salamanca) is a Spanish higher education institution, located in the city of Salamanca, in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It was founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. It is th ...
. These studies were interrupted when he joined his father during the latter's embassy to the
Holy See
The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...
in 1560–1562. In 1568 he again joined his father when the latter was entrusted with the suppression of the
Rebellion of the Alpujarras (1568–71) The Rebellion of the Alpujarras may refer to:
*Rebellion of the Alpujarras (1499–1501)
The First Rebellion of the Alpujarras (; 1499–1501) were a series of uprisings by the Muslim population of the Kingdom of Granada, Crown of Castile (form ...
, as a captain.
[Pérez, Caballeria] He was awarded the ''encomienda'' (landed estate) of
Valdepeñas
Valdepeñas is a municipality in the province of Ciudad Real, in the autonomous community of Castile-La Mancha, Spain. It is also the seat of the judicial district that covers the localities of Moral de Calatrava, Santa Cruz de Mudela, Viso d ...
, one of the ''commanderies'' of the
Order of Calatrava
The Order of Calatrava ( es, Orden de Calatrava, pt, Ordem de Calatrava) was one of the four Spanish military orders and the first military order founded in Castile, but the second to receive papal approval. The papal bull confirming the Orde ...
, of which he had been a knight
[The knights of the military order of Calatrava had been sworn to celibacy until 1540. This austerity may partly explain why Mendoza apparently made no attempt to get married until after his father's death in 1580.] since age 12, in recognition of his service. Mendoza continued working for his father in administrative positions during his father's appointments as
Viceroy
A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...
of first
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
(1572-1575) and later of
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
(1575-1579)
In March 1584 Mendoza
married by proxy
A proxy wedding or proxy marriage is a wedding in which one or both of the individuals being united are not physically present, usually being represented instead by other persons. If both partners are absent a double proxy wedding occurs.
Marriage ...
(represented by Juan de Zuñiga) María Ruiz de Liori Colón and Cardona, the daughter of
Sancho Folch de Cardona, 1st Marquess of Guadalest
Sancho Folch de Cardona y Ruíz de Liori, ?th Lord and 1st Marquess of Guadalest, was the heir and son of Alfonso Folch de Cardona y Fajardo, ?th Lord of Guadalest, and wife Isabel Ruíz de Liori, Lady of Gorga. He was a member of the House of th ...
. Cardona did not have a male heir,
[His son Cristóbal Colón de Cardona, 2nd Marquess of Guadalest, had died in 1583.] so he made one of the provisions of the marriage contract that Mendoza would adopt his wife's surname Cardona, and crest, during the marriage. When Cardona soon after died, Maria inherited the title, and Mendoza became Marquess of Guadelest ''de
jure uxoris
''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title ''suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could becom ...
''. Cardona had also been ''Almirante de Aragón'', which title his daughter (and hence Mendoza) also inherited. For that reason Mendoza was henceforth known as the "Admiral of Aragon", though he never held a naval command. The marriage also brought a long list of lawsuits with it, as Maria had been previously briefly married to Juan Felipe Fernández de Heredia, Count of Fuentes, and from this followed conflicts with the family Colón (relatives of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
) about the unpaid dowry and several disputed aristocratic titles. The lawsuits were very expensive and took a very long time. Mendoza felt therefore constrained to engage the Toledo attorney Agustín Álvarez, and promised payment of a large sum on the contingency of success. When the lawsuit initially ended successfully in 1586 Mendoza was unable to pay, however. Álvarez took umbrage and switched sides, which resulted eventually in the loss of the lawsuit.
[Blasco, Maria de Cardona]
The marriage brought the birth of a daughter, Maria José de Cardona Mendoza, who unfortunately did not live long. The little girl died on 25 January 1590
In the same year Mendoza got into trouble with king
Philip II of Spain
Philip II) in Spain, while in Portugal and his Italian kingdoms he ruled as Philip I ( pt, Filipe I). (21 May 152713 September 1598), also known as Philip the Prudent ( es, Felipe el Prudente), was King of Spain from 1556, King of Portugal from ...
. On behalf of his uncle the duke of Infantado he had negotiated a marriage contract for the latter's daughter Mencia de Mendoza with
Antonio Álvarez de Toledo, 5th Duke of Alba Antonio Álvarez de Toledo y Beaumont, 5th Duke of Alba, Grandee of Spain, (in full, es, Don Antonio Álvarez de Toledo y Beaumont de Navarra, quinto duque de Alba de Tormes, tercer duque de Huéscar, sexto conde de Lerín y de Salvatierra, quinto ...
. Unfortunately these negotiations took place without the consent of the king and the groom-to-be had already married Catalina Enriquez Riberea, the daughter of the duke of Alcalá. Though this previous marriage was annulled, the king was not amused and jailed the people implicated in the matter. Mendoza was incarcerated in the castle of
Turégano on 31 July 1590. He was only released in August 1592, but meanwhile his wife had died in
Calzada de Calatrava
Calzada de Calatrava is a Municipalities in Spain, municipality of Spain located in the province of Ciudad Real, autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. It belongs to the Campo de Calatrava traditional ''comarca''. It has a population of 4,56 ...
in August 1591, where she had moved after Mendoza had been transferred to the nearby monastery-fortress of
Calatrava la Nueva
Calatrava la Nueva () is a medieval castle and convent found on the peak of Alacranejo, within the municipality of Aldea del Rey, near Almagro, in the province of Ciudad Real, Spain.
Its name is a reference to the Order of Calatrava, which was ...
.
After his release Mendoza entered in marriage negotiations for the hand of a daughter of the Count of Chinchón, Mencia de la Cerda. As the bride's brother
Luis Jerónimo de Cabrera, 4th Count of Chinchón
Luis Jerónimo Fernández de Cabrera Bobadilla Cerda y Mendoza, 4th Count of Chinchón, also known as Luis Xerónimo Fernandes de Cabrera Bobadilla y Mendoza, (1589 in Madrid – October 28, 1647 in Madrid) was a Spanish nobleman, Comendador ...
was a favorite of king Philip, this contributed to Mendoza's rehabilitation, even though the marriage eventually fell through because the lady lost interest.
In the Netherlands (1595 - 1603)
Mendoza received the post of ''mayordomo mayor'' (lord high steward) in the household of
Albert VII, Archduke of Austria
Albert may refer to:
Companies
* Albert (supermarket), a supermarket chain in the Czech Republic
* Albert Heijn, a supermarket chain in the Netherlands
* Albert Market, a street market in The Gambia
* Albert Productions, a record label
* Albert ...
in 1595. When Albert was appointed as Governor General of the
Spanish Netherlands
Spanish Netherlands (Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a ''pars pro toto'') was the Ha ...
, as successor of his elder brother
Archduke Ernest of Austria
Archduke Ernest of Austria (german: Ernst von Österreich; 15 June 1553 – 20 February 1595) was an Austrian prince, the son of Maximilian II, Holy Roman Emperor, and Maria of Spain.
Biography
Born in Vienna, he was educated with his brothe ...
in February 1595, Mendoza was charged with the organisation of the journey to
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
. Though Mendoza was an adherent of the "Papalist" faction of the Spanish court (the successor of the "Albalists" of a previous generation), he was also a client of the count of Chinchón, the leader of the Castilian faction (previously known as the "Ebolists"). This may explain why his behavior in his new posting was somewhat ambivalent at times.
Soon after his arrival in the Netherlands, the death of his kinsman Rodrigo Silva, duke of Pastrana, who was master of the horse, gave Mendoza the opportunity of acquiring that office for himself. So from 1596 he became general of cavalry of the
Army of Flanders
The Army of Flanders ( es, Ejército de Flandes nl, Leger van Vlaanderen) was a multinational army in the service of the kings of Spain that was based in the Spanish Netherlands during the 16th to 18th centuries. It was notable for being the longe ...
. He also was involved in the negotiations of the
Peace of Vervins
The Peace of Vervins or Treaty of Vervins was signed between the representatives of Henry IV of France and Philip II of Spain under the auspices of the papal legates of Clement VIII, on 2 May 1598 at the small town of Vervins in Picardy, northern ...
, which ended the war with France. Another diplomatic mission of his went to
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, where he tried to oppose the trade of that kingdom with the
Dutch Republic
The United Provinces of the Netherlands, also known as the (Seven) United Provinces, officially as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands (Dutch: ''Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden''), and commonly referred to in historiography ...
.
The peace with France freed the hands of the Army of Flanders in the ongoing war against the Dutch Republic. The government of Archduke Albert therefore decided on a new offensive against that adversary in the Fall of 1598. A complicating factor was that the Spanish mercenaries of the army had not been paid for a long time and therefore were in a mutinous mood. They had "lived off the land" in the Spanish Netherlands for some time, which made the regime very unpopular. During the absence of Archduke Albert in connection with his marriage to the Spanish
Infanta
''Infante'' (, ; f. ''infanta''), also anglicised as Infant or translated as Prince, is the title and rank given in the Iberian kingdoms of Spain (including the predecessor kingdoms of Aragon, Castile, Navarre, and León) and Portugal to th ...
Isabella Clara Eugenia
Isabella Clara Eugenia ( es, link=no, Isabel Clara Eugenia; 12 August 1566 – 1 December 1633), sometimes referred to as Clara Isabella Eugenia, was sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands in the Low Countries and the north of modern France with ...
, which would bring him the sovereignty over the Spanish Netherlands, he handed over the government of the Spanish Netherlands to
Cardinal Andrew and Mendoza. Mendoza (as temporary commander-in-chief of the army in agreement with Cardinal Andrew) therefore decided to kill two birds with one stone and opened an offensive against the Dutch Republic from an oblique angle, by fording first the river
Meuse
The Meuse ( , , , ; wa, Moûze ) or Maas ( , ; li, Maos or ) is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a t ...
at
Venlo
Venlo () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southeastern Netherlands, close to the border with Germany. It is situated in the province of Limburg (Netherland ...
and later the river
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
near
Orsoy, Germany
Orsoy, till 1974 an independent town in the Moers (district), district of Moers, is today a municipal district of the Lower Rhine town of Rheinberg on the Rhine. The word Orsoy, pronounced ''Oschau'' means "horse pasture" (Rossaue). Orsoy itself wa ...
. Next he marched along the right bank of the Rhine toward the border of the Dutch Republic, taking in short succession the town of
Alpen, Germany
Alpen is a municipality in the district of Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Geography
Alpen is situated in the Lower Rhine region, located between the Ruhr area and the border with the Netherlands. Adjacent cities are Rheinberg, Xanten.
...
and the fortress of Broich in the
Duchy of Berg
Berg was a state—originally a county, later a duchy—in the Rhineland of Germany. Its capital was Düsseldorf. It existed as a distinct political entity from the early 12th to the 19th centuries.
The name of the county lives on in the modern ...
. The garrison of the latter place was massacred and the
count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
who lived there, murdered. Then, after the capture of
Moers
Moers (; older form: ''Mörs''; archaic Dutch language, Dutch: ''Murse'', ''Murs'' or ''Meurs'') is a German List of cities and towns in Germany, city on the western bank of the Rhine, close to Duisburg. Moers belongs to the district of Wesel (d ...
he retook the fortress town of Rheinberg which had in August 1597 been taken by
Maurice, Prince of Orange
Maurice of Orange ( nl, Maurits van Oranje; 14 November 1567 – 23 April 1625) was ''stadtholder'' of all the provinces of the Dutch Republic except for Friesland from 1585 at the earliest until his death in 1625. Before he became Prince o ...
, the Captain general of the
Dutch States Army
The Dutch States Army ( nl, Staatse leger) was the army of the Dutch Republic. It was usually called this, because it was formally the army of the States-General of the Netherlands, the sovereign power of that federal republic. This mercenary army ...
in the
first Siege of Rheinberg. From there Mendoza divided his forces, sending one part to
Doetinchem
Doetinchem (; Low Saxon: ) is a city and municipality in the east of the Netherlands. It is situated along the Oude IJssel (Old IJssel) river in a part of the province of Gelderland called the Achterhoek. The municipality had a population of in ...
in
Zutphen County
The County of Zutphen, located in modern-day Gelderland, a province of the Netherlands, was formed in the eleventh century as a fief of the Bishop of Utrecht. It was ruled by the Counts of Zutphen between 1046 and 1138, and then formed a per ...
, which was captured, and the other part to
Rees, Germany
Rees is a town in the district of Kleve in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located on the right bank of the Rhine, approximately 20 km east of Kleve. The population in 2005 was 22,559. Founded in 1228, Rees is the oldest ...
, which also was captured. Then the Spanish army went into winter quarters, visiting severe privations on the neutral German countryside, giving the Germans a foretaste of what the
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history
The history of Europe is traditionally divided into four time periods: prehistoric Europe (prior to about 800 BC), classical antiquity (80 ...
was going to be like. This motivated the German princes of the
Westphalian ''Kreis'' to start recruiting mercenaries to drive the Spaniards out in 1599.
Meanwhile, king Philip II had died and was succeeded by king
Philip III of Spain
Philip III ( es, Felipe III; 14 April 1578 – 31 March 1621) was King of Spain. As Philip II, he was also King of Portugal, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia and Duke of Milan from 1598 until his death in 1621.
A member of the House of Habsburg, Phi ...
. In the Spring of 1599 Cardinal Andrew took over the military reins from Mendoza (Archduke Albert still being absent), and ordered Mendoza to invade the
Bommelerwaard
Bommelerwaard is a district in Gelderland, Netherlands.
The Bommelerwaard is situated among three rivers: the Meuse ( nl, Maas) in the south(east), the Waal in the north and the Afgedamde Maas in the west. It is formed by the area of two municip ...
and lay
siege to Zaltbommel. This campaign ended in a fiasco. The only positive result was the construction of two Spanish fortresses, Crevecoeur and San Andreas. The latter was taken the next year by Maurice in the
Siege of San Andreas (1600). The Army of Flanders was in this period paralyzed by mutinies and could only look on when Maurice undertook a full-scale invasion of the Spanish Netherlands in the Summer of 1600 on his way to invest
Dunkirk
Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.[Nieuwpoort, Belgium
Nieuwpoort ( , ; vls, Nieuwpôort; french: Nieuport ) is a city and municipality located in Flanders, one of the three regions of Belgium, and in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the town of Nieuwpoort proper and ...]
Archduke Albert, who by now had taken personal command of the Army of Flanders, succeeded in arriving at an accommodation with the Spanish mutineers in
Diest
Diest () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Situated in the northeast of the Hageland region, Diest neighbours the provinces of Antwerp to its North, and Limburg to the East and is situated around 60 ...
and persuading them to return to service. Albert then advanced on the States Army near Nieuwpoort, with Mendoza in charge of his cavalry. On 2 July 1600 the
Battle of Nieuwpoort
The Battle of Nieuwpoort, was fought on 2 July 1600 during the Eighty Years War and the Anglo-Spanish war in the dunes near Nieuwpoort. The Anglo-Dutch companies met the Spanish veterans head on which, although their left flank nearly broke, we ...
took place, in which the Spanish army was routed. Mendoza was taken prisoner by the Dutch.
[According to Mendoza himself (in a letter to Philip III of 7 October 1603) he had fought rather heroically and initially successfully. Only when the Archduke got into danger because of his risky behavior, and Mendoza was forced to go to his aid, the leaderless Spanish cavalry broke. He fought a heroic rearguard action with two hundred troopers, while the Archduke left the field. Other sources differ. Cf. Allen, p. 47, note 36]
Mendoza was held as a prisoner of war for two years, first in the fortress of
Woerden
Woerden () is a city and a municipality in central Netherlands. Due to its central location between Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, and Utrecht, and the fact that it has rail and road connections to those cities, it is a popular town for commu ...
and subsequently in the
Binnenhof
The Binnenhof (; en, Inner Court) is a complex of buildings in the city centre of The Hague, Netherlands, next to the Hofvijver lake. It houses the meeting place of both houses of the States General of the Netherlands, as well as the Ministr ...
at
The Hague
The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...
[He was held in a relatively comfortable apartment above the Audience Chamber of the ]Hof van Holland
The Hof van Holland, Zeeland en West-Friesland (; usually shortened to Hof van Holland in the literature, and translated in English literature as "(High) Court of Holland") was the High Court of the provinces of Holland, West Friesland and Zeeland ...
, where two decades later Johan van Oldenbarnevelt
Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (), Heer van Berkel en Rodenrijs (1600), Gunterstein (1611) and Bakkum (1613) (14 September 1547 – 13 May 1619) was a Dutch statesman and revolutionary who played an important role in the Dutch struggle for indepen ...
spent the last months of his life during the Trial of Oldenbarnevelt, Grotius and Hogerbeets
The Trial of Oldenbarnevelt, Grotius and Hogerbeets was the trial for treason of Johan van Oldenbarnevelt, Land's Advocate of Holland, Hugo Grotius, pensionary of Dordrecht, Rombout Hogerbeets, pensionary of Leiden, and their co-defendant Gil ...
. He was eventually exchanged for a large number of Dutch prisoners of war and a large ransom in 1602 Immediately after his release Mendoza was employed by the Archduke to block a Dutch invasion toward
Maastricht
Maastricht ( , , ; li, Mestreech ; french: Maestricht ; es, Mastrique ) is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital and largest city of the province of Limburg. Maastricht is located on both sides of the ...
. Mendoza, at the head of a force that he considered too weak to engage Maurice in the field, retreated to
Diest
Diest () is a city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Flemish Brabant. Situated in the northeast of the Hageland region, Diest neighbours the provinces of Antwerp to its North, and Limburg to the East and is situated around 60 ...
where he awaited reinforcements that
Spinola Spinola is a surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Agostino Spinola (d. 1537), Italian cardinal
* Alberto Spinola (born 1943), Italian water polo player
* Ambrogio Spinola, 1st Marquis of the Balbases (1569–1630), Genoese banker an ...
had marched up from Italy. When these arrived Maurice retreated in the direction of
Grave
A grave is a location where a dead body (typically that of a human, although sometimes that of an animal) is buried or interred after a funeral. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as grave ...
to which Spanish-held fortress he laid siege, while Mendoza left him unmolested till it was too late to lift the siege.
[Allen, pp. 84-86]
In Spain (1603 - 1623)
Then king Philip III recalled him to the court in
Valladolid
Valladolid () is a Municipalities of Spain, municipality in Spain and the primary seat of government and de facto capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Castile and León. It is also the capital of the province o ...
where he arrived in February 1603. Having lost the lawsuit about the succession to the Marquisate of Mondejar while he was a prisoner of war, Mendoza was in financial difficulties and forced to accept the charity of his brother Juan for the rest of his life. In 1606 he was arrested on the pretext of an altercation by one of his servants with a doorman of the count of Villalonga, a secretary of State (and favorite of the king), and locked up in
Torrejón de Velasco
Torrejón de Velasco is a municipality of the Community of Madrid
The Community of Madrid (; es, Comunidad de Madrid ) is one of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain. It is located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, and of th ...
, but he was released in January 1607.
A few years later he accused
Rodrigo Calderón, Count of Oliva
Don Rodrigo Calderón, Conde de la Oliva de Plasencia, Marqués ( Marquis) de Siete Iglesias (1576 – Madrid, 21 October 1621) was a favorite minister of the Duke of Lerma, while the latter was ''valido'' or valued minister of King Philip III ...
, an ally of the king's favorite, the
duke of Lerma
Francisco Gómez de Sandoval y Rojas, 1st Duke of Lerma, 5th Marquess of Denia, 1st Count of Ampudia (1552/1553 – 17 May 1625), was a favourite of Philip III of Spain, the first of the ''validos'' ('most worthy') through whom the later H ...
of corruption in the case of the nomination of one of Lerma's sons to the position of ''alcalde'' of the Alhambra, to which the family of Mendoza had ancient claims. This resulted again in Mendoza's arrest, this time on false accusations of treason. He was incarcerated in
Santorcaz
Santorcaz is a town and municipality in the Community of Madrid, Spain.
Sights include the church of San Torcuato
San Torcuato is a village in the province and autonomous community of La Rioja, Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de Espa ...
on 20 May 1609, but subsequently transferred to monasteries in
Guadalajara, Castilla–La Mancha
Guadalajara (, ) is a city and municipality in Spain, located in the autonomous community of Castilla–La Mancha. It is the capital of the Province of Guadalajara.
Lying on the central part of the Iberian Peninsula at roughly metres above s ...
for his deteriorating health. He was released after five years imprisonment without ever having been convicted of anything.
Mendoza decided to take
holy orders in 1617, at the age of 70. The new king
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV ( es, Felipe, pt, Filipe; 8 April 160517 September 1665), also called the Planet King (Spanish: ''Rey Planeta''), was King of Spain from 1621 to his death and (as Philip III) King of Portugal from 1621 to 1640. Philip is remembered f ...
in recognition of the injustices he had been subjected to under the reign of the king's father, proposed the elevation of Mendoza to
bishop of Sigüenza on 8 August 1622.
Mendoza died on 1 March 1623 in Madrid. He was first interred in a chapel in the college that the
Society of Jesus
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
maintained at the
University of Alcalá
The University of Alcalá ( es, Universidad de Alcalá) is a public university located in Alcalá de Henares, a city 35 km (22 miles) northeast of Madrid in Spain and also the third-largest city of the region. It was founded in 1293 as a ...
(co-founded by his sister Catalina). In 1632 he was reburied before the high altar.
Notes and references
Notes
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mendoza, Francisco de
1547 births
1623 deaths
Spanish people of the Eighty Years' War
Spanish generals
Bishops of Sigüenza