Battista Antonelli (or Bautista) (1547–1616) was a military engineer from a prestigious
Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
family of military engineers in the service of the
Habsburg monarchs of
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
and
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, i ...
.
Biography
Antonelli was born in
Gatteo
Gatteo ( rgn, Gatì) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Forlì-Cesena in the Italy, Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Forlì. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,2 ...
in
Romagna, and entered the service of
Philip II of Spain in 1570, working with his older brother on projects in
Oran,
Algeria
)
, image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Algiers
, coordinates =
, largest_city = capital
, relig ...
and Spain. In 1581 Antonelli was commissioned by the king to build a fortress along the
Straits of Magellan
The Strait of Magellan (), also called the Straits of Magellan, is a navigable sea route in southern Chile separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. The strait is considered the most important natural pas ...
, to protect this vital sea lane from attacks by
English
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privateers. The project, under the command of
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa
Pedro Sarmiento de Gamboa (1532–1592) was a Spanish explorer, author, historian, mathematician, and astronomer. His birthplace is not certain and may have been Pontevedra, in Galicia, where his paternal family originated, or Alcalá de Henare ...
and
Diego Flores Valdez, was a complete failure, founding a short-lived settlement named
Rey Don Felipe (later called Port Famine), without any fortifications. Antonelli returned to Spain, ill and disillusioned.
He was convinced, however, to take a second commission in 1586 to build fortifications for the city of
Cartagena in Colombia.
Using the latest military technology of the time, he designed the city's renowned defenses, the
San Felipe de Barajas Castle, the San Sebastián de Pastelillo Fort and the San Fernando Fort.
Antonelli then sailed for
Panama
Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Co ...
where he recommended the abandonment of
Nombre de Dios in favor of
Portobelo. At
Panama la Vieja at the Pacific coast he developed a plan for a fortification of the town, which was never realized. He then set sail for
Havana
Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. . In Havana he designed the fortifications which culminate at the fortress of
El Morro. From there he returned to Spain.
After several more journeys to the
Caribbean, Antonelli settled in Spain, working on fortresses in Gibraltar and in other places. He died in Spain in 1616 after having one of the most illustrious careers in military architecture in the New World.
His brother
Giovanni Battista Antonelli was also a military engineer, born in Italy at
Gatteo
Gatteo ( rgn, Gatì) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Forlì-Cesena in the Italy, Italian region Emilia-Romagna, located about southeast of Bologna and about southeast of Forlì. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 7,2 ...
in
Romagna, and died in
Toledo, Spain, in 1558. His most important works were a series of watchtowers along the coast of the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
in Spain.
References
*Anne W. Tennant (September/October 2003) "Arquitecto de las defensas del rey," ''Américas'', pp. 6–15.
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Antonelli, Battista
Italian military engineers
Spanish architects
People of the Spanish colonial Americas
1547 births
1616 deaths
Colonial Puerto Rico
Spanish colonial period of Cuba
Spanish West Indies
16th-century South American people
17th-century South American people
16th-century Italian architects
16th-century Italian engineers
17th-century Italian architects
17th-century Italian engineers