KOS
Kos or Cos (; el, Κως ) is a Greek island, part of the Dodecanese island chain in the southeastern Aegean Sea. Kos is the third largest island of the Dodecanese by area, after Rhodes and Karpathos; it has a population of 36,986 (2021 census), ...
(c. 1540 – 23 October 1588) was a
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...
officer who was named admiral of the fleet and second-in-command of the Spanish Armada, and commanded the ''San Juan de Portugal''. He was a knight of the
Order of Santiago
The Order of Santiago (; es, Orden de Santiago ), is a religious and military order founded in the 12th century. It owes its name to the Patron Saint of Spain, "Santiago" (St. James the Greater). Its initial objective was to protect the pilgri ...
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...
by entering the Biscay Squadron. He commanded an escort of three fleets to the Indies. He gained fame when he was instrumental in the rescue of a gold-laden galleon at Madeira Island, as a result of which he was awarded command of the Laredo Fleet. He became linked with the influential Admiral
Álvaro de Bazán Álvaro (, , ) is a Spanish, Galician and Portuguese male given name and surname (see Spanish naming customs) of Visigothic origin. Some claim it may be related to the Old Norse name Alfarr, formed of the elements ''alf'' "elf" and ''arr'' "warrio ...
. It was under de Bazán's command that de Recalde took part in two expeditions to the Azores in the early 1580s.
Later that decade, he was granted command of an operation to oppose the English in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
Duke of Medina-Sidonia
Duke of Medina Sidonia ( es, Duque de Medina Sidonia) is a peerage grandee title of Spain in Medina-Sidonia, holding the oldest extant dukedom in the kingdom, first awarded by King John II of Castile in 1380. He commanded the Biscayan squadron in the battle, but rather than command that squadron's flagship, the ''Santa Ana'' a 30-gun vessel, he commanded the vice-flagship of the principal squadron, the ''San Juan de Portugal'' a larger, 50-gun ship. He was also second-in-command of the entire fleet. Despite his role, de Recalde had little operational power, and lacking support from the Duke, he underwent a number of battles below fighting strength. In addition, although he was second-in-command, he would have not gained operational command of the fleet had the Duke died; this would have instead passed to the nobly born Don Alonso Martínez de Leiva.Martin, Parker (1999), p. 11.
He was separated from the fleet in one skirmish in July 1588, and had to battle with several of the most powerful English ships. Although he survived the battle, he lost a significant number of men, and his ships suffered heavy damage. Towards the end of the operation, he was forced to put into port in Ireland, and then returned to
A Coruña
A Coruña (; es, La Coruña ; historical English: Corunna or The Groyne) is a city and municipality of Galicia, Spain. A Coruña is the most populated city in Galicia and the second most populated municipality in the autonomous community and s ...
, suffering from fever and battle wounds. He died a few days after his squadron docked at the port.