Álvaro de Bazán the Elder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Álvaro de Bazán the Elder
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Álvaro de Bazán el Viejo (MUNCYT, Eulogia Merle)
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| Born | 1506 |
| Died | 1558 (aged 51–52) |
| Allegiance |  Spain |
| Service/ |
Navy |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Battles/wars | Conquest of Tunis (1535) Battle of Muros Bay |
| Awards | General-Captain of the Galleys of Spain General-Captain of the Ocean Sea |
Álvaro de Bazán the Elder (born 1506, died 1558) was a famous Spanish navy leader. He came from an old noble family in Navarre, Spain. He earned important titles like 'Admiral of Castile' and 'General-Captain of the Galleys of Spain'.
He was the father of Álvaro de Bazán, 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz, who became even more famous than him. When his son was only eight years old, he was named "Military Governor" of Gibraltar. But his father, Álvaro the Elder, was actually in charge. Some people think this was Emperor Charles V showing trust. However, Álvaro the Elder was worried about Gibraltar's defenses. He suggested making the city walls longer, but his idea was not used.
Álvaro the Elder also had another son, Alonso de Bazán, who was a military commander. Alonso died during a battle to conquer Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera. In 1549, Charles V gave Álvaro de Bazán the villages of Viso del Marqués and Santa Cruz de Mudela.
Contents
Important Moments in His Military Career
Early Battles and Leadership
- In 1523 and 1524, Álvaro de Bazán took part in the siege of Fuenterrabía. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to try and capture it.
- After Juan de Velasco died in 1526, Álvaro de Bazán became the General-Captain of the Galleys of Spain. Galleys were large ships powered by oars and sails.
- In 1532, he captured the city of Orey with 10 galleys. He used the treasure from this victory to get more galleys for Spain.
- He captured a Turkish corsair (a pirate ship) named Jabanarrez in 1533.
Big Victories and New Titles
- In 1535, he led the Spanish galleys in Emperor Charles V's campaign against Tunis.
- In 1536, he captured the main ship, called the flagship, of the Algerian navy. This ship, along with some French ships, was planning to attack the Spanish coasts.
- In 1539, Emperor Charles V sold him the villages of Viso del Marqués and Santa Cruz de Mudela. Later, his son built a beautiful Renaissance palace there.
- In 1543, he received the very important title of Capitán-General del mar océano (General Captain of the Ocean Sea). He led ships from different parts of Spain and defeated the French navy in the Battle of Muros Bay.
Protecting Trade Routes
- In 1550, he was given permission to build new types of galleons and galleys. These ships were designed to protect the trade routes to the Americas from corsair attacks.
- From 1554 to 1558, he defended the Spanish-American coasts from possible attacks. During this time, he captured several enemy ships.
See also
In Spanish: Álvaro de Bazán el Viejo para niños
