Admiral of Castile facts for kids

Admiral of Castile was a very important job in the Kingdom of Castile. The person holding this title was the King's main representative in charge of the Navy. It was like being the top boss of all the ships and sailors! This special role was created in 1247 and lasted a long time, until 1705.

What was the Admiral of Castile?

The title of Admiral of Castile was first created by King Ferdinand III the Saint in 1247. This happened after a big success: the Siege of Seville, where the Castilian forces captured the city. The King chose Ramón de Bonifaz to be the very first Admiral.

After Seville was conquered, the Admiral's job became even more powerful and respected. King Alfonso X the Wise wrote down all the Admiral's duties and powers in a famous set of laws called the Siete Partidas. The Admiral usually lived in Seville. This was because the Royal Shipyards, where ships were built and prepared, were located there. It was also where the navy was organized and where special courts for sea-related issues were held. One of the many important things the Admiral could do was have a say and a vote in the Council of Castile, which was like the King's main advisory group.

From 1405 to 1705, the job of Admiral became a family tradition for the Enríquez family. They were descendants of Prince Fadrique Alfonso, who was a son of King Alfonso XI of Castile. The first person from this family to become Admiral was Alfonso Enríquez, chosen by King Henry III of Castile.

However, in the 1400s, the Admiral of Castile's role started to lose some of its importance. The Admiral became more of a person who stayed at the palace and stopped personally leading naval battles. At the same time, the Castilian navy changed. Instead of royal galleys (big rowing ships), they started using private sailing ships that were hired for each military campaign.

Admirals of Castile

Here is a list of some of the people who held this important title:

Sources

• Spanish Army

See also