Balthazar Ayala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Balthazar Ayala
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| Born | 1548 |
| Died | 1584 (aged 35–36) |
| Nationality |  Spain |
| Occupation | Military judge |
Balthazar Ayala (born 1548, died 1584) was an important legal expert from the Habsburg Netherlands. He worked as a military judge during the early years of the Eighty Years' War. He is famous for writing a book about the rules of war. This book helped shape how countries thought about war laws for a long time.
Life of Balthazar Ayala
Balthazar Ayala was born in Antwerp in 1548. His father, Gregorio Ayala, was a Spanish cloth merchant. His mother, Agnes Rainalmia, came from Cambrai.
Ayala studied law at Leuven University. He earned a special degree called a "licentiate of laws." This meant he was highly skilled in both civil and church law.
In 1580, a powerful leader named Prince of Parma gave him an important job. Ayala became the auditor general for the Army of Flanders. This meant he was the chief military judge for the army.
Later, in 1583, he was appointed a "master of requests." This was a high position in the Great Council of Mechelen. This council was like a supreme court at the time. It was meeting in Namur because of the ongoing Dutch Revolt.
In 1584, Ayala also served as a royal commissioner. His job was to help choose new city leaders in places like Breda, Herentals, and Lier. He likely died in Aalst on September 1, 1584, while doing similar work there.
Balthazar had five brothers. One of them, Grégoire, also became a military auditor. He later joined the Council of Brabant, another important legal body. Another brother, Philippe, was sent on a special mission to Henri IV of France.
Ayala's Important Work
Balthazar Ayala wrote a very important book. It was called De jure et officiis bellicis et disciplina militari. This means "On the Law and Duties of War and Military Discipline." He published it in 1582.
- De jure et officiis bellicis et disciplina militari (Douai, Jan Bogard, 1582).
- This book talked about the rules and laws that should be followed during wartime. It also discussed how soldiers should behave.
- It was one of the first books to deeply explore the idea of international law in war.
- An English translation of his book was published in 1912. This shows how important his ideas were, even centuries later.
See also
In Spanish: Baltasar de Ayala para niños
