Francisco de Moncada, 3rd Marquis of Aitona facts for kids
Francisco de Moncada (born in 1586, died in 1635) was an important Spanish diplomat, soldier, and writer. He lived in the early 1600s. He was also a temporary leader, called a Governor, of the Spanish Netherlands.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Francisco de Moncada was born in Valencia, a city in Spain. His father was Gastón de Moncada, 2nd Marquis of Aitona, who was also a very important person. Gastón served as an ambassador and a Viceroy (a ruler acting for the king) in different parts of the Spanish Empire. Francisco's mother was Catalina de Moncada.
From a young age, Francisco learned about exciting stories of chivalry (knights and their brave deeds) and troubadours (poets and musicians). He especially loved a famous book called Tirant lo Blanch. This book was so good that it even inspired Miguel de Cervantes, the writer of Don Quixote.
His Writings
Francisco de Moncada was not just a soldier and diplomat; he was also a talented writer.
Expedition of Catalans and Aragonese to the East
One of his most famous books is called Expedicion de Catalanes y Argoneses al Oriente. This book tells the story of the Catalan Company. This was a group of soldiers from Catalonia and Aragon (regions in Spain). They traveled to the East and fought alongside and sometimes against the Byzantine Empire. Later, they even took control of the Duchy of Athens.
Life of Boethius
Moncada also wrote a book about a Roman politician named Anicius Manlius Severinus Boëthius, often called Boethius. Boethius was a very important person in the 6th century. Moncada's book about Boethius was published after Moncada's death, in 1642.
Serving His Country
Francisco de Moncada spent much of his life serving Spain in important government roles.
Ambassador and Advisor
He worked as the Spanish ambassador to the Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II. Emperor Ferdinand II was very impressed by Moncada's skills.
Later, Moncada became an advisor to Princess Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain. She was the regent (a temporary ruler) of the Spanish Netherlands. While working in Brussels, Moncada tried to convince King Philip IV of Spain to let the local government in Brussels handle more of its own affairs. He believed that the people in the Netherlands should have more say in how they were governed. However, his ideas were not accepted by the king.
Military Leader
In 1630, Moncada was put in charge of the Spanish navy in the Netherlands. His sailors, led by Count Jan VIII van Nassau-Siegen, faced a defeat in the Battle of the Slaak in 1631.
Despite this, Moncada continued to rise in the military. In 1632, he was given command of all Spanish forces in the Netherlands.
Interim Governor
After Governess Isabella Clara Eugenia died in December 1633, Francisco de Moncada was made the temporary Governor of the Spanish Netherlands in 1634. This was a very important position, showing how much he was trusted.
His Death
Francisco de Moncada died in 1635. He caught a fever during a successful military operation, the siege of Schenkenschanz. This place was near Goch, in Germany, close to the border with the Netherlands.
See also
- Juan de Moncada
- Battle of the Slaak
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Francisco de Moncada para niños
