Francisco de Melo
![]() | This article does not cite any sources. (October 2012) |
Francisco de Melo | |
---|---|
![]() Francisco de Melo as Governor of the Spanish Netherlands. | |
Born | ? 1597 Estremoz, Portugal |
Died | 18 December 1651 (aged 54 or 53) Madrid, Spain |
Allegiance | Spain |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1638–1645 |
Rank | Captain General |
Battles/wars | Thirty Years' War Catalan Revolt |
Dom Francisco de Melo (1597 – 18 December 1651) was a Portuguese nobleman who served as a Spanish general.
Biography[]
Melo was born in Estremoz, Portugal.
He was marquis of the Portuguese Tor de Laguna, count of Assumar, and, from 1641 to 1644, interim governor of the Southern Netherlands.
When Francisco de Melo came to the Southern Netherlands, he already had an impressive political career. From 1632 to 1636 he had been Spanish ambassador to the Republic of Genoa. In 1638 he was appointed viceroy of Sicily, and two years later he was ambassador in Vienna.
Above all, Francisco de Melo is remembered for the defeat at the battle of Rocroi in 1643. His victory at the Battle of Honnecourt one year earlier has been almost completely forgotten.
Categories:
- 1597 births
- People from Estremoz
- 1651 deaths
- Viceroys of Aragon
- Governors of the Habsburg Netherlands
- Ambassadors of Spain to Austria
- Viceroys of Sicily
- Portuguese nobility
- Spanish generals
- Portuguese people of the Thirty Years' War
- Military personnel of the Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659)
- Spanish military personnel stubs
- Spanish diplomat stubs