Maestre de campo
Maestre de campo was a rank created in 1534 by the Emperor Carlos V, inferior in rank only to the capitán general and acted as a chief of staff. He was chosen by the monarch in the Council of State, and commanded a tercio. Their powers were similar to those of the old marshals of the Kingdom of Castile: he had the power to administer justice and to regulate the food supply. His personal guard consisted of eight German halberdiers, paid by the king, who accompanied him everywhere. Immediately inferior in the chain of command was the sargento mayor. One of the most famous maestre de campo was Julian Romero, a common soldier who reached the rank of maestre de campo and that brought victory to the Spanish tercios in the battles of San Quintín and Gravelines.
In the overseas colonies of the Spanish Empire a governor held the rank of capitán general over his local forces and would appoint his maestre de campo.
Notable Maestres de Campo[]
| Name | Area/Tercio | Year(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Álvaro de Sande | Tercio of Savoy | 1537 | General Maestre de Campo of the entire Imperial Army in Italy.[1] |
| Juan de Guevara | Tercio of Savoy | 1553 | |
| Tercio of Savoy | 1554 | ||
| Julián Romero | Tercio of Sicily | 1565-1577 | |
| Tercio of Sicily | 1569-1601 | ||
| Spanish Netherlands | 1573-1574 | ||
| Tercio of Italy | 1574-1575 | ||
| Tercio of the Two Sicilies | 1578-1580 | ||
| Cristóbal de Mondragón | Tercio of Sicily | 1582-1592 | |
| Maestre de Campo General of the armies in Flanders | 1592-1596 | ||
| Juan del Águila y Arellano | Tercio of Sicily | 1584-1598 | |
| Maestre de Campo General of the Spanish Armada in Ireland | 1600-1602 | ||
| Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española | 1587-96 | ||
| Maestre de Campo General de España | 1609 | ||
| Fernando Girón de Salcedo y Briviesca | Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española | 1597-1605 | |
| Aragon | 1610-1615 | ||
| (c.1541 - 1585) | Tercio Costa de Granada | 1569-1584 | Renamed in 1573 to Tercio de la Sacra Liga |
| Portugal | 1583 | ||
| Fernando Álvarez de Toledo | Tercio of Savoy | 1605-1610 | |
| Portugal | 1638 | ||
| Tercio de Fernández de Córdoba | 1622 | ||
| Paul-Bernard de Fontaines | Maestre de campo general of the Army of Flanders | 1838 | |
| , Marquis of Caracena | Flanders | 1639 | |
| [2] | Chile | 1640 | |
| Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque | Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española | 1641 | |
| Tercio Clemente Soriano | 1641 | ||
| Juan de Salazar | Chile | 1651 | |
| Francisco Maniago | Mexico/La Pampanga | 1660 | Maestro de Campo of Mexico until 1660. Led a rebellion against Spanish rule for violating Kapampangan freedom from tribute, then laid down his arms after Governor-General de Lara granted his requests. Appointed Maestro de Campo of La Pampanga afterwards. |
| 1684 | Author of Política y Mecánica militar, para Sargento Mayor de Tercio | ||
| , Marquis of Feria | Italy | 1704 |
See also[]
References[]
- ^ "Armada de Sarría, José Ángel (Director y General de Brigada) y Zuleta y Alejandro, José Manuel (Teniente Coronel )". Revista Ejército de Tierra Español. Madrid: Editorial Ministerio de Defensa de España. March 2009.
- ^ Mújica, Juan (1986). Linajes Españoles, Nobleza Colonial de Chile. Santiago, Chile: Zamorano y Caperan. pp. 444–445.
- Military ranks
- 16th-century establishments in Spain