Alonso de Guzman El Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia
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Don Alonso Pérez de Guzmán el Bueno, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia (September 10, 1550 - 1615) was the commander-in-chief of the Spanish Armada. He was the son of Don Juan Carlos de Guzmán, eldest son of the 6th duke, and of his wife Dońa Leonor Manrique de Zuniga y Sotomayor. His father died in 1555, and Don Alonso became duke, and master of one of the greatest fortunes in Europe, on the death of his grandfather in 1539.
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Origins of the Guzmán Family
The family of Guzmán was originally lords of Abiados, on the southern slope of the Picos de Europa in the hill country of León. The name is believed to be a contraction or corruption of Gundamaris, i.e. son of Gundamar. An early family tradition represents them as having come from Britain, and they may have descended from one of the Scandinavian invaders who attacked the north coast of Spain in the 10th century. It is in the 10th century that they first appear, and they grew great by the Reconquista of the country from the Muslims.
The branch to which the dukes of Medina Sidonia belonged was founded by Alonso Pérez de Guzmán (1256-1309), surnamed El Bueno, the good, in the sense of good at need, or stout-hearted. In 1296 he defended the town of Tarifa on behalf of Ferdinand IV, and when the besiegers threatened to murder one of his sons whom they held as a prisoner if he did not surrender, he allowed the boy to be killed. He was rewarded by great grants of crown land. The duchy of Medina Sidonia, the oldest in Spain, was conferred by John II in 1445 on one of his descendants, Juan Alonzo de Guzmán, count of Niebla. The addition "El Bueno" to the family name of Guzmán was used by several of the house, which included many statesmen, generals and colonial viceroys.
Betrothal and Marriage
The 7th duke was betrothed in 1565 to Ana de Silva y Mendoza, who was then four years of age, the daughter of the prince of Eboli. In 1572 when the duchess was a little more than ten years of age, the pope granted a dispensation for the consummation of the marriage. The scandal of the time, for which there appears to be no foundation, accused Philip II of a love intrigue with the princess of Eboli. The unvarying and unmerited favor he showed the duke has been accounted for on the ground that he took a paternal interest in the duchess.
Honors Received
Don Alonso made no serious effort to save his mother-in-law from the persecution she suffered at the hands of Philip II. His correspondence is full of whining complaints of poverty, and appeals to the king for pecuniary favors. In 1581 he was created a knight of the Golden Fleece, and was named captain-general of Lombardy. By pressing supplications to the king he got himself exempted on the ground of poverty and poor health.
In Command of the Armada
Yet when the marquess of Santa Cruz died, on the 9th of February 1588, Philip insisted on appointing him to the command of the Armada. He was chosen even before Santa Cruz was actually dead, and was forced to go in spite of his piteous declarations that he had neither experience nor capacity, and was always sick at sea. His conduct of the Armada justified his plea. He was even accused of showing want of personal courage, and was completely broken by the sufferings of the campaign, which turned his hair grey. The duke retained his posts of admiral of the ocean and captain-general of Andalusia in spite of the contempt openly expressed for him by the whole nation.
Later Years
When an English and Dutch armament assailed Cádiz in 1596 his sloth and timidity were largely responsible for the loss of the place. He was held up to ridicule by Cervantes in a sonnet. Yet the royal favor continued unabated even under the successor of Philip II. In 1606 the obstinacy and folly of the duke caused the loss of a squadron which was destroyed near Gibraltar by the Dutch. He died in 1615.