Diego de Medrano | |
|---|---|
| Captain and Squadron General | |
 Coat of arms of the House of Medrano in 1568 | |
| Other titles | Interim Admiral of the Spanish Armada |
| Born | 1545 Hinojosa del Campo, Soria, Crown of Castile |
| Died | 1588 |
| Noble family | Medrano |
| Occupation | Squadron general and captain of the Spanish Galleys |
Diego de Medrano (1545 – 1588) was a nobleman from the House of Medrano in the Kingdom of Castile and a prominent Spanish naval commander of the late 16th century. He played a significant role in several key military campaigns, including the battles of Cyprus, Lepanto, Navarino, and Tunis, as well as other expeditions in Italy and Barbary.[1] Medrano was appointed commander of twelve galleys that joined Álvaro de Bazán, Marquess of Santa Cruz in the 1583 expedition to Terceira.[2] As a Squadron General and Captain, Don Diego de Medrano commanded four galleys in the Spanish Armada, and on the voyage back to Spain, he became interim Admiral of the Spanish Armada.[3]
Diego de Medrano was also the Captain of the Fortuna de Napoli galley. He oversaw the construction of the Port of Gibraltar and guarded its strait, including the coast of Andalusia.[1] He is noted for innovating naval warfare techniques by enhancing the design of his galleys, becoming the first person to successfully cross the ocean with this type of ship.[4] He contributed to the surrender of Faial. For 25 years of service, he was awarded a habit of Santiago and the role as Squadron General and Captain of the São João galleys in the Spanish Armada by King Philip II of Spain.[5]
- ^ a b Collection Sans de Bartuel, art. 4, no. 859.
- ^ Cabrera de Córdoba, Luis (1876). Filipe Segundo, Rey de España. Robarts - University of Toronto. Madrid, Aribau. p. 288.
- ^ "Libro La Batalla del Mar Oceano Vol IV Tomo I Libreria nautica Fragata, la libreria nautica online". www.fragata-librosnauticos.com. Retrieved 2024-08-27.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:16was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "La Costa da Morte y la Armada Invencible - Adiante Galicia" (in Spanish). 2015-02-12. Retrieved 2024-08-27.