Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria

His Eminence Infante Ferdinand
Cardinal-Deacon of Santa Maria in Portico
Portrait by Anthony van Dyck, 1634
Church	Catholic Church
Installed	29 July 1619
Term ended	9 November 1641
Predecessor	Ferdinando Gonzaga
Successor	Virginio Orsini
Other post(s)	Apostolic Administrator of Toledo Governor of the Spanish Netherlands Governor of the Duchy of Milan
Orders
Created cardinal	29 July 1619 by Paul V
Rank	Cardinal-Deacon
Personal details
Born	(1609-05-16)16 May 1609 San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Kingdom of Spain
Died	9 November 1641(1641-11-09) (aged 32) Brussels, Duchy of Brabant Spanish Netherlands
Buried	El Escorial
Denomination	Catholic
Parents	Philip III of Spain Margaret of Austria
Governmental posts Governor of the Spanish Netherlands In office 1 December 1630 – 9 November 1641 Monarch Philip IV Preceded by Isabella Clara Eugenia Succeeded by Francisco de Melo as acting governor Governor of the Duchy of Milan In office 1633 – July 1634 Monarch Philip IV Preceded by Gómez Suárez de Figueroa Succeeded by Cardinal Gil de Albornoz

Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand (also known as Don Fernando de Austria, Cardenal-Infante Fernando de España and as Ferdinand von Österreich; 16 May 1609 – 9 November 1641) was a Spanish and Portuguese prince (Infante of Spain, Infante of Portugal (until 1640)), Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, Cardinal of the Holy Catholic Church, Archduke of Austria, Archbishop of Toledo (1619–41), and a general during the Thirty Years' War, the Eighty Years' War, and the Franco-Spanish War. He is commonly considered the last great commander and strategist of the Spanish Empire, whose premature death in a critical moment helped bring about the end of Spanish hegemony in Europe.^{[1][page needed]} He is, as well, one of few generals undefeated on the battlefield.