biography
| name: |
John of Austria, Don
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Span Don Juan
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1547–78)
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| biography:
| Spanish soldier, the illegitimate son of Charles V and Barbara Blomberg, born in Regensburg, SE Germany. He became a distinguished Spanish commander, defeating the Moors in Granada (1570) , the Turks at Lepanto (1571), and capturing Tunis (1573). He was then sent to Milan, and in 1576 was appointed viceroy of The Netherlands by Philip II. He was received with suspicion and had to accept the Perpetual Edict of 1577, only making his official entry into Brussels after the Spanish troops had been withdrawn. After the failure of peace negotiations with Holland, Zeeland, and the Prince of Orange, he seized Namur in a surprise attack and recalled the Spanish troops, causing the States-General, under pressure from Orange, to withdraw recognition from him, and appoint Matthias of Austria (the future emperor) as viceroy. The States army was defeated at Gembloux by Spanish troops under Alexander Farnese in early 1568, but recovered later that year at Rijmenam. Don John planned to marry Mary, Queen of Scots, but after withdrawing to Namur he died of typhus. He appointed Farnese as his successor. |
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