Individual Details

Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, II Duke of Alba et Tormes

(Abt 1460 - 19 Oct 1531)

154 Knight in the Order of the Golden Fleece 1519

Fadrique was born about 1460, the son of Garcia Alvarez de Toledo, 2.conde and 1.duque de Alba de Tormes, and Dońa Maria Emriquez y Quińones. In 1476 or 1479 he married Isabella de Zúńiga, condesa de Sarmiento, daughter of Alvaro de Zúńoga, 1.duque de Bejar, 1.duque de Plasencia, and Dońa Leonor Manrique de Lara. They had five children of whom two sons and two daughters would have progeny.

Fadrique was a formidable soldier with a special aptitude for what might be called counter-insurgency warfare, and he had ample opportunity to exercise it in the long and bitter struggle for Granada. He was in charge of the army when Granada was taken from the Moors, and he shared in every phase of that campaign, demonstrating not only military expertise but cunning, ferocity and immense personal courage. In 1503 he relieved the French siege of Salsas and in 1514 he annexed Navarre for Fernando II 'the Catholic', king of Aragón.

After Fernando's death in 1516 his grandson Charles of Ghent, son of Philip 'the Handsome' and Fernando's daughter Juana of Aragón, became king of Spain, and Fadrique was appointed to take charge of Charles' household. He was present at Charles' coronation as Emperor Charles V in Aachen in 1521.

At the heart of Fadrique's character lay an almost Victorian rectitude and an obsessive sense of personal loyalty to his king. He died on 19 October 1531.

Source: Leo van de Pas

Events

BirthAbt 1460
Marriage2 May 1476Béjar - Isabel de Zuniga, Countess of Sarmiento
Death19 Oct 1531
BurialSan Leonardo de Alba

Families