Ambrosio Spinola Doria, marqués de los Balbases (1569 - September 25, 1630), Spanish general, was born in Genoa. He was the eldest son of Philip Spinola, marquis of Sesto and Benafro, and his wife Policena, daughter of the prince of Salerno. The family of Spinola was of great antiquity, wealth and power in Genoa. Events January 11 - First recorded lottery in England. ... September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ... Events February 22 - Native American Quadequine introduces Popcorn to English colonists. ... Location within Italy Flag of Genoa Christopher Columbus monument in Piazza Aquaverde Genoa (Italian Genova (jeno-vah), Genoese Zena (zaynah), French Gênes) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of Liguria. ... Map of Italy showing Salerrno southeast of Naples Salerno is a town and a province in Campania, Italy. ... Location within Italy Flag of Genoa Christopher Columbus monument in Piazza Aquaverde Genoa (Italian Genova (jeno-vah), Genoese Zena (zaynah), French Gênes) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of Liguria. ...

Ambrosio Spínola

In the 16th century the republic was practically a protected state under the power of Spain, the Genoese being the bankers of the monarchy and having entire control of its finances. Several of the younger brothers of Ambrosio Spinola sought their fortune in Spain, and one of them, Frederick, distinguished himself greatly as a soldier in Flanders. The eldest brother remained at home to marry and continue the family. In 1592 he was married to Joanna Bacciadonna, daughter of the count of Galerrata. Engraving from [1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Engraving from [1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... Events January 30 - The death of Pope Innocent IX during the previous year had left the Papal throne vacant. ...

The houses of Spinola and Doria were rivals for authority within the republic. Ambrosio Spinola continued the rivalry with the count of Tursi, then the chief of the Dorias. He was not successful, and having lost a lawsuit into which he had entered to enforce a right of pre-emption of a palace belonging to the Salerno family which the Dorias wished to purchase, he decided to withdraw from the city and advance the fortunes of his house by serving the Spanish monarchy in Flanders. In 1602 he and his brother Frederick entered into a contract with the Spanish government--a "condotta" on the old Italian model. It was a speculation on which Spinola risked the whole of the great fortune of his house. Ambrosio Spinola undertook to raise 1000 men for land service, and Frederick to form a squadron of galleys for service on the coast. Map of Italy showing Salerrno southeast of Naples Salerno is a town and a province in Campania, Italy. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Events February 14 - William Shakespeare First performance of Twelfth Night on Candlemas March 20 - The Dutch East India Company is established as The United East India Company by the Dutch States-General May 15 - Bartolomew Gosnold becomes the first European to discover Cape Cod. ...

Several of Frederick's galleys were destroyed by English war-ships on his way up channel. He himself was slain in an action with the Dutch on May 24, 1603. Ambrosio Spinola marched overland to Flanders in 1602 with the men he had raised at his own expense. During the first months of his stay in Flanders the Spanish government played with schemes for employing him on an invasion of England, which came to nothing. At the close of the year he returned to Italy for more men. His actual experience as a soldier did not begin till as general, and at the age of thirty-four, he undertook to continue the siege of Ostend on September 29, 1603. The ruinous remains of the place fell into his hands on September 22, 1604. May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... Events March 24 - Elizabeth I of England dies and is succeeded by her cousin King James VI of Scotland, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England April 28 – Funeral of Elizabeth I of England in Westminster Abbey July 17 or July 19 - Sir Walter Raleigh arrested for treason. ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ... September 29 is the 272nd day of the year (273rd in leap years). ... September 22 is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years). ... Events January 14 – Hampton Court conference with James I of England, the Anglican bishops and representatives of Puritans September 20 - Capture of Ostend by Spanish forces under Ambrosio Spinola after a three year siege. ...

The Siege of Breda

The archduke Albert and the infanta Clara Eugenia, daughter of Philip II, who then governed Flanders and had set their hearts on taking Ostend, were delighted at his success, and it won him a high reputation among the soldiers of the time. On the close of the campaign he went to Spain to arrange with the court, which was then at Valladolid, for the continuance of the war. At Valladolid he insisted on being appointed commander-in-chief in Flanders. By April he was back at Brussels, and entered on his first campaign. The wars of the Low Countries consisted at that time almost wholly of sieges, and Spinola made himself famous by the number of places he took in spite of the efforts of Maurice of Nassau to save them. Engraving of the Siege of Breda from [1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Engraving of the Siege of Breda from [1] This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... Albert and his wife Isabella Archduke Albert Ernst of Austria (15 November 1559 – 13 July 1621) was appointed for the Spanish monarchy as Governor of the Low Countries in 1595, and from 1598 became joint sovereign of the Seventeen Provinces with his wife, the Isabella Clara Eugenia, daughter of Philip... Isabella Clara Eugenia, possibly around 1584 Isabella Clara Eugenia of Spain (Segovia 12 August 1566 – 1 December 1633) was Infanta of Spain, Archduchess of Austria and the joint sovereign of the Seventeen Provinces. ... Philip II of Spain (Spanish: Felipe II) - (May 21, 1527 – September 13, 1598), the first King of Spain understood as the whole peninsula of Hispania (r. ... Valladolid is an industrial city in central Spain, upon the Rio Pisuerga. ... The Low Countries are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine and Meuse rivers— usually used in modern context to mean the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg (an alternate modern term, more often used today, is Benelux). ... Maurice of Nassau (in Dutch Maurits van Nassau) (14 November 1567–23 April 1625), Prince of Orange (1618–1625), son of William the Silent and Princess Anna of Saxony, was born at the castle of Dillenburg. ...

In 1606 he again went to Spain. He was received with much outward honour, and entrusted with a very secret mission to secure the government of Flanders in case of the death of the archduke or his wife, but he could not obtain the grandeeship which he desired, and was compelled to pledge the whole of his fortune as security for the expenses of the war before the bankers would advance funds to the Spanish government. As he was never repaid, he was in the end utterly ruined. The Spanish government began now to have recourse to devices for keeping him away from Spain. Until the signing of the twelve years' truce in 1609 he continued to command in the field with general success. After it was signed he retained his post, and had among other duties to conduct the negotiations with France when the prince of Condé fled to Flanders with his wife in order to put her beyond the reach of the senile admiration of Henry IV of France. Events January 27 - The trial of Guy Fawkes and other conspirators begins ending in their execution on January 31 May 17 - Supporters of Vasili Shusky invade the Kremlin and kill pretender Dmitri December 26 - Shakespeares King Lear performed in court Storm buries a village of St Ismails near... Henry IV (French: Henri IV) (December 13, 1553 – May 14, 1610), called the Great (French: le Grand), was the first of the Bourbon kings of France, reigning from 1589 until 1610. ...

By 1611 Spinola's financial ruin was complete, but he obtained the desired "grandeza." In 1614 he had some share in the operations connected with the settlement of Cleves and Juliers. On the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War he made a vigorous campaign in the lower Palatinate and was rewarded by the grade of captain-general. After the renewal of the war with Holland in 1621 he gained the most renowned victory of his career, namely the capture of Breda after a long siege (August 28, 1624 - June 5, 1625) and in spite of the most strenuous efforts of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange to save it. The surrender of Breda is the subject of the great picture by Velasquez, known as "Las Lanzas"; the portrait of Spinola is from memory. Events November 1 - At Whitehall Palace in London, William Shakespeares romantic comedy The Tempest is presented for the first time. ... The victory of Gustavus Adolphus at the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) The Thirty Years War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally in the Central European territory of the Holy Roman Empire, but also involving most of the major continental powers. ... August 28 is the 240th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (241st in leap years), with 125 days remaining. ... Events January 24 - Alfonso Mendez, appointed by Pope Gregory XV as Prelate of Ethiopia, arrives at Massawa from Goa. ... June 5 is the 156th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (157th in leap years), with 209 days remaining. ... Events March 27 - Prince Charles Stuart becomes King Charles I of England, Scotland and Ireland. ... Frederick Henry (January 29, 1584–March 14, 1647), Prince of Orange, the youngest child of William the Silent, was born at Delft about six months before his fathers assassination. ... Las Meninas, painted in 1656. ...

The Surrender of Breda by Velazquez

The taking of Breda was the culmination of Spinola's career. Utter want of money paralysed the Spanish government, and the new favourite, |Olivares, was jealous of the general. Spinola could not prevent Frederick Henry of Nassau from taking Groll, a good set-off for Breda. In January 1628 he left for Spain, resolved not to resume the command in Flanders unless security was given him for the support of his army. At Madrid he had to endure much insolence from Olivares, who endeavoured to make him responsible for the loss of Groll. Spinola was resolute not to return to Flanders. Download high resolution version (1023x851, 179 KB) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Download high resolution version (1023x851, 179 KB) The two-dimensional work of art depicted in this image is in the public domain in the United States and in those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Las Meninas, painted in 1656. ... Breda is a municipality and a city in the southern part of the Netherlands. ... Equestrian portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel, Count of Olivares and Duke of San Lúcar (January 6, 1587 - July 22, 1645), was a Spanish royal favourite and minister. ... Coat of arms The Plaza de España square Madrid, the capital of Spain, is located in the center of the country at 40°25′ N 3°45′ W. Population of the city of Madrid proper was 3,093,000 (Madrilenes, madrileños) as of 2003 estimates. ...

Meanwhile the Spanish government added a war over the succession to the duchy of Mantua to its other burdens. Spinola was appointed as plenipotentiary and general. He landed at Genoa on September 19, 1629. In Italy he was pursued by the enmity of Olivares, who caused him to be deprived of his powers as plenipotentiary. Spinola's health broke down, and, having been robbed of his money, grudged the compensation he asked for his children and disgraced in the presence of the enemy, he died on the 25th of September 1630 at the siege of Casale, muttering the words "honour" and "reputation." The title of marquis of Los Balbases, still borne by his representatives in Spain, was all that his family received for the vast fortune they spent in the service of Philip III and IV. Mantua (in Italian Mantova) is a city in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province with the same name. ... Location within Italy Flag of Genoa Christopher Columbus monument in Piazza Aquaverde Genoa (Italian Genova (jeno-vah), Genoese Zena (zaynah), French Gênes) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of Liguria. ... September 19 is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years). ... Events March 4 - Massachusetts Bay Colony is granted a Royal charter. ... Philip III (April 14, 1578 - March 31, 1621) was the king of Spain and Portugal (as Philip II), from 1598 until his death. ... Philip IV of Spain Philip IV (April 8, 1605 - September 17, 1665) was the king of Spain, from 1621 until his death, and king of Portugal until 1640. ...

Don A Rodriguez Villa has published a biography well supplied with original documents--Ambrosia Spinola, primer marqués de los Balbases (Madrid, 1905).

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. The public domain comprises the body of all creative works and other knowledge—writing, artwork, music, science, inventions, and others—in which no person or organization has any proprietary interest. ... The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica ( 1911) in many ways represents the sum of knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century. ...