Francisco Maldonado (Salamanque, 1480 - Villalar, April 24th 1521) Captain of Salamanque in the War of the Communities of Castille.
Biography
Francisco Maldonado was the lord of small the Concejo El Maderal, in current the Province of Zamora, in which he enjoyed particular attributes (tributes in the form of work, of money etc as well as the right to name certain notable locality). Certain authors consider that these prerogatives, although reduced compared with a feudal system, had important counterparts for the benefit of the municipality, since the Kings Catholiques defended on several occasions the Concejos against the Seigneur S, in their making it possible to take advantage of their rights in front of the courts, and that this irrefutable fact could probably be the cause of the implication of Maldonado in rising Comunero. Others consider that such an argument is contradicted by the facts, for example alliance between the sectors of the minor nobility of the line of Maldonado with the middle-class incipient and the popular classes from the city, against the imperial policy of Charles Quint. At the beginning it was his/her cousin Pedro Maldonado who was charged by the Junta with Salamanque with directing the militia of the city. However, since he was the son-in-law of one of the closest collaborators of the king Charles I {{er}}, the Count de Benavente, his leadership was at the origin of a certain mistrust in the popular classes of the city, this is why it is his/her cousin who became the captain of the militia: Francisco Maldonado.
In the facts they shared the command. Both were made prisoners in April 1521 with Villalar. Francisco Maldonado was stopped there with other famous leaders of the comunidades: Cheer and Padilla. The death sentence of his/her Pedro cousin did not take place however before one year. The banner of the Comunero S, only remaining vestige of the epic, recently restored, is preserved in the vault of Talavera of the old cathedral of Salamanque.
Antecedents
Charles I {{er}} of Spain, while arriving in Castille, acts in a manner which disturbed its new subjects deeply:- It was crowned king, with died of Ferdinand II of Aragon in 1516 whereas still his/her mother lived, the queen Jeanne Ire of Castille.
- It named as a successor of very respected Cardinal Cisneros, deceased into 1517, like archbishop of Tolède Flemish a 20 years old, Guillaume de Croÿ, and divides the capacity with its faithful of Ghent.
- With died of the emperor Maximilien de Habsbourg, it convened the Cortes to obtain the money ( servicio ) necessary to its proclamation like Empereur of the Saint Empire.
Dissatisfaction extends to all Castille and the leaders of Tolède dispatch messengers in the other cities to claim the vote against the contribution requested. When Charles prohibits to them to continue, Salamanque takes the relai and obtains that the the Cortes, joined together with Saint Jacques de Compostelle, vote against the contribution. Charles suspends the Cortes, and of convenes news with its measurement with Corogne, which completes to foment the disorders, which start with the rising of the regidor (leader) of Segovia, Juan Bravo.
Charles leaves for the Germany and leaves as regent Adrien of Utrecht, which decides to drown in blood the rebellion. But of other cities like Tolède and Madrid support it and it must be withdrawn with Arévalo, while the '' regidores '' of the raised cities form the Sainte Junta with Ávila, which moves then with Tordesillas to obtain the support of the queen Jeanne Insane the, it in what they fail because they find it indeed insane.
Charles manages to rejoin the components of the nobility to his camp, but the fire of Medina del Campo by the royal army rejoins the Tiers state with the cause will comunera.
Salamanque
Francisco was named general Capitaine of the militia of Salamanque and was charged by the city with requiring the assistance of the king of the Portugal to help with the release of Jeanne.In the town of Salamanque several important characters of the Communautés integrate the Junta.
The war
The fight continued, and Francisco Maldonado ran, with the head of an army made up of 200 riders and: 6000 infantrymen, using Juan de Padilla and of the bishop Antonio de Acuña to overcome the February 21st 1521 Francés de Beaumont, taken refuge royalist with Torrelobatón, by capturing it alive. Francisco takes the command of the troops of Juan de Ribera. The reinforcements that the Connétable of Castille brings to the royal army, helped by errors made by the insurrectionists, cause the defeat of the comuneros with Villalar the April 23rd.
The 24 in the morning, Juan de Padilla, Juan Bravo and Francisco Maldonado are carried out after a sham trial.
The May 12th its corpse is moved with Salamanque. The May 20th Pedro maldonado is locked up in the prison of Simancas.
October 1st Charles, already Emperor, makes a general forgiveness which excludes 293 noble, among which is Pedro Maldonado, carried out in Simancas. The manifest illegality of the judgments encouraged the king to emit in 1523 a promise to pay to give validity to the acts of then.
Sources
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