Gonzalve de Cordoue

Gonzalve de Cordoue (its complete Spanish name is Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba there Aguilar ), born with Montilla on September 1st 1453 and died in Grenade the December 2nd 1515, is a Spanish soldier with the service of the catholic Kings, whose career proceeds primarily during the Guerres of Italy. Its military successes were worth to him very early the nickname of Gran Capitán ( Grand Captain in Spanish).

First feats of arms in Spain

First of all attached following the princess Isabelle, he embraces the military career like very good Spanish junior by the time. Its baptism of fire takes place during the War of succession of Castille, which opposes the Infant E Isabelle to Jeanne de Castille, girl of Henri IV of Castille which one doubts extremely that he was really his father. In 1492, it negotiates with Boabdil the rendering of Grenade which puts an end to the Reconquista.

In reward of its exploits, he sees himself granting a Commanderie Ordre of Santiago.

The first forwarding in Italy (1495-1498)

With died of Ferdinand Ier of Naples, the king Charles VIII of France, heir to the house of Anjou intends to reconquer the kingdom of Rene Ier of Naples. He invades the Royaume of Naples and pushes Alphonse II of Naples to the Abdication in favor of the illegitimate son of this last Ferdinand II of Naples. The catholic king Ferdinand II of Aragon decides to come to assistance to his/her cousin from Naples.

Gonzalve de Cordoue is based on the rising of the Neapolitan population to take the city and two years later free the kingdom of Naples whose French were evacuated. It is at the conclusion of this countryside that it receives the nickname of Gran Capitán .

Before leaving Italy, the Gran Capitán releases the town of Ostie of a Basque corsair and receives for that a Rose of gold of the hands of the pope Alexandre VI.

The second forwarding in Italy (1501-1507)

In spite of the Treated Grenade, the clashes multiply between French and Spaniards who shared the kingdom of Naples. This same year, Gonzalve de Cordoue is sent by the catholic Kings in Céphalonie to help the République of Venice to drive out the Othomans of them. The partner is victorious but appears not very productive in terms of spoils.

It leads the repression of the rebellion of Alpujarras , of the name of a city located in the surroundings of Grenade, in Andalusia. This rebellion is the fact of Moor S of old the Royaume of Grenade, including one cardinal , Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, tries to accelerate conversion with Christianity, the wrong way of the agreements signed at the time of the rendering of Grenade.

Returned to Italy, the Gran Capitán faces the troops victoriously that Louis XII sends to the attack of Italy. It gains first of all the victory with Cerignola (1503), then that of the Garigliano (1503).

The French must leave the area and Gonzalve de Cordoue is named viceroy of Naples. It occupies this function lasting but, after death in 1504 of the queen Isabelle the catholic, the king Ferdinand d' Aragon becomes sensitive to the jealousies born of the favor of the viceroy and, in fear of possible inclinations of independence, recalls it in Spain.

Although having produced the accounts justifying its management lasting its years of viceroy, cutting course with the rumors of diversion at the court, it never finds the favor of the king and is withdrawn with Loja, where it dies in 1515.

Organization of the troops

Tie started from its experiment on the battle fields, and in particular the military formations of Swiss, Gonzalve de Cordoue is at the origin of the reorganization of the Spanish troops, which gives birth, later to the famous Tercio S.

The Gran Capitán sets up the Coronelía, made up of 6 000 men, under the orders of a Colonel, of which 3 000 Piquier S, 2 000 infantrymen armed with a sword and a Targe, and 1 000 arquebusiers . The coronelía can be broken up into 12 Bataille S of 500 men, each one ordered by a Capitaine. According to Gonzalve de Cordoue, an armed must be made up of two coronelías to which are added two squadrons of heavy riders and two squadrons of light riders. With the head of the armed , one finds a General Capitaine , equipped with an additional troop of 150 soldiers.

Sources

Article on Spanish-speaking Wikipédia.
New illustrated universal encyclopedic dictionary: repertory of human knowledge. the Third volume, FRAN-MECO. under the direction of Jules Trousset, 1886
universal Collection of the memories private individuals relating to the French history. Volume XIV, 1786