Villadarias, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo, Marquis of
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Villadarias, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo, Marquis of
Spanish Maestre de Campo de Infantería (1682-93), Captain-General of the Army of Catalonia (1693-96), Captain-General of Guipúzcoa (1696-98), Captain-General of Ceuta (1698-1702), Captain-General of Andalusia (1702-10), Captain-General of the Royal Army (1710), Captain-General of Valencia (1713), Captain-General of the Royal Army (1713-16)
born 17 December 1642, Málaga, Spain
died 1 April 1716, Madrid, Spain
Description
Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo was the only son of Antonio Arias Castillo Fajardo Maldonado and Maria Muñoz y Ruiz. His father was posthumously created Marquis of Villadarias.
Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo started his military career in Flanders.
In 1682, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo was appointed
On 25 March 1685, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo married Paula de Veintimiglia y Rodríguez de Santisteban. On 14 May of the same year, he was knighted in the Order of Santiago.
From 1686 to 1693, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo was governor of Ostend.
In 1690, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo became Viscount of Villadarias.
In 1693, during the Nine Years’ War (1688-97), the Viscount of Villadarias defended Charleroi unsuccessfully against the French. In 1694, he returned to Spain where he assumed the charge of captain-general of the Army of Catalonia. In 1696, he was appointed captain-general of Guipúzcoa. In 1698, he successfully defended Oran against the Moors and became governor of the small Spanish territory of Ceuta on the coast of North Africa.
In 1699, Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo became Marquis of Villadarias.
In 1702, during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13, the Marquis of Villadarias returned from the territory of Ceuta to assume the charge of captain-general of Andalusia. In August and September, he resisted to the Allies who, under the command of Sir George Rooke, had undertook the Siege of Cádiz
From June to July 1704, the Marquis of Villadarias commanded the Spanish troops who took part in the invasion of Portugal, capturing Castelo de Vide and Marvão. From August, he vainly tried to recapture Gibraltar.
On 8 February 1705, the Marquis of Villadarias, who was still trying to recapture Gibraltar, was replaced by the French Maréchal de Tessé, who finally raised the siege and retired.
In 1710, the Marquis of Villadarias, who had been promoted to Captain-General of the Royal Army, was commander of the Franco-Spanish army in Catalonia. On 27 July, he was defeated at the Battle of Almenar. After this battle, he was replaced as commander by the Marquis de Bay.
In 1713, the Marquis of Villadarias was appointed captain-general of Valencia. After a few months, he re-assumed the charge of Captain-General of the Royal Army.
The Marquis of Villadarias died in 1716 in Madrid.
References
Wikipedia
- English – Francisco Castillo Fajardo, Marquis of Villadarias
- Spanish – Francisco del Castillo y Fajardo
