Maestre de campo was a rank created in 1534 by the Emperor Carlos V, inferior in rank only to the capitán general and acted as a chief of staff. He was chosen by the monarch in the Council of State, and commanded a tercio. Their powers were similar to those of the old marshals of the Kingdom of Castile: they had the power to administer justice and to regulate the food supply. Their personal guard consisted of eight German halberdiers, paid by the king, who accompanied them everywhere. Immediately inferior in the chain of command was the sargento mayor. One of the most famous maestre de campos was Julian Romero, a common soldier who reached that rank and that brought victory to the Spanish tercios at the battles of San Quintín and Gravelines.

In the overseas colonies of the Spanish Empire a governor held the rank of capitán general over his local forces and would appoint his maestre de campo.

Notable Maestres de Campo

Name Area/Tercio Year(s) Notes
Álvaro de Sande Tercio of Savoy 1537 General Maestre de Campo of the entire Imperial Army in Italy.[1]
Juan de Guevara Tercio of Savoy 1553  
Alonso de Navarrete Tercio of Savoy 1554  
Julián Romero Tercio of Sicily 1565-1577  
Diego Enríquez de Castañeda y Manrique Tercio of Sicily 1569-1601  
Francisco de Valdés Spanish Netherlands 1573-1574  
Tercio of Italy 1574-1575  
Tercio of the Two Sicilies 1578-1580  
Cristóbal de Mondragón Tercio of Sicily 1582-1592  
Maestre de Campo General of the armies in Flanders 1592-1596  
Juan del Águila y Arellano Tercio of Sicily 1584-1598  
Maestre de Campo General of the Spanish Armada in Ireland 1600-1602  
Agustín Messía Carrillo y Manrique de Lara Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española 1587-96  
Maestre de Campo General de España 1609  
Fernando Girón de Salcedo y Briviesca Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española 1597-1605  
Aragon 1610-1615  
Lope de Figueroa y Barradas (c.1541 - 1585) Tercio Costa de Granada 1569-1584 Renamed in 1573 to Tercio de la Sacra Liga
Portugal 1583  
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo Tercio of Savoy 1605-1610  
Portugal 1638  
Francisco de Ibarra y Barresi Tercio de Fernández de Córdoba 1622  
Paul-Bernard de Fontaines Maestre de campo general of the Army of Flanders 1838  
Luis Francisco de Benvides y Carrillo de Toledo, Marquis of Caracena Flanders 1639  
Juan Martínez de Vergara[2] Chile 1640  
Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española 1641  
Clemente Soriano Tercio Clemente Soriano 1641  
Juan de Salazar Chile 1651  
Francisco Maniago Mexico/La Pampanga 1660 Maestro de Campo of Mexico until 1660. Led a rebellion against Spanish rule for violating Kapampangan freedom from tribute, then laid down his arms after Governor-General de Lara granted his requests. Appointed Maestro de Campo of La Pampanga afterwards.
Francisco Dávila Orejón   1684 Author of Política y Mecánica militar, para Sargento Mayor de Tercio
Francisco Félix de Vega y Cruzat, Marquis of Feria Italy 1704  

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Armada de Sarría, José Ángel (Director y General de Brigada) y Zuleta y Alejandro, José Manuel (Teniente Coronel)". Revista Ejército de Tierra Español. Madrid: Editorial Ministerio de Defensa de España. March 2009.
  2. ↑ Mújica, Juan (1986). Linajes Españoles, Nobleza Colonial de Chile. Santiago, Chile: Zamorano y Caperan. pp. 444–445.
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