García Álvarez de Toledo, 4th Marquis of Villafranca

García Álvarez de Toledo y Osorio (29 August 1514 – 31 May 1577), was a Spanish admiral and shipbuilder. He was 4th Marquess of Villafranca del Bierzo and 1st Duke of Fernandina, and served under the reigns of Emperor Charles V and King Philip II.

Toledo was a prolific and renowned sea commander, held to be undefeated through his career. He specialized in the study of naval strategy, and organized military, civilian and privateering fleets. Even after his retirement, he remained active in the Spanish navy, helping to craft the battle plan of the Holy League before the Battle of Lepanto.

Biography Álvarez was born at Villafranca del Bierzo as the son of Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, Marquess of Villafranca, who was Viceroy of Naples between 1532 and 1553. His mother was Juana Pimentel, Marchioness of Villafranca del Bierzo. The Duke of Alba, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, was his first cousin. Among his many siblings was Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

First tenure He started his military career under the command of Genoese admiral Andrea Doria in the galleys of Naples, in spite of the deep rivalry between his father and Doria. At 21 he was elected captain of the galley squad of Naples, initially by his later's influence and later validated by his own merits. He served with distinction in the conquest of Tunis in 1535 against Ottoman admiral Hayreddin Barbarossa, sharing the armada with Doria, Álvaro de Bazán the Elder, Bernardino de Mendoza and other admirals. By this point, he had started managing his own fleets, both merchant and military, often from the viceroyalty of Naples. the land where Spain's main shipyards were located, thanks to his naval experience. He played an important role developing the local fleet and directing the fight against banditry, Barbary piracy and Protestants. In appreciation of his work, Philip chose home to become Captain-General of the Sea, replacing Giovanni Andrea Doria, who fell out of favor due to the disaster of the Battle of Djerba. in Naples, the Duke married Donna Vittoria Colonna, the daughter of Don Ascanio Colonna, 2nd Duke of Paliano, and Giovanna d'Aragona and the niece of famed poet and diplomat Vittoria Colonna, with whom she shares a name. They had six children:

Pedro de Toledo Osorio, 5th Marquess of Villafranca and Grandee of Spain; María de Toledo, married Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, 4th Duke of Alba; Juana de Toledo, married Bernardino Pimentel, 3rd Marquess of Távara; Ana de Toledo, married Gómez Dávila, 3rd Marquess of Velada; Inés de Toledo, married Juan Pacheco, 2nd Marquess of Cerralbo. Leonor de Toledo, married her cousin Pietro de' Medici, Prince of Tuscany.

He also had two illegitimate children:

Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, Señor de Gaipuli; Delia de Toledo, a Carmelite nun.

Ancestry