Jerónimo de Ayanz y Beaumont

Jerónimo de Ayanz y Beaumont (1553 – 23 March 1613) was a Spanish soldier, painter, astronomer, musician and inventor. He pioneered the use and design of the steam engine, as well as mining ventilation systems, improved scientific instrumentation, developed windmills and new types of furnaces for metallurgical, industrial, military, and even domestic operations. He invented a diving bell, patented an immersion suit tested before the court of Felipe III in Pisuerga, on August 2, 1602, and designed a submarine.

Biography Palacio de Guenduláin (Cizur), birthplace of Jerónimo de Ayanz, next to the Camino de Santiago.

He was born in Guendulain (Cizur) (Navarre), the son of Carlos de Ayanz, captain of the Pamplona garrison, and Catalina de Beaumont. He was the second of the male siblings, the eldest being Don Francés de Ayanz, born a year earlier. His mother, Doña Catalina de Beaumont y Navarra, instilled in her children the principles of an education appropriate to her rank. He spent his childhood in the Guenduláin manor until in 1567 he went to serve King Felipe II as a page. At court he was instructed in military skills, letters, the arts, and mathematics, which later would serve him for his studies of cosmography.

Military career His father, Carlos de Ayanz, took part in the campaigns in France, participating in the battle of St. Quentin in 1557 and in the punitive expedition to the then pirate port of San Juan de Luz. Jerónimo, after his training in El Escorial, began his military career in 1571. In 1573 he participated in campaigns in Tunisia, under the orders of John of Austria. Failing the defense of La Goleta, in 1574 he was assigned to Lombardy, where he served under the command of Alexander Farnese for a few years.

Patented inventions Up to 48 inventions were recognized in 1606 by the privilegio de invención (invention privilege)—as patents had been called at the time—signed by Philip III.

He built an air-renovated diving suit that allowed a man to remain underwater in the Pisuerga river on 2 August 1602. The diver spent an hour underwater before being ordered to return by King Philip III. He also designed "a submersible load barge and a smaller bathyscaphe, both of them equipped with oars, gloves and portholes to manipulate things, floating snorkels to renovate the air from the inside via pumps, and even commodities, like an inner water-powered fan to cool down the crew." He patented a steam-powered pump system to drain water and gas out of the mines after a mining accident in which he almost died in a mine tunnel. This mechanism was successfully tested in Guadalcanal.

He is best remembered for the invention of the first steam-powered water pump for draining mines, for which he was granted a patent by the Spanish monarchy in 1606.

He also improved scientific equipment, windmills and developed new types of furnaces for industrial, military and household use. He invented a bell-like diving suit and designed a submarine.