Francesco Maria Carafa
Encyclopedia
Francesco Maria Carafa (died 1642) was an Italian nobleman, 5th Duke of Nocera
, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
and was viceroy of Aragon
and Navarre
and a military commander who commanded troops loyal to King Philip IV of Spain
.
and later Giovanna Ruffo. In 1610, he rearranged his land holdings, selling the comune
of Tiriolo
to the Duke of Messina.
In 1625 he took part in the Siege of Breda and then transferred into the ranks of the Neapolitan
cavalry
in Lombardy
, where five years later he was appointed Master of the Field in the region near Piedmont
and Monferrato.
In 1633 his commanded troops during the Battle of Nördlingen
against the Swedish Empire
and secured a decisive victory for Spain. He then went to Flanders
in support of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria until he was recalled by Philip IV and appointed Commander General in Guipúzcoa to take part in the (failed) plan to invade France.
In 1639, Carafa was named viceroy
and Captain General of Aragon
and was named a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
. The following year he was named viceroy and Captain General of adjoining Navarre
.
During 1641, Carafa questioned the domestic policies of Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares
, especially in relation to the Catalan Revolt
, and was imprisoned. He died in prison the following year. He was eventually exonerated by a posthumous trial.
Province of Salerno
The Province of Salerno is a province in the Campania region of Italy.-Geography:The largest towns in the province are: Salerno, the capital, which has a population of 139,579; Cava de' Tirreni with a population of 53,488; Battipaglia with a population of 51,115; and Nocera Inferiore which has a...
, a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
and was viceroy of Aragon
Lieutenants of the Kingdom of Aragon
This is a list of viceroys of the Kingdom of Aragon.*Alfons d'Aragón, Bishop of Zaragoza 1485-1511*Germaine of Foix 1512-1516*Alfons d'Aragón, bishop of Zaragoza 1516-1520*Juan de Lanuza 1520-1535...
and Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
and a military commander who commanded troops loyal to King Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was King of Spain between 1621 and 1665, sovereign of the Spanish Netherlands, and King of Portugal until 1640...
.
Biography
Carafa married Anna Pignatelli, Marquess of BelmonteBelmonte Calabro
Belmonte Calabro, known simply as Belmonte prior to the proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, is a town and comune in the province of Cosenza, in Calabria...
and later Giovanna Ruffo. In 1610, he rearranged his land holdings, selling the comune
Comune
In Italy, the comune is the basic administrative division, and may be properly approximated in casual speech by the English word township or municipality.-Importance and function:...
of Tiriolo
Tiriolo
Tiriolo is a town and comune in the province of Catanzaro in the Calabria region of southern Italy.-Geography:The town is bordered by Catanzaro, Gimigliano, Marcellinara, Miglierina, San Pietro Apostolo and Settingiano....
to the Duke of Messina.
In 1625 he took part in the Siege of Breda and then transferred into the ranks of the Neapolitan
Neapolitan
Neapolitan may refer to:* Neapolitan, of or pertaining to the city of Naples, Italy and sometimes its wider Duchy or Province of Naples** Previously a nationality, during the time of the Kingdom of Naples or the Neapolitan Republics* Neapolitan cuisine...
cavalry
Cavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in Lombardy
Lombardy
Lombardy is one of the 20 regions of Italy. The capital is Milan. One-sixth of Italy's population lives in Lombardy and about one fifth of Italy's GDP is produced in this region, making it the most populous and richest region in the country and one of the richest in the whole of Europe...
, where five years later he was appointed Master of the Field in the region near Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
and Monferrato.
In 1633 his commanded troops during the Battle of Nördlingen
Battle of Nördlingen (1634)
The Battle of Nördlingen was fought on 27 August or 6 September , 1634 during the Thirty Years' War. The Roman Catholic Imperial army, bolstered by 18,000 Spanish and Italian soldiers, won a crushing victory over the combined Protestant armies of Sweden and their German-Protestant allies .After...
against the Swedish Empire
Swedish Empire
The Swedish Empire refers to the Kingdom of Sweden between 1561 and 1721 . During this time, Sweden was one of the great European powers. In Swedish, the period is called Stormaktstiden, literally meaning "the Great Power Era"...
and secured a decisive victory for Spain. He then went to Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
in support of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria until he was recalled by Philip IV and appointed Commander General in Guipúzcoa to take part in the (failed) plan to invade France.
In 1639, Carafa was named viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
and Captain General of Aragon
Aragon
Aragon is a modern autonomous community in Spain, coextensive with the medieval Kingdom of Aragon. Located in northeastern Spain, the Aragonese autonomous community comprises three provinces : Huesca, Zaragoza, and Teruel. Its capital is Zaragoza...
and was named a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
Order of the Golden Fleece
The Order of the Golden Fleece is an order of chivalry founded in Bruges by Philip III, Duke of Burgundy in 1430, to celebrate his marriage to the Portuguese princess Infanta Isabella of Portugal, daughter of King John I of Portugal. It evolved as one of the most prestigious orders in Europe...
. The following year he was named viceroy and Captain General of adjoining Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
.
During 1641, Carafa questioned the domestic policies of Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares
Gaspar de Guzmán, Count-Duke of Olivares
Don Gaspar de Guzmán y Pimentel Ribera y Velasco de Tovar, Count-Duke of Olivares and Duke of San Lúcar la Mayor , was a Spanish royal favourite of Philip IV and minister. As prime minister from 1621 to 1643, he over-exerted Spain in foreign affairs and unsuccessfully attempted domestic reform...
, especially in relation to the Catalan Revolt
Catalan Revolt
The Catalan Revolt affected a large part of the Catalan Principality of Catalonia between the years of 1640 and 1659. It had an enduring effect in the Treaty of the Pyrenees , which ceded the county of Roussillon and the northern half of the county of Cerdanya to France , thereby splitting the...
, and was imprisoned. He died in prison the following year. He was eventually exonerated by a posthumous trial.