Juan de Tassis y Acuña, 1st Count of Villamediana
Encyclopedia
Juan de Tassis y Acuña, 1st Count of Villamediana, (Valladolid 15?? - Madrid 1607) was awarded his title by king Felipe III of Spain in 1603, and the General Spanish Post Offices Head.
They were originally an Italian family whose members extended through Europe, from Flanders
to Spain
. Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V
, a.k.a. king Charles I of Spain awarded them positions as Heads of public lodgings, "Hostes", and Postal Offices, "Postas". Thus, for instance, Juan Bautista Tassis was the Head of the Postal Services in Flanders
. The oldest son of his 11 children, Raimundo de Tassis, (circa 1515 - 1579), went to Spain and married Catalina de Acuña. (circa 1515 - 1579).
Under king Felipe II of Spain he was in the service of the unfortunate Prince Don Carlos
, who died as a teenager. He participated in the war fighting the Morisco revolt
in the former Spanish Islamic kingdom of Granada
and in North-African towns such as Oran
, now in Algeria
. He was made a Knight of the Military Order of Santiago, serving the 3rd Duke of Alba in the conquest of Lisboa, Portugal, 29 June 1581. While there, his only son, Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana
was born. In 1583 Tassis returned to Madrid with the king. King Felipe III of Spain. He was created the 1st Count of Villamediana
by king Felipe III of Spain on 12 October 1603, confirming him as Correo Mayor, or Head of the Postal Communications within the Spanish Empire. He was married to Maria de Peralta Muñatones.
In June 1603, he headed a Spanish-Flemish Commission which visited London
, seeking truces and mutual good faith. Queen Queen Elizabeth
had recently died and her successor James I
quickly sought to end the long and draining conflict with Spain which he inherited. Therefore, the Peace Treaty was successfully signed on 27 August 1604.
He died in 1607 and was buried at the Principal Chapel of the Convento de San Agustín, Valladolid
.
His son, Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana
, assassinated in 1622, inherited the title and the nomination as Head of the Imperial Postal system, too.
Translated into English by the author of his biography, and others of the family, in Spanish Wikipedia.
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...
to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Holy Roman Emperor
Holy Roman Emperor
The Holy Roman Emperor is a term used by historians to denote a medieval ruler who, as German King, had also received the title of "Emperor of the Romans" from the Pope...
Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, a.k.a. king Charles I of Spain awarded them positions as Heads of public lodgings, "Hostes", and Postal Offices, "Postas". Thus, for instance, Juan Bautista Tassis was the Head of the Postal Services in 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...
. The oldest son of his 11 children, Raimundo de Tassis, (circa 1515 - 1579), went to Spain and married Catalina de Acuña. (circa 1515 - 1579).
Under king Felipe II of Spain he was in the service of the unfortunate Prince Don Carlos
Don Carlos
Don Carlos is a five-act grand opera composed by Giuseppe Verdi to a French language libretto by Camille du Locle and Joseph Méry, based on the dramatic play Don Carlos, Infant von Spanien by Friedrich Schiller...
, who died as a teenager. He participated in the war fighting the Morisco revolt
Morisco Revolt
The Morisco Revolt , also known as War of Las Alpujarras or Revolt of Las Alpujarras, in what is now Andalusia in southern Spain, was a rebellion against the Crown of Castile by the remaining Muslim converts to Christianity from the Kingdom of Granada.-The defeat of Muslim Spain:In the wake of the...
in the former Spanish Islamic kingdom of Granada
Granada
Granada is a city and the capital of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of three rivers, the Beiro, the Darro and the Genil. It sits at an elevation of 738 metres above sea...
and in North-African towns such as Oran
Oran
Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...
, now in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
. He was made a Knight of the Military Order of Santiago, serving the 3rd Duke of Alba in the conquest of Lisboa, Portugal, 29 June 1581. While there, his only son, Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana
Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana
Don Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana, , was a Spanish poet. In Spain he is simply known as Conde de Villamediana....
was born. In 1583 Tassis returned to Madrid with the king. King Felipe III of Spain. He was created the 1st Count of Villamediana
Villamediana
Villamediana is a municipality located in the province of Palencia, Castile and León, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 229 inhabitants....
by king Felipe III of Spain on 12 October 1603, confirming him as Correo Mayor, or Head of the Postal Communications within the Spanish Empire. He was married to Maria de Peralta Muñatones.
In June 1603, he headed a Spanish-Flemish Commission which visited London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, seeking truces and mutual good faith. Queen Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
had recently died and her successor James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
quickly sought to end the long and draining conflict with Spain which he inherited. Therefore, the Peace Treaty was successfully signed on 27 August 1604.
He died in 1607 and was buried at the Principal Chapel of the Convento de San Agustín, Valladolid
Valladolid
Valladolid is a historic city and municipality in north-central Spain, situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers, and located within three wine-making regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda and Cigales...
.
His son, Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana
Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana
Don Juan de Tassis y Peralta, 2nd Count of Villamediana, , was a Spanish poet. In Spain he is simply known as Conde de Villamediana....
, assassinated in 1622, inherited the title and the nomination as Head of the Imperial Postal system, too.
Translated into English by the author of his biography, and others of the family, in Spanish Wikipedia.
Some references
- Villamediana as Correo mayor in the Kingdom of Naples by OTIS H. GREEN, Hispanic Review, Vol. 15, No. 2 (Apr., 1947), pp. 302–306 . Published by: University of Pennsylvania Press