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García Álvarez de Toledo y Osorio, 4th Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo, Grandee of Spain, (in full, Spanish: Don García Álvarez de Toledo, cuarto Marqués de Villafranca del Bierzo, Duque de Fernandina y Principe di Montalbano), (Villafranca del Bierzo, August 29, 1514 - Naples; May 31, 1577), was a Spanish military officer and politician.

[edit] Biography

His father was Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, 2nd Marquis of Villafranca, Viceroy of Naples between 1532 and 1553. His mother was Juana Pimentel, Marchioness of Villafranca del Bierzo. The infamous Iron Duke, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba, was his cousin. Among his many siblings was Eleonora of Toledo, wife of Cosimo I, Grand Duke of Tuscany.

He started his military career under the command of Andrea Doria in the galleys of Naples, as commander of two ships. In 1535, already the commander of 6 galleys, he distinguished himself in the battles of La Goletta, Tunis, Algiers, Sfax, Calibria y Mebredia. After this he was named Capitain General of the Galleys of Naples.

He was Capitain General of the expedition to Greece, and Capitán General del Mar, a title he received in 1544 after having fought Hayreddin Barbarossa. He was Viceroy of Catalonia between 1558 and 1564. He then became Colonel General of the Infantry of Kingdom of Naples and finally, Viceroy of Sicily between 1564 and 1566.

As Viceroy of Sicily he accomplished his two greatest achievements: the conquest of Peñón de Vélez de la Gomera in 1564, and the relief of the Siege of Malta (1565). For this he received from King Philip II of Spain the titles Duke of Fernandina and Prince of Montalbán on December 24, 1569.

The relief of Malta

In April 1565, Don Garcia De Toledo (as he was known among the Maltese people) visited Malta after learning that Jean De La valette, Grand Master of the knights of Malta, had received news of an imminent siege. Don Garcia left his son in Malta to fight the siege, but his reason for doing so was to fulfill a promise he had made to La Valette, that he would come to relieve them. On May 18th, more than 40,000 Turks invaded the island. It was defended by only 600 knights of the order, 3,000 Italian and Spanish troops, and more than 7,000 Maltese civilians (called the Dejma). Don Garcia was expected to arrive at the end of July, but the knights had to fight the siege on their own. Only 700 men managed to break through the Turkish naval lines at the end of July. This breakthrough is known as the piccolo soccorso. When the Turks were retreating from the island, don Garcia De Toledo and Andrea Doria managed to land 10,000 troops at Mellieha bay. Upon arriving, Garcia and his other two commanders, Asciano del Corna and Alvaro de Sande, made their way to Medina on the double. The next day, the last engagement took place. Seeing his troops in such good spirits to fight the Turks, and since most of them broke ranks, the viceroy had no choice but to order a general charge. Not only did he chase the Turks but managed to destroy the remainder of them. It is said that even when the Turkish invaders jumped into the sea to escape to their vessels, the Spanish force kept shooting at them, killing more than 6,000 out of the approximate 10,000 remaining. A massacre occurred that day. It was the 8th of September, the feast of the Nativity of our Holy Mother. (Steven Garcia)

[edit] Marriage and Children

On April 5, 1536 in Naples, the Duke married Doña Vittoria Colonna, daughter of Don Ascanio Colonna, 2nd Duke of Paliano, and Doña Juana de Aragón. They had 6 children:

• Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, 5th Marquis 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 Marquis of Távara.
• Leonor Álvarez de Toledo, married her cousin Pietro de' Medici, Prince of Tuscany
• Ana de Toledo, married Gómez Dávila, 3rd Marquis of Velada
• Inés de Toledo, married Juan Pacheco, 2nd Marquis of Cerralbo.

He also had two illegitimate children :

• Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo, Señor de Gaipuli.
• Delia de Toledo, carmelite nun.

[edit] Ancestry

García Álvarez de Toledo's ancestors in three generations

García Álvarez de Toledo 4th Marquis of Villafranca	Father: Pedro Álvarez de Toledo 2nd Marquis of Villafranca	Paternal Grandfather: Fadrique Álvarez de Toledo 2nd Duke of Alba	Paternal Great-grandfather: García Álvarez de Toledo 1st Duke of Alba
			Paternal Great-grandmother: María Enriquéz
		Paternal Grandmother: Isabel de Zuñiga y Pimentel	Paternal Great-grandfather: Álvaro de Zuñiga Duke of Plasencia
			Paternal Great-grandmother: Leonor de Pimentel
	Mother: María Osorio Marchioness of Villafranca	Maternal Grandfather: Luís de Pimentel 1st Marquis of Villafranca	Maternal Great-grandfather: Rodrigo Alonso de Pimentel Duke of Benavente
			Maternal Great-grandmother: María Pacheco
		Maternal Grandmother: Juana de Osorio y Bazán	Maternal Great-grandfather: Pedro Álvarez de Osorio Count of Lemos
			Maternal Great-grandmother: María de Bazán

Government offices
Preceded by The Duke of Alcalá	Viceroy of Catalonia 1558-1564	Succeeded by The Duke of Francavilla
Preceded by The Duke of Medinaceli	Viceroy of Sicily 1564-1566	Succeeded by '
Spanish nobility
Preceded by Fadrique de Toledo	Marquis of Villafranca del Bierzo 1554-1577	Succeeded by Pedro Álvarez de Toledo
New title	Duke of Fernandina 1568-1577
Italian nobility
New title	Prince of Montalbán 1568-1577	Succeeded by Pedro Álvarez de Toledo