Maestre de campo was a rank created in 1534 by the Emperor Charles I of Spain, inferior in rank only to the capitán general and acted as a chief of staff. He was chosen by the monarch in the Council of State, and commanded a tercio. Their powers were similar to those of the old marshals of the Kingdom of Castile: they had the power to administer justice and to regulate the food supply. Their personal guard consisted of eight German halberdiers, paid by the king, who accompanied them everywhere. Immediately inferior in the chain of command was the sargento mayor. One of the most famous maestre de campos was Julian Romero, a common soldier who reached that rank and that brought victory to the Spanish tercios at the battles of San Quintín and Gravelines.
In the overseas colonies of the Spanish Empire a governor held the rank of capitán general over his local forces and would appoint his maestre de campo.
Notable Maestres de Campo Name Area/Tercio Year(s) Notes Álvaro de Sande Tercio of Savoy 1537 General Maestre de Campo of the entire Imperial Army in Italy. Juan de Guevara y Guzmán Tercio of Savoy 1553 Alonso de Navarrete Tercio of Savoy 1554 Sancho de Londoño Tercio de Lombardía 1558 Julián Romero Tercio of Sicily 1565-1577 Diego Enríquez de Castañeda y Manrique Tercio of Sicily1569-1601 Francisco de Valdés Spanish Netherlands 1573-1574 Tercio of Italy 1574-1575 Tercio of the Two Sicilies 1578-1580 Cristóbal de MondragónTercio of Sicily 1582-1592 Maestre de Campo General of the armies in Flanders1592-1596 Juan del Águila y ArellanoTercio of Sicily1584-1598 Maestre de Campo General of the Spanish Armada in Ireland1600-1602 Agustín Messía Carrillo y Manrique de LaraMaestre de Campo de Infantería Española1587-96 Maestre de Campo General de España1609 Fernando Girón de Salcedo y BriviescaMaestre de Campo de Infantería Española1597-1605 Aragon1610-1615 Lope de Figueroa y Barradas (c.1541 - 1585)Tercio Costa de Granada1569-1584Renamed in 1573 to Tercio de la Sacra LigaPortugal1583 Fernando Álvarez de ToledoTercio of Savoy1605-1610 Portugal1638 Francisco de Ibarra y BarresiTercio de Fernández de Córdoba1622 Paul-Bernard de Fontaines Maestre de campo general of the Army of Flanders1838 Luis Francisco de Benavides y Carrillo de Toledo, Marquis of CaracenaFlanders1639 Juan Martínez de VergaraChile1640 Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of AlburquerqueMaestre de Campo de Infantería Española1641 Clemente SorianoTercio Clemente Soriano1641 Juan de SalazarChile1651 Francisco ManiagoMexico/La Pampanga1660Maestro de Campo of Mexico until 1660. Led a rebellion against Spanish rule for violating Kapampangan freedom from tribute, then laid down his arms after Governor-General de Lara granted his requests. Appointed Maestro de Campo of La Pampanga afterwards.Francisco Dávila Orejón 1684Author of Política y Mecánica militar, para Sargento Mayor de Tercio Francisco Félix de Vega y Cruzat, Marquis of FeriaItaly1704
See also Captain general Sargento mayor Tercio
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