Fernando Girón de Salcedo

Don Fernando Girón de Salcedo y Briviesca, First Marques of Sofraga, born 1562, died 1630, Bailiff of the Order of Knights of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem, a member of the Spanish Council of State and of the Supreme Council of War, Ambassador to France, and Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Philip III and Philip IV of Spain.

Career
Don Fernando Girón served as captain in the Army of Flanders, as maestro de campo of the Navy of the Ocean, and castellan of Jaca in Aragon. In 1608 he became a member of the supreme council of war. He served as an ambassador to France 1618-1620. Back from France, he resumed his duties as counsellor of war, and became a member of the council of state in 1622. As governor he successfully defended Cádiz against the English in 1625, which led him to be immortalized in a painting of Francisco de Zurbaran, The Defense of Cadiz against the English. In 1626 the King made him the first marquess of Sofraga, for his services to the Realm and to His Majesty personally.

Cited literature

 * Alain, Hugo (2004). Au service du roi catholique. Madrid: Casa de Velasques.
 * Blue, William R. (2013). "Versions of the Battle of Cadiz, 1525." in: Mujica, Bárbara (ed.), Shakespeare and the Spanish Comedia. Lewisburg: Bucknell University Press.
 * Fernández Duro, Cesáreo (1895-1903). Armada española desde la unión de los reinos de Castilla y de León. Madrid: Sucesores de Rivadeneyra. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
 * Gálvez-Cañero, Enrique (1963). "El marquesado de Sotraga." Estudio genealógico. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
 * Williams, Patrick (2001). "Don Diego de Brochero de Paz y Anaya (c. 1535-1625)." Jornadas de Historia Marítima, XXI (37): 7-14. Retrieved 2017-01-03.