Diego de Medrano

Diego Fernández de Medrano (Hinojosa del Campo, 1545 – 1588) was a nobleman from the House of Medrano in the Kingdom of Castile, a knight of the Order of Santiago, and a prominent Spanish naval commander of the late 16th century. He played a significant role in several key military campaigns, including the battles of Cyprus, Lepanto, Navarino, and Tunis, as well as other expeditions in Italy and Barbary. Captain Diego de Medrano served as the Squadron General of four Neapolitan galleys while commanding the Fortuna de Napoli galley at the famous Battle of Lepanto in 1571. Diego de Medrano fought in the Mediterranean for twenty years before he was appointed commander of twelve galleys that joined Álvaro de Bazán, Marquess of Santa Cruz in the 1583 expedition to Terceira. As a Squadron General and Captain, Diego de Medrano commanded four galleys in the Spanish Armada, and on the voyage back to Spain, he became interim Admiral of the Spanish Armada.

Medrano personally oversaw the construction of the Port of Gibraltar and guarded its strait, including the coast of Andalusia. Diego de Medrano is noted for innovating naval warfare techniques by enhancing the design of his galleys, becoming the first person to successfully cross the ocean with this type of ship. He contributed to the surrender of Faial. For 25 years of service, he was awarded a habit of Santiago and the role as Squadron General and Captain of the São João galleys in the Spanish Armada by King Philip II of Spain.