Íñigo Vélez de Guevara, Count of Oñate

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Íñigo Vélez de Guevara
Íñigo Vélez de Guevara

Íñigo Vélez de Guevara (d. 1699)[1] was a Spanish political figure. He was the eighth Count of Oñate. He played an important role in the Thirty Years War and the Neapolitan revolt of 1647.

He served as Spain's ambassador to the Holy See. He later served as viceroy of the Kingdom of Naples (from 1648) (see List of Spanish Viceroys of Naples).

Oñate was the eventual vanquisher of the "Neapolitan Republic". The revolt had been led by Masaniello.

During the Thirty Years War, the Spanish sent an army from Brussels under Ambrosio Spinola to support the Emperor, and, as the Spanish ambassador in Vienna, don Íñigo persuaded Protestant Saxony to intervene against Bohemia in exchange for control over Lusatia. The Saxons invaded, and the Spanish army in the West prevented the Protestant Union's forces from assisting.

Oñate conspired to transfer the electoral title from the Palatinate to the Duke of Bavaria in exchange for his support and that of the Catholic League. Under the command of General Tilly, the Catholic League army (which included René Descartes in its ranks) pacified Upper Austria, while the Emperor's forces pacified Lower Austria; united, the two moved north into Bohemia. Ferdinand II decisively defeated Frederick V at the Battle of White Mountain, near Prague on 8 November 1620. In addition to making it Catholic, Bohemia would remain in Habsburg hands for three hundred years.

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