Cristóbal de Mondragón

Cristóbal de Mondragón
Born1504/1514
Medina del Campo, Spain
Died1596
Antwerp, Spanish Netherlands
Allegiance Spanish Empire
BranchArmy
RankGeneral
Battles / wars

Cristóbal de Mondragón y Otálora de Mercado (1514–1596) was a Spanish general during the Eighty Years' War.

He was a prominent military figure of the sixteenth century, and was colonel of one of the Tercios of Flanders under the Duke of Alva, Luis de Requesens, Alexander Farnese and Count Mansfeld. He fought during the Eighty Years' War against the armies of William of Orange first and after Maurice of Nassau.

His talents in strategy and spywork led to important victories by the Spanish troops in Flanders and the Netherlands in a time of decline of Spanish domination in this region. Mondragón also greatly developed amphibious warfare with techniques like wading through tidal rivers.