Juan Martín Díez

Juan Martín Díez
Replica of Goya's, by Martínez Cubells
Nickname(s)"El empecinado"
(The undaunted)
Born(1775-09-05)5 September 1775
Castrillo de Duero, Spain
Died20 August 1825(1825-08-20) (aged 49)
Roa de Duero, Spain
Allegiance Spain
BranchSpanish Army
Years of service1793–1825
RankCaptain general
Battles / warsWar of the Pyrenees
Peninsular War
AwardsLaureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand

Juan Martín Díez, nicknamed El Empecinado (Spanish: the Undaunted), (5 September 1775 – 20 August 1825) was a Spanish military leader and guerrilla fighter, who fought in the Peninsular War.

On October 8, 1808, the privilege of using the name Empecinado was granted to Juan Martín Díez, not only for himself, but also all his descendants. His nickname has given the Spanish language the verb empecinarse, meaning to persist or insist on achieving one's goals.