The death of the 10th Duke of Béjar (Don Manuel Diego López de Zúñiga) while fighting in Buda in 1686 is shrouded in a halo of mysticism and personal myth that lasted until almost a century later due to his role as a “martyr” for Christianity and the Crown, fighting the enemy hosts until his final moment.
In Hungary, Don Manuel played a leading role in the battles, especially in repelling the Turks on Margarita Island on 20th June and in the Castle of San Gerardo on 29th June, where his legend continues to grow with the success of his fearful advance to recover the trenches of this site, disobeying the marshal’s orders to retreat and returning safe and sound. In addition to this, he will provide support during the construction of bypasses at the fortress of Buda.
It was on 13 July 1686 that his legend was finally forged. During the final attack on the fortress of Buda, the artillerymen managed to bring down the inner wall, forming a kind of ramp from the rubble that allowed access to the interior of the Ottoman defences. It was Don Manuel who once again took the front line in the Christian offensive and facilitated the entry of the rest of the troops. The danger of being between two bastions was obvious, and at one point in the battle the Duke received a mortal musket wound which, after three days, ended his life on 16 July 1686, the day of El Carmen.

Collection: Images

Project: 6. Under a cloak of terror: violence and armed conflict in Europe.

Chronology: XVII

Scope: Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University

Link: http://www.tiemposmodernos.org/tm3/index.php/tm/article/view/558

Resource type: Image

Format: Map

Source: Zarza, E. (2015). "La creación de una memoria cristiana y guerrera. El caso del X Duque de Béjar (1657-1686)", en Tiempos modernos, nº 31, p. 375.

Language: Spanish

Date: 2015

Owner: Roberto José Alcalde López (Modernalia)

Copyright: ©Tiempos Modernos ©Emiliano Zarza Sánchez

Abstract: Plan of the fortress of Buda (Budapest, Hungary) where the 10th Duke of Béjar died in July 1686

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