Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma

Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, was the sharpest military instrument in King Philip II of Spain's arsenal. A veteran of the great naval victory at Lepanto, he was dispatched to the rebellious Netherlands, where he combined siegecraft genius with political cunning. He methodically reconquered the southern provinces, culminating in the brutal, year-long siege of Antwerp, which he won by building a massive bridge of boats across the Scheldt River. His success re-established Spanish control in what would become Belgium. In 1588, his role in the Spanish Armada's plan was critical: his veteran army was to be transported from the Netherlands to invade England. But the English harassment of the fleet and the disastrous 'Protestant Wind' prevented their rendezvous, dooming the enterprise. He died from wounds in France four years later, a master tactician whose campaigns defined the brutal conflict of the Dutch War of Independence.