Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand of Austria
Ferdinand of Spain and Portugal (Spanish: Fernando de Austria ) (* May 16, 1609 or on May 24, 1610 in Escorial near Madrid, † November 9, 1641 in Brussels) was a prince of the Spanish branch of the House of Habsburg and served as Governor of Spanish possessions, as well as a commander in the Thirty Years' War. Due to his appointment as Cardinal Archbishop of Toledo, he is also known as the Cardinal Infante Ferdinand.
Life
Ferdinand was the third son of King Philip III. born of Spain on 16 May 1609. He received in 1619 the continual administration of the Archbishopric of Toledo, and soon afterwards a cardinal's hat. The cardinalate for the king's son was also a consequence of an intrigue at the royal court. The politically vulnerable Minister Duque de Lerma had put himself for a cardinal's hat this week. Political factions at court who had no interest in such an ascent of the Minister, therefore, the posthumous son of King brought into play. In accordance with his background, he should have received the cardinal's hat Toledo as the most prestigious diocese. Its revenues were directly benefited from the crown side effect. Pope Paul V first played on time, since the appointment of the young king's son with canon law was not compatible. It required a papal dispensation. Pope Paul V had on the other hand quite interested to commit the Spanish royal house. He wished the ceremony of grandeza, the highest Spanish nobility for the heir to his family Borghese. The family that came from the Sienese patrician class, wanted to create in this way the rise in the Roman aristocracy. On March 11th 1619 the king's son the title of Cardinal was awarded. Fernando was the first cardinal royal blood in Spanish history. After the dispensation was granted on March 1, 1620 also was Fernando Archbishop of Toledo are. In December 1620 was the prospective registry collecting the Borghese family.
In 1633 he was the emperor in Germany come with an army to help, but sent from Italy, one half under the command of the Duke of Feria ahead, while he himself went on the ads and an old dispute between the Genoese and the Duke of Savoy beilegte.
He then united in September 1634 with the army of the king of Hungary and commanded with this and the army in the Battle of Nördlingen, whereupon he turned in April 1635 to the Netherlands. Here he knew through small war the progress of the powerful French- Dutch army stop, crossed in June 1636 the French border, La Capelle forced to surrender penetrated victoriously to Corbie ago, but had to retreat again with the loss of several strong places.
In 1637 he sought in vain besieged by the Prince of Orange to relieve Breda. On June 22, 1638 he erfocht other hand, the brilliant victory at Calloo about Count William of Nassau-Siegen and forced the lifting of the siege of funds.
In the following campaigns of 1639 and 1640 Ferdinand had to be limited to the defensive. The campaign of 1641, he opened with the removal of Lens, but died of a fever on November 9, 1641 in Brussels.