Felipe da Silva

Who is Felipe da Silva?

D. Felipe da Silva was a Portuguese soldier in the service of Spain.

Felipe was the son of Doña Filipa da Silva, 4th Countess of Portalegre and of Don Juan de Silva, Spanish ambassador to the court of King Sebastian and Count of Salinas. His brother was D. Manrique da Silva, 1st Marquis of Gouveia, mordomo-mor of King John IV of Portugal and member of his privy council.

In 1638 Felipe da Silva was part of the War Council of Flanders, along with the Marquis of Mirabel and the Marquis of Cerralvo, Manuel Pimentel de Requesens Count of Feira, Claude de Rye, Baron of Valançon and Anthonie Schetz, Baron of Grobbendonk.

After the Portuguese rebellion of December 1, 1640, he was held in custody at Burgos, being freed in 1643 after which we was ordered to proceed to Madrid where he was promoted to Commander of the Spanish forces in Catalonia, despite his age and the fact that he suffered from gout.

He led the conquest of Monzon in 1643 and of Lérida in 1644. He died that same year.

Bibliography

⁕Campaña de Cataluña de 1644, Contiene la batalla, sitio y toma de Lérida y el sitio que el enemigo puso sobre Tarragona sin conseguirla dins de Colección de documentos Inéditos para la Historia de España, Tom 95 - Madrid, 1890