Dávalos y Spínola, Jaime Miguel de Guzmán (sold)
Jaime Miguel de Guzmán Davalos y Spinola (January 1, 1690 - January 25, 1767) was a Spanish nobleman, diplomat, and military officer. Jaime Miguel was born in Seville and educated at the Jesuit Colegio Imperial de Madrid, where he excelled in military engineering and mathematics. He lived in Granada before settling in Spain. He inherited a host of titles from his father, the most significant of which were II Marqués de la Mina, by which title he was commonly known, and 5th Count of Pezuela de las Torres. Like many young noblemen, he was destined from birth for a military career, serving with distinction in multiple Spanish wars, including the War of Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714), Italian Campaigns (1717), the War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718 - 1720), and the Spanish conquest of Oran and Mers el-Kebir (1732). For his military service, he received the highest decoration, the Golden Fleece, being knighted on January 23, 1738 and invested in Paris by the Duke of Bourbon on June 18 of the same year. Ten years later, on July 22, 1748, he was granted Grandeeship of Spain. Marqués de la Mina's last military action occurred in 1742, when he was sent to Italy to defend the interest of Infante Don Felipe, Duke of Parma (1742 - 1747, with an interval between 1744 - 1746). From 1749 to 1767, he served as Captain General of Catalonia, for which he was known for his strong-handed approach to getting things done - often to the annoyance of both subordinates and superiors.
Unique manuscript record of the War of the Quadruple Alliance. Author's own copy.
Guerra De Cerdeña Ysicilia, En Los Años De 1717, 18, 19, Y 1720. Con Reflexiones Militares Del Marquèsde La Mina Conde De Pezuela.
sold
This is an extraordinary 2-volume 1755-57 manuscript account of the War of the Quadruple Alliance, fought over Sicily, drafted by a participant, the II Marques de la Mina, Jaime Miguel de Guzmán Davalos y Spinola. It is Mina's personal copy, emblazoned with his arms, rich with masterfully executed foldout manuscript maps and tables, and features exceptional provenance. At the time of writing, this work was suppressed in Spain, as the loss of the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Cape Passaro was a royal embarrassment, leading to it remaining unpublished for more than 140 years. The War of the Quadruple Alliance here represented, while not well known, had global ramifications, as it significantly diminished the Spanish navy, giving the British largely unopposed free reign on the colonial stage, particularly in the Americas. (more details)