Background
De Córdoba was born on September 1, 1453 at Montilla in what is now the province of Córdoba, to Pedro Fernández de Córdoba and his wife Elvira de Herrera.
De Córdoba was born on September 1, 1453 at Montilla in what is now the province of Córdoba, to Pedro Fernández de Córdoba and his wife Elvira de Herrera.
Early in his career as a soldier Cordoba fought under Henry IV of Castile against the Moors and then became attached to Ferdinand V of Castile. He participated in the campaign against Portugal (1475 - 1476) arising from the dispute over the succession to the throne of Castile, and he also played an important part in the eight-year campaign against the Moors in Granada, negotiating the surrender of that city in 1492.
In 1495 Gonzalo went to Italy in command of the Spanish forces sent in support of Frederick II, King of Naples, against Charles VIII of France. He scored a succession of victories against Charles and reseated Frederick II on the throne of Naples, after which he returned to Spain.
In 1501 he was again back in Italy to aid the Venetians in driving out the Turks under Amurat I. In the meantime Louis XII, successor to Charles VIII of France, had reconquered central Italy and had entered into an alliance with Ferdinand V of Spain, but shortly thereafter they quarreled and Gonzalo, returning from Venice, was besieged at Barletta by the French troops.
He successfully quelled a mutiny within his own ranks and in 1503 broke the seige to attack the French depot of provisions at Cerignola. The French counterattacked but were defeated, and the following year Gonzalo scored a decisive victory at Garigliano, driving the French out of the kingdom of Naples. He remained as governor of Naples, in which capacity he was both popular and capable.
Jealous enemies in Spain, however, turned Ferdinand against him and in 1507 he was recalled to Spain. He lived in retirement for the remainder of his life.
Gonzalo Fernández de Córdoba is remembered as a significant figure in military history because his introduction of firearms moved the army beyond fighting with pike and blade. The restructuring of his forces, was continued by successive Spanish military leaders, who were able to achieve dominance for the next 100 years.
Widowed at age 36, de Córdoba married Luisa Manrique de Lara (a lady-in-waiting to Queen Isabella I of Castile) on 14 February 1489. His only surviving daughter, Elvira Fernández de Córdoba y Manrique, would inherit all their titles upon his death in 1515. To keep her father's name, she married within her family.
