commander in chief of the Spanish Armada of 1588.

A member of the noble and illustrious house of Guzmán, Medina-Sidonia became the seventh bearer of the ducal title in 1555 on the death of his father; he became master of one of the greatest fortunes in Europe on the death of his grandfather, Juan Alonso de Guzmán, in 1559. Philip II of Spain regarded him with confidence and appointed him captain general of the coast of Andalusia in January 1588.

In February 1588 the Marqués de Santa Cruz (Álvaro de Bazán) died; and Medina-Sidonia was nominated in his place to command the Armada against England. He protested forcefully but in vain at being chosen for this post; and, in the event, his inexperience and lack of seamanship were among the causes of the failure of the enterprise. Even so, royal favour was not withdrawn from him: he was appointed captain general of the Ocean sea in 1595 and remained in practical control of the Spanish navy under Philip III, notwithstanding further disasters (the sacking of Cádiz by the English in 1596 and the destruction of a squadron by the Dutch off Gibraltar in 1606).