Antonio Filangieri


Antonio Filangieri was an Italian-born military commander who saw active service under the Spanish Crown, eventually being appointed captain-general of Galicia. Filangieri was one of the three captains-general slain by mobs following the Madrid Uprising, the other two being Francisco Solano, [2nd Marquis de Socorro] in Cádiz, and Count Torre del Fresno, in Estremadura.

Family

Antonio Filangieri was the brother of Gaetano Filangieri, and uncle of Carlo Filangieri.

Career

In 1796, following his service during the War of the Pyrenees, Filangieri was promoted to lieutenant general and appointed military commander of Catalonia.

Peninsular War

Following the Dos de Mayo Uprising, on 29 May 1808, Filangieri was named Captain-general of Galicia in substitution of Francisco de Biedma y Zayas who had only held the post since 11 May, having been appointed upon the death of Francisco Taranco y Llano and who had been in favour of allowing the French troops to occupy Galicia.

Army of Galicia

Towards the end of June 1808, Filangieri, as commander in chief of the Army of Galicia, entered Benavente. The Army, then numbering 60,000 troops, including militiamen, plus 20 companies of Grenadiers. Second in command was the Marquis of Castrojal with Brigadier Joaquin Blake as the Quartel Maestre general. The aides-de-camp were the Marquis of Almeyra and Baron Alcaly (Alcahalí).
The divisions were as follows:
Given his frail health, Filangieri was substituted in the command by Blake on 20 June, just days before being killed by an angry mob of soldiers.