Girolamo Carafa, Marquis of Montenegro was a general in Spanish and Imperial service from Italian descent.
Occupation
military personnel
Position held
Viceroy of Aragon
Citizenship
Holy Roman Empire
Born
1564
Died
1633
Overview
Girolamo Carafa (or Caraffa), Marquis of Montenegro (Abruzzo, 1564 – Genoa, 1633) was a general in Spanish and Imperial service from Italian descent.
Life
Girolamo was born in the noble Neapolitan Carafa family. His parents were Rainaldo Carafa and Portia Carracciola, daughter of the Duke of Sicignano.
At the age of 14, he was sent to Rome to study science under guidance of his uncle Cardinal Antonio Carafa. Girolamo married young with Hippolyta de Lannoy, granddaughter of Charles de Lannoy, Spanish Viceroy of Naples.
In 1587, Girolamo joined the Spanish army, against the will of his family. First he served under Alexander Farnese in the Dutch Revolt. Then he fought against King Henry IV of France, more specifically at Ligne (1590) and Rouen (1592).
Later he commanded an army unit in Friesland, Brabant and Flanders.
