Pedro Navarro, Count of Oliveto

Don Pedro Navarro, Count of Oliveto was a Spanish military engineer and general who participated in the War of the League of Cambrai. At the Battle of Ravenna in 1512 he commanded the Spanish and Papal infantry, but was captured by the French. In the service of Francis I of France, he would supervise the French crossing of the Alps before the Battle of Novara in 1513.

Navarro was probably born at Garde in the Navarrese valley of Roncal. Little is known of his early life. He began his military career in the service of Cardinal Juan de Aragon prior to 1485. He fought against the Barbary pirates in Italy as a Condottiere. Enlisted by Gonzalo Fernndez de Crdoba in 1499, he took part in the capture and siege of Cephalonia in 1500. His skilful employment of mines allowed for the breaching of the walls of the Turkish fortress. He continued in the service of Gonzalo Fernndez de Crdoba and went on to Naples, and defended Canosa in 1502 and Taranto in 1503 against the French. He supervised the construction of the field fortifications at the Battle of Cerignola, that enabled Gonzalo Fernndez de Crdoba to win his battle with Louis dArmagnac, Duke of Nemours onApril. He played a major role in the Spanish victory at the Garigliano River onDecember 1503 and was created count of Oliveto for his services. After returning to Spain in 1507 he took part in Jime

Source: Wikipedia