Cristóbal de Mondragón He was a prominent military figure of the sixteenth century , and was colonel of the Tercios of Flanders under the Duke of Alba , Luis de Requesens , Alexander Farnese and Peter Ernst I von Mansfeld - Vorderort . He fought during the Eighty Years ' War against the armies of William of Orange first and after Maurice of Nassau . His talent as a strategist led to important victories by the Spanish troops in Flanders and the Netherlands in a time of decline of Spanish domination in this region . Mondragón developed several military techniques like wading through tidal rivers and espionage . Life . He arrived in Flanders in 1544 and ( barring two short trips in 1570 / 71 and 1579 ) remained there the rest of his life , speaking the local language and marrying a Flemish woman . Early years . Although born in Medina del Campo like his father , the Mondragon came from the town of Mondragón in Gipuzkoa . His mother belonged to one of the most important noble and powerful families in Medina del Campo . Beginning of his military career . He enlisted in the army in 1532 during the reign of Charles V , and served as a soldier first in Italy and later in Tunisia , Provence , Germany and Flanders . Cristóbal de Mondragón was released first in the battle of Mühlberg against the Protestants of the Schmalkaldic League in the heroic step of the ford of the Elbe , which the playwright Lope de Vega recalled in his verses . The troops of the League were camped on the banks of the Elbe , near the present town now belongs to the German state of Brandenburg and Saxony at that time . The Saxons had destroyed the bridges over the Elbe , which implied a natural barrier impassable . Mondragon was part of the brave men who , on the night of April 24 , 1547 , led the fording of the river " with the sword in the mouth and chest above water " , making the enemy take several pontoons in the middle of musket fire . Thanks to the pontoons stolen could build a bridge over the river that allowed the passage of large imperial army who came led by Charles V himself and the Duke of Alba taking by surprise the enemy troops . In April 1559 , with the Peace of Cateau - Cambresis he was appointed governor of Damvillers , in the Duchy of Luxembourg and Walloon colonel of the Tercios . As a colonel he served under Sancho d ' Avila when they saw the first revolts in Flanders Protestants led by Prince William of Orange . By 1569 he defended the cities of Liege and Deventer against the Geuzen . In 1572 he raised the Geuzen siege of Goes , and was later appointed Stadhouder of Zeeland by the Duke of Alba . On 21 February 1574 he took Middelburg from William the Silent . Two years later he successfully besieged Zierikzee but afterwards was unable to stop his troops ( who had not been paid for a long time ) from mutinying . Under Alessandro Farnese he took part in the 1578 Battle of Gembloux and 1579 siege of Maastricht . His last campaign was in 1595 , when he was 91 years old . He raised Maurice of Nassau ' s siege of Groenlo . He then attempted a direct confrontation with Maurice of Nassau , but Maurice drew back , leaving Mondragon to drive off Philip of Nassau ' s cavalry and capture Philip , who died of wounds the following day . He ended his life as governor of Antwerp and died of old age in its citadel .