death_place death_date birth_place birth_date article_title name occupation
spain october 1622 spain 1561 baltasar de zúñiga
 baltasar de zúñiga diplomat , soldier and statesman
baltasar de zúñiga

baltasar de zúñiga -lrb- 1561 -- october 1622 -rrb- was a spanish royal favourite of philip iii , his son philip iv and a key minister in two spanish governments .
in control of foreign policy from 1618 to 1622 , he was responsible for spain 's initially successful entry into the thirty years war -lrb- 1618 -- 48 -rrb- and for the appointment of his nephew , the count-duke of olivares to the position of prime minister for much of the reign of philip iv .
de zúñiga was also notable as being one of the very few spanish royal favourites of the period to die whilst still in favour .
