SPINOLA, AMBROSE, MARQUIS DE LOS BALBASES (1569– 1630), Spanish general, born in Genoa, then practically a pro tected state under the power of Spain. The family of Spinola was of great antiquity, wealth, and power, and a rival of the house' of Doria for authority within the republic. Unsuccessful in a lawsuit against the Dorias, Spinola decided to advance the for tunes of his house by serving the Spanish monarchy in Flanders. In 1602, he and his brother Frederick entered into a contract with the Spanish government. It was a speculation in which Spinola risked the whole great fortune of his house. Frederick, who was to form a squadron of galleys for service on the coast, was killed in action with the Dutch (May 24, 1603). Spinola's first landing in Flanders resulted in nothing definite and he re turned at the end of 1602 for more men. On Sept. 29, 1603, he laid siege to Ostend and took it on Sept. 22, 1604, winning thereby a high reputation among the soldiers of his time. A visit to the Spanish court at Valladolid, resulted in his being appointed commander-in-chief in Flanders. The wars of the Low Countries consisted at that time almost wholly of sieges, and Spinola made himself famous by the number of places he took in spite of the efforts of Maurice of Nassau to save them.
On the outbreak of the Thirty Years' War Spinola conducted a vigorous campaign in the lower Palatinate, and was rewarded by the grade of captain-general. The most renowned victory of his career—the capture of Breda after a long siege (Aug. 28, 16a4– June 5, 1625)—is the subject of the great picture by Velazquez, known as "Las Lanzas"; the portrait of Spinola is from memory. The taking of Breda was the culmination of Spinola's career. The enmity of Olivares and the want of money paralysed his efforts. Appointed plenipotentiary and general in the war over the succession to the Duchy of Mantua, Spinola landed at Genoa on Sept. 19, 1629. In Italy, Olivares caused him to be deprived of his powers as plenipotentiary, and, broken down in health, he died on Sept. 25, 1630, at the siege of Casale.
See A. Rodriguez Villa, Ambrosio Spinola . . . (Madrid, 1905).
(D. H.)