ALBERT VII: (1559-1621) Archduke of Austria who served as Sovereign of the Habsburg Netherlands with his wife Isabella Clara Eugenia from 1598-1621, and as Viceroy of Portugal 1583-93 and, briefly, as Archduke of Lower and Upper Austria from March-October 1619. An interesting L.S., Alberto, one page, large folio, Brussels, 22^nd December 1605, in French. The manuscript letter is addressed to all of the lieutenants, governors, colonels, captains and men of war, provosts, mayors, aldermen and other justices, officers and subjects who may have cause to read it, and is a commission for Pierre Launay, an archer of the guard, to lead the tercio of Don Pedro Carmiento (?), lately arrived from England, asking that they be allowed free passage 'et le chemin accomodes de vivres et aultres choses necessaires pour leur meilleur passaige, Et enchargeons aud. Archier de tenir la main vers le M^e de camp, Cap^nes et officiers dud. Tercio de faire vivre leurs gens en bon ordre et discipline militaire, et faire de sorte quilz se contentent raisonnablem. des viandes ordinaires que les subiectz auront en leur maison, sans leur demander ou les contraindre d'aller cercher du pain blancq, vin, poisson, chair de mouton, de veau et semblables boissons et viandes extraordinaires' (Translation: 'and the route accommodated with provisions and other things necessary for their better passage, and charge the said archer to join with the master of camp, captains and officers of the said tercio to make their people live in good order and military discipline, and to do so that they are reasonably content with the ordinary meats that the subjects will have in their house, without asking them or forcing them to go and get white bread, wine, fish, meat of mutton, veal and similar drinks and extraordinary meats') and also advising that the archer will notify the governor or principal officer of the province in advance of their arrival. With the small remnants of the affixed seal. Some extensive, small holes to the text and some splitting at the folds, slightly affecting the text and signature. FR

 

The tercio military units of the Spanish Army, active during the reign of the Spanish Habsburgs in the early modern period, were renowned for the effectiveness of their battlefield formations and provided a crucial step in the formation of modern European armies.