Alba << AL buh or AHL bah, >> Duke of (1507-1582), also called the Duke of Alva, was a Spanish general and diplomat who served Kings Charles I and Philip II of Spain. In 1567, Philip made Alba governor of the Netherlands and ordered him to crush a revolt that had broken out there against Spain. Alba’s court sentenced about 1,200 rebels to death and was called the Council of Blood. His brutality and harsh taxes only made Netherlanders more determined to be free.
Patriots seized the major coastal towns and attacked Spanish shipping. They cut the dikes, and the floodwaters stopped Alba’s army. Alba returned to Spain in disgrace. In 1580, however, he helped Philip conquer Portugal. The duke’s full name was Fernando Álvarez de Toledo. He was born on Oct. 29, 1507, and died on Dec. 11, 1582.
