Captain Alatriste
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Captain Alatriste is a series of novels by Spanish author Arturo Pérez-Reverte. It deals with the adventures of the title character, a Spanish soldier and man of fortune living in the 17th century.
La rendición de Breda (1634–1635) was inspired by Velázquez's first visit to Italy, in which he accompanied Ambrosio Spinola, who had conquered the Dutch city of Breda a few years prior. This masterwork depicts a transfer of the key to the city from the Dutch to the Spanish army during the Siege of Breda. According to the third novel, Alatriste is in the group on the right, behind the horse.
Tercio
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A tercio was a military administrative unit of the Spanish Army during the reign of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain and Habsburg Spain in the early modern period. They were the elite military units of
Surrender of Breda, by Velázquez, shows Ambrosio Spinola (at right), commander of a Spanish tercio, receiving the keys to the city from a defeated Dutch general in 1625.
Tercios disembarking, 1583
Organization of a tercio
Schematic depiction of the pikemen's combat drill.