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Antonio de Leyva, Duke of Terranova, Prince of Ascoli, Count of Monza (1480–1536) was aSpanish general during theItalian Wars. During theItalian War of 1521, he commandedPavia during the siege of the city byFrancis I of France, and took part in theBattle of Pavia in 1525. After the death ofFernando d'Ávalos, Marquis of Pescara, he held further commands in Italy during theWar of the League of Cognac and finally died shortly after attempting an invasion ofProvence.
Belonging to a family fromNavarre, Antonio de Leyva made his military debut in theAlpujarras (1502) during the struggle against the revoltingMudéjares fromGranada and later served in Italy under theGran Capitán (1503–1504). He had a prominent part in theItalian Wars and was wounded at theBattle of Ravenna in 1512. Later on, under the Marquis of Pescara, he fought near Milan and in the unlucky campaign ofProvence in 1524, in which they succeeded in looting the countryside but were forced to withdraw without having managed to conquerMarseille.
After this failure he had the post of commander of the garrison ofPavia and here sustained the long siege from the French army led by KingFrancis I (October 1524 – February 1525) which gave time to the Spanish and Imperial forces to reorganize and to win the famousBattle of Pavia.
In 1525 he succeeded to the Marquis of Pescara as commander-in-chief of the Imperial army in the Duchy of Milan. When the last Sforza Duke of MilanFrancesco II died in 1535, he was appointed Governor of Milan byEmperor Charles V. During a review in honor of de Leyva, Charles V appeared dressed as a common pikeman and asked to be recorded in the rolls of the Tercio as "Carlos de Gante, soldier of the gallant Tercio of Antonio de Leyva".
Antonio de Leyva died ofgout during the campaign of Provence in 1536 but was buried in Milan in the now-destroyed church of San Dionigi. His descendants lived in Milan where they became one of the city's most prominent families. One of his descendants was the infamousNun of Monza.
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| Preceded by none | Governors of the Duchy of Milan 1535–1536 | Succeeded by |
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