John Don

John, Don, of Austria, the natural son of the Emperor, Charles V., by Barbara Blomberg, was born at Ratisbon in 1545. Under the name of Geronimo he was conveyed to Spain, privately educated, and acknowledged by his father before the latter's death. Philip II. treated him as a brother, and he showed his gratitude by revealing the schemes of the Infante Don Carlos. Philip appointed him Captain General of the Spanish Navy, and employed him (1569-70) in the odious task of expelling the Moriscoes. He next became admiral of the league against the Turks, and in that capacity won the decisive battles of Lepanto and Navarino (1571-2). The king felt some uneasiness at the growing ambition of his kinsman, whom the Pope encouraged for motives of his own. In 1576 he was appointed to the government of the Netherlands, with a secret design for the subjection of England. William of Orange, however, was able to make some stand against the Austrians and their allies from Parma, when just as the crisis was imminent Don John died at Namur in 1578, not without some suspicions of poison, which were almost warranted by the jealous character of his half-brother.