Who was the Grand Duke of Alba and Iron Duke in the Netherlands that defeated William the Silent's invading army?
Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba Fernando Álvarez de Toledo y Pimentel (29 October 150711 December 1582), known as the Grand Duke of Alba in Spain and the Iron Duke in the Netherlands, was a Spanish noble, general, and diplomat. He was titled the 3rd Duke of Alba de Tormes, 4th Marquis of Coria, 3rd Count of Salvatierra de Tormes, 2nd Count of Piedrahita, 8th Lord of Valdecorneja, Grandee of Spain, and a Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece. His motto in Latin was "Deo patrum Nostrorum", which in English means "To the God of our fathers".
Battle of Zsibó Battle of Zsibó (Hungarian: "Zsibói csata," German: "Schlacht bei Siben," Romanian: "Bătălia de la Jibou" ) was fought on November 15, 1705 between the Kuruc (Hungarian) army (supported by French contingents) and forces of the Habsburg Empire, Kingdom of Denmark and Vojvodian Serbs in Zsibó, Principality of Transylvania (today: "Jibou, Romania"). The Austrian marshal Ludwig Herbeville marched against Transylvania. Although the Kuruc-French army was equal in size to the combined Austrian, Danish and Serbian forces, Francis II Rákóczi went on the defense due to the inferior training of his troops. The Danes and Austrians launched a powerful attack on the French and Kuruc infantry. Although the Kuruc infantry held its ground, the Kuruc cavalry could not launch an attack due to a lack of leadership and an overly muddy battlefield. The Austrian cavalry was thus capable of flanking the Hungarians on the left, forcing the Hungarians to retreat and crushing their cavalry in the process. After the battle, the combined Austrian-Danish army bought Transylvania.