Francisco Javier de Castaños y Aragorri he became the first european general that managed to defeat a Napoleonic army, after defeating general Dupont in the Battle of Bailén the 19th of July of 1808.
He was born in Madrid and named Captain of the Infantry at the age of ten. Promoted to Colonel, he obtained leadership over the African Regiment. He would be gravely injured in his heroic defense of the San Marcial Hill, in a terrain of difficult access, but his men, spurred on by their loyalty towards their boss, decide to lay on the ground, one soldier over the shoulders of another to be able to reach the wounded’s location and lower him back down by passing him over their bodies until they reached a location of easier access. Immensely grateful, Castaños wore the uniform of the African Regiment for the rest of his life, which can be seen in the picture.
In 1808 the Board of Seville named him General-in-chief of an improvised army that was formed and trained in a few weeks with regular and volunteer troops. With his Plan of Operations, General Dupont was defeated in the Battle of Bailén the 19th of July of 1808. Thanks to this enormous victory, Castaños received the rank of Field Marshal.
In July 1833, Fernando VII offered him the title of Duke of Bailén. Whereas, when he became 92 years old, the Queen Isabel II bestowed upon him the title of Marquis of Portugalete in 1850; passing away at 94 years of age, the 29th of September of 1852.
He was buried in the Pantheon of Illustrious Men of Madrid until 1963, when his remains are solemnly moved to Bailén and placed in the Parish Church of the Incarnation with his original mausoleum. General Castaños now rests in the city that saw his glory next to the Virgin of Zocueca, Patron Saint of Bailén, to whom he was very devoted and donated his military decorations in 1823.
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