Ambrosio De Spinola, marquis, a Spanish soldier, born in Genoa in 1509, died near Casale, Piedmont, Sept. 25, 1630. He was a son of the marquis Filippo Spinola, a party leader at Genoa and a rich Levant merchant, and his mother was a princess of Salerno. After filling local offices, he joined his brother Federi-go, who had become admiral in the Spanish navy, in the war against the Dutch and English. In 1602 he arrived in the Netherlands with a corps of 9,000 veterans which he had raised and equipped at his own expense, and with which he came to the rescue of the Spaniards under Archduke Albert against Maurice of Nassau. His brother fell in a naval battle, May 26, 1603, and he was desired to succeed him as admiral, but preferred to become chief commander of the Spanish army in the Netherlands. He covered himself with glory in September, 1604, by compelling the surrender of Ostend, which had been besieged since July, 1601. After other operations against Maurice, who regarded him as next in genius to himself, he was in 1609 among the first to favor the truce for 12 years concluded at the Hague. During the truce he commanded Spanish troops in Germany. In 1622 he took Julich; in the same year ho was repulsed at Bergen-op-Zoom, but made a skilful retreat; and in 1625 he captured Breda after a siege of ten months.

He afterward reluctantly became commander of the Spanish army in Italy, and died during the siege of Casale.