Military Figure. He is best known for his role as the admiral of the Holy Alliance fleet at the Battle of Lepanto. Born in Regensburg, the illegitimate son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and Barbara Blomberg, a burgher's daughter, he was christened Jeromín. As an infant, he was removed from his mother's care and taken to Spain under the auspices of Philip II, his half brother. He was recognized in his father's will of 1558, which instructed he be renamed Juan to honor family members, and that he be trained as clergy. Philip II also recognized his relationship with Juan and provided him with a substantial household and including him in court functions. Despite having commenced his ecclesiastical education, he found no interest in it and in the summer of 1568 was included in an action against Moorish pirates in the Mediterranean. In 1571, he was appointed to head the naval forces of the Holy League of Spain, Venice, and the pope against the Ottomans. At the Battle of Lepanto in October 1571, his forces destroyed the opposing Turks. He then conquered Tunis in 1573, and served as governor-general in Italy. In 1576, he was assigned as governor-general to the Netherlands. He signed the so-called Perpetual Edict with Dutch rebels the following year, which stated in exchange for rebel recognition of Don Juan as governor and restoration of the Roman Catholic religion, Spanish troops were to be removed. The provinces of Holland and Zeeland, however, refused to accept Catholicism and refused to recognize Don Juan's authority. Juan responded by besieging Namur. Without funds or reinforcements from Spain, however, and the murder of his secretary while in Spain, Juan appeared to have lost his brother's support. He fell ill in the summer of 1578, and when his health worsened at the end of September, he appointed his nephew as successor, and wrote to Philip to confirm the appointment. He also requested that he by buried in Spain. After his death at 31, his body was returned to Spain, and entombed near his father in El Escorial.