Juan Díaz de Espada

Juan Díaz de Espada (c.1375-1438) was a Castilian-Brunanter military commander of the untitled nobility. Díaz de Espada led some troops in the Battle of Collejares in 1406 and came to Brunant around 1410. He was offered a command of troops along Adolphus Koopman and Philippe de Bryas, though he refused to take part in the Convention of Grijzestad or republican politics and instead chose to form a local unit in San Marcos which participated in the War of Independence.

He was best known for his actions at the Siege of Brezonde, helping capture the castle in February 1428 without and heavy siege weaponry, instead mastermining the attrition portion of the siege. Díaz de Espada disagreed with republican supporters and after the war he retired from military service and retired to his countryside estate near Donderstad.