1603 Captain General of the Galleys of the kingdom of
Naples.
1604 Naval actions in the Mediterranean African Coast,
Longo Island.
1605 Siege and Conquest of Estarcho and the City of
Durazzo, on the
Albanian Coast (in 1606[1])
1612 In May, commanding the
Naples kingdom Fleet of Galleys, with
Ottavio d'Aragona commanding those of the kingdom of
Sicily, sink several galleys from
Algiers.
1614 Take part in the transport to North Africa of
morisco´s from Spain not willing to become Roman Catholics while living in mainland Spain.
1622 Takes part in an African expedition.
1625
Relieved Genoa under siege from the France and the
Duchy of Savoy. His action was immortalized in the painting Relief of Genoa by the Marquess of Santa Cruz (1634) by
Antonio de Pereda
Mauro Alvaro, the eldest male, was 3rd Marques, marrying on 22 October 1627,
Genoese noble woman Maria Francesca Doria, a daughter of
Carlo I Doria del Carretto, 1st Duke of Tursi, a
Grandee of Spain with many other lesser titles, (
Genoa,
Italy, 15 October 1576 –
Genoa,
Italy, 19 December 1649) and Placidia Spinola, (1584–1660), 2nd Marchioness of Calice and Veppo, between other titles. No surviving adult issue.
Thus, the title of
Marquess of Santa Cruz became attached to a branch of the Pimentel family, a female called
Mencia Pimentel y Bazan. When she married a "Benavides" male, it was agreed by the couple that if they had a male, the male child would be named Francisco Diego de Bazan y Benavides to honor her ancestors and "recuperate" her ancestors name, something not uncommon between the High Spanish Nobility.
In fact, a son was born and named
Francisco de Bazan y Benavides (died in 1680). He was Captain General of the Spanish galleys and
Viceroy of Sicily, (1674 Interim), using always his mother's ancestors' family name, "Bazán", as a token of respect, and possibly, duty.