Blas de Lezo, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death

Blas de Lezo

Spanish admiral

Date of Birth: 03-Feb-1689

Place of Birth: birth house of Blas de Lezo, Basque Country, Spain

Date of Death: 07-Sep-1741

Profession: naval officer

Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Admiral Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta (3 February 1689 – 7 September 1741) was a Spanish navy officer best remembered for the Battle of Cartagena de Indias (1741) in modern-day Colombia, where Spanish imperial forces under his command decisively defeated a large British invasion fleet under Admiral Edward Vernon. Throughout his naval career, Lezo sustained many severe wounds; he lost his left eye, left hand, complete mobility of the right arm, caught typhoid fever and had his left leg amputated in situ after being hit by the projectile of a cannon.
He was known as Captain Pegleg and Half-man.
There is ample documented evidence in medical records of the wounds he sustained.
He perceived his wounds and physical limitations as medals, he refused to wear an eye patch to hide his blind eye.
Wearing his past battles history on his flesh won the respect of his peers and soldiers .Lezo's actions at Cartagena de Indias consolidated his legacy as one of the most heroic figures in the history of Spain and he has thus been promoted as one of the greatest strategists in naval history.