Antonio Barceló
Antonio Barceló | |
|---|---|
1848 portrait of Barceló based on an earlier portrait made during his lifetime | |
| Born | 1 January 1717 |
| Died | 30 January 1797 (aged 80) Palma, Majorca |
| Allegiance | Spain |
| Branch | Spanish Navy |
| Service years | 1738–1792 |
| Rank | Lieutenant general |
| Commands | Mediterranean expeditionary fleets |
| Conflicts | |
Lieutenant-General Antonio Barceló y Pont de la Terra (1 January 1717 – 30 January 1797) was a Spanish Navy officer. Born into humble origins, Barceló rose to admiral on military merits alone, an unusual event at his time. He fought against Barbary corsairs in the western Mediterranean, adopting their tactics to counter them and serving himself as a corsair hunter for most of his career. He later extensively developed the Spanish usage of naval artillery and gunboats, leading to the creation of the fuerzas sutiles.