Royal Military and Mathematics Academy of Brussels

The Royal Military and Mathematics Academy of Brussels (Spanish: la Academia Militar de Bruselas), also known as the Academia Militar del Ejército de los Países Bajos, was the first modern military academy in Europe, established in 1675 at the capital of the Habsburg Netherlands, Brussels, at the request of Carlos de Aragón de Gurrea, 9th Duke of Villahermosa, Governor and Captain General of the Spanish Netherlands, by its sole-director, Sebastián Fernández de Medrano, with the authority and royal order of Charles II of Spain. The Academy was founded to codify Medrano's military scientific doctrine, and address the critical shortage of artillerymen and military engineers in the Spanish Tercio.

It was so effective that the 9th Duke of Villahermosa wrote directly to the Charles II, commending Medrano's doctrine and affirming that, thanks to the Academy's achievements, the king no longer had to rely on foreign experts because its graduates had advanced. Medrano served as director throughout its existence until his death. The Academy left Brussels following the Spanish defeat at the Battle of Ramillies on 28 May 1706. It directly influenced the establishment of the Royal Corps of Engineers in 1711 by the director's disciple Verboom, and the Spanish Civil Engineers Corps in 1835 by Diego de Medrano y Treviño, Minister of the Interior.

It is recognized as the first formal project of general military training in the Europe and served as the institutional forerunner to later Royal Military Academies in Barcelona, Ceuta, Oran, and the Academia General Militar.