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Andrea Doria, detail of a portrait by Sebastiano del Piombo; in the Doria Palace, Rome. (credit: Alinari/Art Resource, New York)

(born Nov. 30, 1466, Oneglia, Duchy of Milan — died Nov. 25, 1560, Genoa) Genoese statesman, mercenary, and admiral, the foremost naval commander of his time. A member of an aristocratic family, he was orphaned at an early age and became a soldier of fortune. In 1522 he entered the service of Francis I, who was fighting Emperor Charles V in Italy. Doria later transferred his services to Charles and in 1528 drove the French out of Genoa. He became the new ruler of Genoa and reorganized its government into an effective and stable oligarchy. He commanded several naval expeditions against the Turks and helped Charles V extend his domination over the Italian peninsula. Though greedy and authoritarian, Doria was also a fearless commander with outstanding tactical and strategic talents.

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