in Italy, which, together with his well connected family, allowed him to rapidly escalate. In 1794 he was already a frigate lieutenant. Embarked with his uncle Ignacio in 1795 on an expedition that sought to travel around the world, he remained in South America until 1800. Álava returned to Spain following orders he had received three years earlier, but was captured by the English. He was released several months later and in 1801 he was back in Spain. In 1802 he was posted in Cádiz, where he was promoted to lieutenant of the ship. On his return to Cádiz in 1805, he was assigned to the fleet commanded by Admiral Gravina. After the expedition to Martinique, conceived by Napoleon as a diversionary maneuver for the Royal Navy, he intervened in the Finisterre skirmish. On October 21, he participated in the Battle of Trafalgar under the orders of Gravina aboard the Príncipe de Asturias while his uncle Ignacio captained the Santa Ana. After the fateful combat, he would be promoted once again. War of the Third Coalition Álava served first in the Navy, and had risen to be captain of a frigate when he transferred into the army, receiving corresponding rank. He was present as a Marine at the Battle of Trafalgar on board the 112-gun Santa Ana, which was the flagship of his uncle, Admiral Ignacio Álava. Peninsular War At the assembly of Bayonne in 1808, he was one of the most prominent of those who accepted the new constitution from Joseph Bonaparte as King of Spain. After the national rising against French aggression, and the defeat of General Dupont at Bailen in 1808, Álava joined the national independence party, who were fighting in alliance with the British forces in the peninsula. At the end of January 1810 he was ordered to move to Portugal in order to communicate Wellington the difficult military situation in that they were against the French. During this stay a friendship between Wellington and Alava was created, to the point that the Duke had him remain as delegate of the Spanish forces in the British units. He was promoted to Brigadier by express recommendation of Wellington. He saw action in the battles of Salamanca, Vitoria, Bussaco and at the Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, as well as taking part in the storming of Badajoz. Hundred Days On the restoration of Ferdinand, Álava was cast into prison,