Maestre de campo was a rank created in 1534 by the Emperor Carlos V, inferior in rank only to the capitán general and acted as a chief of staff. He was chosen by the monarch in the Council of State, and commanded a tercio. Their powers were similar to those of the old marshals of the Kingdom of Castile: they had the power to administer justice and to regulate the food supply. Their personal guard consisted of eight German halberdiers, paid by the king, who accompanied them everywhere. Immediately inferior in the chain of command was the sargento mayor. One of the most famous maestre de campos was Julian Romero, a common soldier who reached that rank and that brought victory to the Spanish tercios at the battles of San Quintín and Gravelines.
In the overseas colonies of the Spanish Empire a governor held the rank of capitán general over his local forces and would appoint his maestre de campo.
| Name | Area/Tercio | Year(s) | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Álvaro de Sande | Tercio of Savoy | 1537 | General Maestre de Campo of the entire Imperial Army in Italy.[1] | |
| Juan de Guevara | Tercio of Savoy | 1553 | ||
| Alonso de Navarrete | Tercio of Savoy | 1554 | ||
| Julián Romero | Tercio of Sicily | 1565-1577 | ||
| Diego Enríquez de Castañeda y Manrique | Tercio of Sicily | 1569-1601 | ||
| Francisco de Valdés | Spanish Netherlands | 1573-1574 | ||
| Tercio of Italy | 1574-1575 | |||
| Tercio of the Two Sicilies | 1578-1580 | |||
| Cristóbal de Mondragón | Tercio of Sicily | 1582-1592 | ||
| Maestre de Campo General of the armies in Flanders | 1592-1596 | |||
| Juan del Águila y Arellano | Tercio of Sicily | 1584-1598 | ||
| Maestre de Campo General of the Spanish Armada in Ireland | 1600-1602 | |||
| Agustín Messía Carrillo y Manrique de Lara | Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española | 1587-96 | ||
| Maestre de Campo General de España | 1609 | |||
| Fernando Girón de Salcedo y Briviesca | Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española | 1597-1605 | ||
| Aragon | 1610-1615 | |||
| Lope de Figueroa y Barradas (c.1541 - 1585) | Tercio Costa de Granada | 1569-1584 | Renamed in 1573 to Tercio de la Sacra Liga | |
| Portugal | 1583 | |||
| Fernando Álvarez de Toledo | Tercio of Savoy | 1605-1610 | ||
| Portugal | 1638 | |||
| Francisco de Ibarra y Barresi | Tercio de Fernández de Córdoba | 1622 | ||
| Paul-Bernard de Fontaines | Maestre de campo general of the Army of Flanders | 1838 | ||
| Luis Francisco de Benvides y Carrillo de Toledo, Marquis of Caracena | Flanders | 1639 | ||
| Juan Martínez de Vergara[2] | Chile | 1640 | ||
| Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, Duke of Alburquerque | Maestre de Campo de Infantería Española | 1641 | ||
| Clemente Soriano | Tercio Clemente Soriano | 1641 | ||
| Juan de Salazar | Chile | 1651 | ||
| Francisco Maniago | Mexico/La Pampanga | 1660 | Maestro de Campo of Mexico until 1660. Led a rebellion against Spanish rule for violating Kapampangan freedom from tribute, then laid down his arms after Governor-General de Lara granted his requests. Appointed Maestro de Campo of La Pampanga afterwards. | |
| Francisco Dávila Orejón | 1684 | Author of Política y Mecánica militar, para Sargento Mayor de Tercio | ||
| Francisco Félix de Vega y Cruzat, Marquis of Feria | Italy | 1704 |