Blas de Lezo

Blas de Lezo (1689–1741) was a Spanish admiral born near San Sebastián. Entering the navy in 1701, he lost his left leg at Vélez-Málaga in 1704, his left eye at the defence of Toulon in 1707 and the use of his right arm at the Siege of Barcelona in 1714. He served in the Pacific and helped recapture Oran in 1732.

In 1741 he defended Cartagena de Indias with a few thousand men against Edward Vernon's British fleet of nearly 200 ships and 27 thousand troops, forcing the British to withdraw. He died of typhus four months after the victory.