He entered the navy at the age of 13. He distinguished himself in the defence of
Morro Castle and
San Salvador de la Punta Fortress during the
siege of Havana. Defeated by the British, he was captured and sent to
Cádiz. He also fought against the
Barbary Coast pirates in 1767. In 1781, he became director of the
Royal Artillery Factory of La Cavada, and reorganised it to that extent that he was promoted to become inspector general of the Spanish Navy. In 1783, at the age of 38, he became Navy Minister and continued the modernisation of the Spanish Navy. In 1785, among 12 flags that he drew, one was chosen to become the Spanish naval ensign flag by
Charles III. He became a knight in the
Order of the Golden Fleece in 1797. The settlements of
Valdez, Alaska and
Valdez, Florida were named after him, as well as Bazan Bay in
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. The
oil tanker Exxon Valdez, that gained notoriety after running aground in
Prince William Sound spilling its cargo of
crude oil into the sea on 24 March 1989, was named after the Alaskan town which had been named after Valdés. ==References==