He was the son of Fabrizio Cantelmo-Stuart, 6th Duke of Pópoli, 2nd Prince of Pettorano, and Beatriz Brancia. In 1672, he entered in the Spanish Army as cavalry captain and was
Maestre de campo of the
Tercio Viejo de Infantería Italiana during the suppression of the
Messina revolt (1674–1678). At the outbreak of the
War of Spanish Succession, he remained loyal to
Philip V of Spain. In the first years of the war, he fought in Naples against supporters of
Archduke Charles, led by Gaetano Gambacorta, Prince of Macchia. In 1705 he was sent with his Neapolitan troops to Barcelona to
defend the city under siege. But the city was surrendered and Pópoli was allowed to leave the city with his troops. In 1707, Naples was occupied by the Austrians and his domains were confiscated, only to be returned after the
Treaty of Vienna (1725).
The Siege of Barcelona In 1713, he was appointed first
Captain General of Catalonia and ordered to take the last cities still recognizing Charles' authority. The city of
Vic surrendered and the walls of
Manresa were demolished. He then marched on Barcelona and lay siege on 25 August, helped by troops under
Marquis de los Balbases, who had evacuated Sicily under the terms of the
Treaty of Utrecht. Pópoli was not able to take the city, because he had not enough means, was harassed by guerilla warfare in his rear, and was unable to cut the supply of the city over sea. On 6 July 1714, he was replaced by the
Duke of Berwick, who took the city 61 days later. Pópoli went to Madrid and awarded the
Order of the Golden Fleece. He was appointed Minister of Finance and War in 1715, and became tutor of
Prince of Asturias Luis de Borbón in 1716. == References ==