This street, the site of the original Church of Santa Maria de la Almudena, since replaced by the nearby cathedral, witnessed one of the murkiest events of the reign of Philip II.
Philip’s illegitimate half-brother, Don Juan of Austria, was the outstanding soldier of his time, leading the Christian League to victory over the Ottomans at Lepanto in 1571. He yearned for a kingdom of his own, and when Philip declined his request to be King of Albania, then King of Tunis, Don Juan promoted a plan to invade England and become king there. Relations became increasingly strained, and Philip appointed Juan de Escobedo to be Don Juan’s secretary, so he could keep an eye on him. Don Juan was now Governor General in the Low Countries, and when Philip refused his request to return to Madrid, Don Juan sent Escobedo instead to represent him. Philip no longer trusted Escobedo and either tasked his own secretary, Antonio Pérez, with his killing, or connived in it. His motives are not clear. After several bungled attempts to poison Escobedo, Pérez hired a couple of swordsmen, who accomplished their task as Escobedo made his way to his lodgings one rainy evening at Eastertime, March 31, 1578.