The event, scheduled for Thursday, May 14 at 7:30 PM in the museum's auditorium, will offer free admission until full capacity is reached. The lecture, titled “Don Álvaro de Bazán. Spain's First Professional Naval Officer,” is organized by the Association of Friends of the Naval Museums.

The conference will be delivered by a retired naval captain, a specialist in naval history and author of various publications on the Spanish Navy and military history. This event is part of the initiatives for the dissemination of Defense Culture.

During the session, the historical trajectory of the 1st Marquis of Santa Cruz will be discussed, considered one of the most relevant personalities in 16th-century Spanish naval history. Key military episodes will be reviewed, such as his participation in the Battle of Lepanto, where he commanded the reserve squadron, and his role in the Atlantic campaign of the Azores, crucial for controlling maritime routes.

Furthermore, the thesis considering him Spain's first professional naval officer will be explored in depth, a viewpoint supported by various naval historians. The speaker will also provide details about the Palace of the Marquis of Santa Cruz, located in El Viso del Marqués, in the province of Ciudad Real.

The lecturer, born in Ferrol and admitted to the Naval Military School in 1962, has an extensive professional career, having commanded four ships and accumulated fourteen years at sea. His training includes specializations in Naval Warfare, Modern History, and military studies at centers in Rome and Lisbon.

He has been recognized with awards such as the Virgen del Carmen Prize of the Navy and the Marqués de Santa Cruz de Marcenado Prize from the Ministry of Defense, and is a member of several historical and military institutions both nationally and internationally.