Giovan Giacomo Paleari Fratino

Giovan Giacomo Paleari (El Fratin)
Born	1520 Morcote, Lugano District, Old Swiss Confederacy
Died	1586 (aged 65–66)
Occupation	Military engineer
Known for	first Martello tower

Giovan Giacomo Paleari Fratino (1520–1586), known as El Fratin or Il Fratino ("The Little Friar"), was a military engineer who served the Spanish Emperor Charles V, and then his son Philip II of Spain. He is known for having designed the first Martello tower as well as many other fortifications.

Giovan Giacomo Paleari Fratino came from the Paleari Fratino family of Morcote. This Lombard town, near to Lugano, had long been contested between Milan and Como. It became part of the Swiss Confederacy in 1517. A military engineer by occupation, his brothers Bernardino and Giorgio followed the same trade, as did Giorgio's son Francesco and grandson Pietro. Giacomo and the other members of his family designed and built fortifications throughout Spanish territory, which at that time also included Portugal, parts of Italy and Presidios in North Africa.

During the Italian War of 1551–1559, Giovan Fratino initially served in the French army. After being captured by the Spanish in 1558 he joined the army of Philip II. Giovan and his brother Giorgio were assigned to the Governor of Milan, tasked with strengthening the old Sforza Castle. In 1563 his services were lent to the Genoese, allies of Spain, to help with the defenses of Corsica. Fratino arrived in Corsica on 29 January 1563, accompanied by Colonel Giorgio Doria. He spent the rest of the year on the island, improving the Calvi, Ajaccio, Bastia and Bonifacio citadels and establishing new fortifications along the coast. On 30 December 1563, after he had left the island, he gave the Genoese a diagram and building instructions for the tower at Mortella Point, which was to help defend the town of San Fiorenzo by protecting the entrance to the gulf. These have been preserved in the archives of Genoa.

...
Wikipedia