Answer
First captain of his age was a title given to Alessandro Farnese, an Italian military commander who lived from 1545 to 1592. Farnese's contemporary military historian was Carlo Cosimo, who wrote a biography of Farnese titled "Le guerre di Fiandra" ("The Wars of Flanders"). Cosimo's work provides a detailed account of Farnese's military campaigns and his role in the Dutch Revolt.