Dionisio de Herrera
Encyclopedia
José Dionisio de la Trinidad de Herrera y Díaz del Valle (9 October 1781, Choluteca
, Honduras
—13 June 1850, San Vicente, El Salvador
) was a Liberal Honduran politician, head of state of Honduras
from 1824 to 1827 and head of state of Nicaragua
from 1830 to 1833. During his terms, Honduras and Nicaragua were states within the Federal Republic of Central America
. Herrera was an uncle of the Liberal Central American general Francisco Morazán
.
From a land-owning family, Herrera studied at the University of San Carlos
of Guatemala
, where he earned a law degree and came in contact with the liberal ideas of the French Revolution
. He was a tutor of his nephew, General Morazán.
In 1820 he occupied his first public office, as secretary of the town government of Tegucigalpa
. On 16 September 1824 he became the first head of state of Honduras, after the independence of Central America from Spain and from Mexico. Colonel José Justo Milla was his vice-head of state. During his term he decreed the first territorial subdivisions of Honduras, creating the departments of Comayagua
, Tegucigalpa
, Santa Bárbara
, Yoro
, Olancho
and Choluteca (department)
. He also promulgated the first constitution of the country (state), on 11 December 1825.
The government of Herrera was overthrown on 10 May 1827 in a coup d'état led by Colonel Milla and aided by Honduran Conservatives. Herrera was sent as a prisoner to Guatemala, where he remained until 1829.
Thereafter he was elected head of state of Nicaragua, taking office on 12 May 1830. He exercised this office until November 1833, relying on the support of General Morazán. He tried to implement various Liberal reforms, but unsuccessfully, due to the opposition of the clergy. In 1835 he was elected head of state of El Salvador
, but he declined the office. In 1838 he retired from politics, working as a teacher in the city of San Vicente, El Salvador. He remained there until his death in 1850.
Choluteca, Choluteca
Choluteca is a municipality and the capital city of the Honduran department of the same name. Situated in southern Honduras between El Salvador and Nicaragua, the city is generally considered the regional center of southern Honduras and is a major transit point on the Pan-American Highway. It...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
—13 June 1850, San Vicente, El Salvador
San Vicente, El Salvador
San Vicente is a municipality in the San Vicente department of El Salvador. It was founded by 50 Spanish families in 1635, under the Tempisque tree, which is still standing today....
) was a Liberal Honduran politician, head of state of Honduras
President of Honduras
This page lists the Presidents of Honduras.Colonial Honduras declared its independence from Spain on 15 September 1821. From 5 January 1822 to 1 July 1823, Honduras was part of the First Mexican Empire of Agustín de Iturbide....
from 1824 to 1827 and head of state of Nicaragua
President of Nicaragua
The position of President of Nicaragua was created in the Constitution of 1854. From 1825 until the Constitution of 1838 the title of the position was known as Head of State and from 1838 to 1854 as Supreme Director .-Heads of State of Nicaragua within the Federal Republic of Central America...
from 1830 to 1833. During his terms, Honduras and Nicaragua were states within the Federal Republic of Central America
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain...
. Herrera was an uncle of the Liberal Central American general Francisco Morazán
Francisco Morazán
General Francisco Morazán was a Honduran general and a politician who ruled several Central American states at different times during the turbulent period from 1827 to 1842. He rose to prominence at the legendary Battle of La Trinidad on November 11, 1827...
.
From a land-owning family, Herrera studied at the University of San Carlos
Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala
The Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala It is the biggest and oldest university of Guatemala, also it is the fourth founded in the Americas....
of Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
, where he earned a law degree and came in contact with the liberal ideas of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
. He was a tutor of his nephew, General Morazán.
In 1820 he occupied his first public office, as secretary of the town government of Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
. On 16 September 1824 he became the first head of state of Honduras, after the independence of Central America from Spain and from Mexico. Colonel José Justo Milla was his vice-head of state. During his term he decreed the first territorial subdivisions of Honduras, creating the departments of Comayagua
Comayagua (department)
Comayagua is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The departmental capital is Comayagua.The department covers a total surface area of 5,196...
, Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
, Santa Bárbara
Santa Bárbara (department)
Santa Bárbara is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The departmental capital is Santa Bárbara.The department covers a total surface area of 5,115...
, Yoro
Yoro (department)
Yoro is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided.The department contains rich agricultural lands, concentrated mainly on the valley of the Aguan River and the Sula Valley, on opposite ends....
, Olancho
Olancho (department)
Olancho is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. It is the largest of all the departments, and Hondurans frequently point out that the department is larger than the neighboring Republic of El Salvador...
and Choluteca (department)
Choluteca (department)
Choluteca is one of the 18 departments into which the Central American nation of Honduras is divided. It is the southernmost department of Honduras, bordering the Gulf of Fonseca to the west and the Republic of Nicaragua to the east and south.The departmental capital is city of Choluteca...
. He also promulgated the first constitution of the country (state), on 11 December 1825.
The government of Herrera was overthrown on 10 May 1827 in a coup d'état led by Colonel Milla and aided by Honduran Conservatives. Herrera was sent as a prisoner to Guatemala, where he remained until 1829.
Thereafter he was elected head of state of Nicaragua, taking office on 12 May 1830. He exercised this office until November 1833, relying on the support of General Morazán. He tried to implement various Liberal reforms, but unsuccessfully, due to the opposition of the clergy. In 1835 he was elected head of state of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, but he declined the office. In 1838 he retired from politics, working as a teacher in the city of San Vicente, El Salvador. He remained there until his death in 1850.
Sources and references
- This is a free translation of the Spanish Wikipedia article Dionisio Herrera.