José Joaquín de Viana
Encyclopedia
José Joaquín de Viana was a Spanish military and political figure, Governor of Montevideo
between 1751 and 1764 and 1771 and 1773.
by King Fernando VI, in 1750, taking office in that city on March 14, 1751. The following month he faced a revolt of the Charruas Indians, who were defeated at the Battle of Tacuarí
on 16 April.
Viana's appointment took place in the course of certain political circumstances in the Rio de la Plata
by the Treaty of Madrid
in 1750, by which the government of Fernando VI ceded to Portugal the Jesuit missions of upper Uruguay, in exchange for the delivery of Colonia del Sacramento
. This fact is part of the second pacifist policy of the Spanish Bourbons, who tried to approach Portugal diplomatically to end the border disputes at various points in the Americas, especially in the Río de la Plata.
In compliance with the treaty stipulated above, in January 1752 work began on the new demarcation of the boundary line between the two empires in the area. However, Indians continued to be slaves of the Portuguese farmers who were in need of manpower for agricultural labor in Brazil, leading to a war in 1754 and 1756, called the Guarani War
, in which Spanish and Portuguese together had to deal with indigenous rebels. José Joaquín de Viana personally shot dead Chief Sepé.
Upon returning, Viana founded the city of Salto, Uruguay
in November 1756 and San Fernando de Maldonado
, in 1757, which was so named in honor of King Ferdinand VI.
During military operations in the Rio de la Plata led by Pedro de Ceballos, in the framework of the Seven Years War (1762 and 1763), Viana was under the command of the Spanish commander in that victorious campaign for the Spanish arms. In 1764, Viana was replaced by Agustín de la Rosa, who remained in office until 1771 when the governor of Buenos Aires, Juan Jose Vertiz, dismissed him, he sent Viana back to the government of Montevideo.
During his second term, Viana issued a series of administrative measures to curb smuggling. In early 1773, he resigned and died shortly afterwards. He was replaced by Joaquín del Pino
.
Governor of Montevideo
The office of Governor of Montevideo was created shortly after the Treaty of Madrid in 1750 by Ferdinand VI of Spain, with the objective of establishing more effective control of the left bank of the Río de la Plata, which had been awarded to Spain as a term of the treaty.The constant threat of...
between 1751 and 1764 and 1771 and 1773.
Biography
Of Basque origin, Viana started his military career in 1735 and fought in Italy during the War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748), reaching the rank of colonel. On his return from that campaign, he was named first governor of MontevideoMontevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
by King Fernando VI, in 1750, taking office in that city on March 14, 1751. The following month he faced a revolt of the Charruas Indians, who were defeated at the Battle of Tacuarí
Battle of Tacuarí
The Battle of Tacuarí was a battle in Southern Paraguay between revolutionary forces under the command of General Manuel Belgrano, member of the Primera Junta government of Argentina, and Paraguayan troops under colonel Manuel Atanasio Cabañas, at the time at the service of the royalists.- History...
on 16 April.
Viana's appointment took place in the course of certain political circumstances in the Rio de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
by the Treaty of Madrid
Treaty of Madrid
Treaty of Madrid may refer to:*Treaty of Madrid , in which France renounced claims in Italy, surrendered Burgundy to Spain, and abandoned sovereignty over Flanders and Artois....
in 1750, by which the government of Fernando VI ceded to Portugal the Jesuit missions of upper Uruguay, in exchange for the delivery of Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
. This fact is part of the second pacifist policy of the Spanish Bourbons, who tried to approach Portugal diplomatically to end the border disputes at various points in the Americas, especially in the Río de la Plata.
In compliance with the treaty stipulated above, in January 1752 work began on the new demarcation of the boundary line between the two empires in the area. However, Indians continued to be slaves of the Portuguese farmers who were in need of manpower for agricultural labor in Brazil, leading to a war in 1754 and 1756, called the Guarani War
Guarani War
The Guarani War of 1756, also called the War of the Seven Reductions, took place between the Guaraní tribes of seven Jesuit Reductions and joint Spanish-Portuguese forces...
, in which Spanish and Portuguese together had to deal with indigenous rebels. José Joaquín de Viana personally shot dead Chief Sepé.
Upon returning, Viana founded the city of Salto, Uruguay
Salto, Uruguay
Salto is the capital city of the Salto Department in northwestern Uruguay and the second largest city of the country. It is located on Route 3, about northwest of Montevideo, and on the east bank of Río Uruguay, across the city Concordia of Argentina...
in November 1756 and San Fernando de Maldonado
Maldonado
Maldonado may refer to:In places:*Maldonado, Uruguay, a city in the Maldonado Department of Uruguay*Maldonado Department of Uruguay*Pedro Vicente Maldonado, a canton of Ecuador*Puerto Maldonado, a city in Peru...
, in 1757, which was so named in honor of King Ferdinand VI.
During military operations in the Rio de la Plata led by Pedro de Ceballos, in the framework of the Seven Years War (1762 and 1763), Viana was under the command of the Spanish commander in that victorious campaign for the Spanish arms. In 1764, Viana was replaced by Agustín de la Rosa, who remained in office until 1771 when the governor of Buenos Aires, Juan Jose Vertiz, dismissed him, he sent Viana back to the government of Montevideo.
During his second term, Viana issued a series of administrative measures to curb smuggling. In early 1773, he resigned and died shortly afterwards. He was replaced by Joaquín del Pino
Joaquín del Pino
Joaquín del Pino Sánchez de Rojas Romero y Negrete , was a Spanish military engineer and politician, who held various positions in the South American colonial administration.-Early life:...
.