José Matías Delgado
Encyclopedia
José Matías Delgado y León (February 24, 1767, San Salvador
—November 12, 1832, San Salvador) was a Salvadoran priest and doctor known as El Padre de la Patria Salvadoreña (The Father of the Salvadoran Fatherland). He was a leader in the independence movement of El Salvador from Spain
, and from November 28, 1821 to February 9, 1823 when he was president of the Central American constituent congress which met in Guatemala City
.
born in Spain of a Panama
nian father and a Guatemala
n mother. He studied civil and canon law and theology in Guatemala at the Tridentino Seminary. He earned a doctorate from the University of San Carlos de Guatemala and was ordained a priest. He returned to El Salvador, where from August 12, 1797 he was provincial vicar of San Salvador. He was intensely involved in pastoral work. In 1808 he began the reconstruction of the old Parochial Church of San Salvador (today the Church of the Rosary), which was finished a decade later.
he was among those who issued the first Cry for Independence in Central America, on November 5, 1811 in San Salvador. On this date he is said to have rung the bells of the Church of La Merced, as a public cry for liberty. The rebellion began with the confiscation of 3,000 guns and the funds in the royal treasury. The provincial intendant
, Gutiérrez de Ulloa, was removed, as were most governmental employees.
The rebels held the government for nearly a month before royal authority was restored from Guatemala. Delgado's brothers Juan and Miguel were also members of the independence movement.
In 1813 Delgado was elected a provincial deputy to the council in Guatemala City
. He also became director of the Tridentino Seminary there. He was not in El Salvador at the time of the second insurrection in 1814, and did not take part in it.
He was elected provincial deputy again in 1820, and on September 15, 1821, he was among those who signed the Act of Independence of Central America in Guatemala City. On November 28, 1821 he became political chief of the province of San Salvador.
(January 5, 1822), Delgado (and many other Salvadorans) opposed this. On January 11, 1822 in San Salvador, the city government, presided over by Padre Delgado, and many members of the public protested the decision. Also on January 11, the government of El Salvador separated from Guatemala in order to remain outside the Mexican Empire.
In April 1822 Colonel Manuel Arzú, in command of Guatemalan troops, occupied the Salvadoran cities of Santa Ana
and Sonsonate
. On June 3, 1822, Arzú entered San Salvador, reaching the Plaza Major. Nine hours of fighting resulted in many casualties, burned houses and plundering, but the Guatemalans then withdrew. Delgado's nephew, Colonel Manuel José Arce
, was one of the commanders of the Salvadoran defenders. On June 6, 1822, Salvadoran troops reoccupied Santa Ana, and later also Ahuachapan
and Sonsonate.
On December 2, 1822, fearing further encroachment from Guatemala, El Salvador officially asked for annexation to the United States
. A delegation was sent to the United States to negotiate.
That same month, Brigadier Vicente Filisola
, Captain-General of Guatemala (within the Mexican Empire), marched toward San Salvador. He entered the city on February 9, 1823, declaring respect for people and goods, but also the annexation of the province to Mexico. This was the end of the government of José Matías Delgado.
in 1823, Central America declared its independence. Delgado was elected one of the representatives to the constituent congress of the Federal Republic of Central America
. This Congress met in Guatemala beginning on June 24, 1823, and Delgado was chosen to preside.
On May 5, 1824 he was named the first bishop of San Salvador, but by the local civil authorities, not by the Church. This entangled him in a serious and long-lasting controversy with the Archbishop of Guatemala
and the Vatican authorities that lasted until his death.
In 1824 he bought in Guatemala, with public money, the first official printing press in El Salvador. It was used to publish the first Salvadoran newspaper, El Semanario Político Mercantil. The first issue appeared on July 31, 1824.
Delgado died on November 12, 1832 in San Salvador. His funeral the next day was attended by many Salvadorans from many towns. As it went past the Plaza Mayor, they threw white rose petals on his coffin. His remains are buried at El Rosario Church.
The Salvadoran lawyer, educator and journalist Rafael Reyes
published the first biographical study of Delgado, in December 1878. Later other Central American intellectuals, including Francisco Gavidia, Carlos Meléndez Chaverri, Ramón López Jiménez, Rodolfo Barón Castro, José Salvador Guandique and Jorge Lardé y Larín did likewise.
His name was given to the town resulting from the merger of Aculhuaca, Paleca and San Sebastián Texincal on October 23, 1935. Dr. José Matías Delgado University, the foundation of which was announced on September 15, 1977, is today located in Antiguo Cuscatlán
, a suburb of San Salvador.
The National Assembly commissioned a portrait in oil for its chamber. It was made into a lithograph in New York by A. Demarest. A marble bust was installed on Avenida Inependencia in San Salvador in 1902. Another statue was donated by the German, Austrian and Swiss residents of the country on September 14, 1913. This statue was located at the Parque Arce, but the earthquake of October 10, 1986 destroyed it. There is also a statue of Delgado at the university named for him.
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
—November 12, 1832, San Salvador) was a Salvadoran priest and doctor known as El Padre de la Patria Salvadoreña (The Father of the Salvadoran Fatherland). He was a leader in the independence movement of El Salvador from Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and from November 28, 1821 to February 9, 1823 when he was president of the Central American constituent congress which met in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
.
Early years
Delgado was a CriolloCriollo people
The Criollo class ranked below that of the Iberian Peninsulares, the high-born permanent residence colonists born in Spain. But Criollos were higher status/rank than all other castes—people of mixed descent, Amerindians, and enslaved Africans...
born in Spain of a Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
nian father and a 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...
n mother. He studied civil and canon law and theology in Guatemala at the Tridentino Seminary. He earned a doctorate from the University of San Carlos de Guatemala and was ordained a priest. He returned to El Salvador, where from August 12, 1797 he was provincial vicar of San Salvador. He was intensely involved in pastoral work. In 1808 he began the reconstruction of the old Parochial Church of San Salvador (today the Church of the Rosary), which was finished a decade later.
Independence movement
In San Salvador he became a leader of the movement for independence. Together with his nephew Manuel José ArceManuel José Arce
General Manuel José Arce y Fagoaga was a decorated General and president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1825 to 1829.- Background :...
he was among those who issued the first Cry for Independence in Central America, on November 5, 1811 in San Salvador. On this date he is said to have rung the bells of the Church of La Merced, as a public cry for liberty. The rebellion began with the confiscation of 3,000 guns and the funds in the royal treasury. The provincial intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
, Gutiérrez de Ulloa, was removed, as were most governmental employees.
The rebels held the government for nearly a month before royal authority was restored from Guatemala. Delgado's brothers Juan and Miguel were also members of the independence movement.
In 1813 Delgado was elected a provincial deputy to the council in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
. He also became director of the Tridentino Seminary there. He was not in El Salvador at the time of the second insurrection in 1814, and did not take part in it.
He was elected provincial deputy again in 1820, and on September 15, 1821, he was among those who signed the Act of Independence of Central America in Guatemala City. On November 28, 1821 he became political chief of the province of San Salvador.
As head of state of El Salvador
When the Central American governmental junta voted to join the Mexican EmpireFirst Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire was the official name of independent Mexico under a monarchical regime from 1821 to 1823. The territory of the Mexican Empire included the continental intendencies and provinces of New Spain proper...
(January 5, 1822), Delgado (and many other Salvadorans) opposed this. On January 11, 1822 in San Salvador, the city government, presided over by Padre Delgado, and many members of the public protested the decision. Also on January 11, the government of El Salvador separated from Guatemala in order to remain outside the Mexican Empire.
In April 1822 Colonel Manuel Arzú, in command of Guatemalan troops, occupied the Salvadoran cities of Santa Ana
Santa Ana, El Salvador
Santa Ana is the second largest city in El Salvador, located 64 kilometers west of San Salvador, the capital city. Santa Ana has approximately 274,830 inhabitants and serves both as the capital of the department of Santa Ana and...
and Sonsonate
Sonsonate, El Salvador
Sonsonate, the capital of the department of Sonsonate, El Salvador; on the river Sensunapan and the railway from San Salvador to the Pacific port of Acajutla, south. Pop. , about 110,501....
. On June 3, 1822, Arzú entered San Salvador, reaching the Plaza Major. Nine hours of fighting resulted in many casualties, burned houses and plundering, but the Guatemalans then withdrew. Delgado's nephew, Colonel Manuel José Arce
Manuel José Arce
General Manuel José Arce y Fagoaga was a decorated General and president of the Federal Republic of Central America from 1825 to 1829.- Background :...
, was one of the commanders of the Salvadoran defenders. On June 6, 1822, Salvadoran troops reoccupied Santa Ana, and later also Ahuachapan
Ahuachapán
Ahuachapán is a city and municipality and the capital of the Ahuachapán Department in western El Salvador. The municipality including the city covers an area of 244.84 km² and as of 2007 has a population of 110,511 people...
and Sonsonate.
On December 2, 1822, fearing further encroachment from Guatemala, El Salvador officially asked for annexation to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. A delegation was sent to the United States to negotiate.
That same month, Brigadier Vicente Filisola
Vicente Filisola
Vicente Filisola was a Spanish military figure, Mexican military and political figure in the 19th century.-Life and career:...
, Captain-General of Guatemala (within the Mexican Empire), marched toward San Salvador. He entered the city on February 9, 1823, declaring respect for people and goods, but also the annexation of the province to Mexico. This was the end of the government of José Matías Delgado.
Later life
On the fall of Mexican Emperor Agustín de IturbideAgustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu , also known as Augustine I of Mexico, was a Mexican army general who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
in 1823, Central America declared its independence. Delgado was elected one of the representatives to the constituent congress of 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...
. This Congress met in Guatemala beginning on June 24, 1823, and Delgado was chosen to preside.
On May 5, 1824 he was named the first bishop of San Salvador, but by the local civil authorities, not by the Church. This entangled him in a serious and long-lasting controversy with the Archbishop of Guatemala
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guatemala
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Guatemala is a metropolitan diocese, responsible for the suffragan Dioceses of Escuintla, Jalapa, Santa Rosa de Lima, Verapaz, Cobán and Zacapa y Santo Cristo de Esquipulas. It was elevated on 16 December 1743...
and the Vatican authorities that lasted until his death.
In 1824 he bought in Guatemala, with public money, the first official printing press in El Salvador. It was used to publish the first Salvadoran newspaper, El Semanario Político Mercantil. The first issue appeared on July 31, 1824.
Delgado died on November 12, 1832 in San Salvador. His funeral the next day was attended by many Salvadorans from many towns. As it went past the Plaza Mayor, they threw white rose petals on his coffin. His remains are buried at El Rosario Church.
Legacy
On January 22, 1833 the National Assembly declared him Benemérito de la Patria.The Salvadoran lawyer, educator and journalist Rafael Reyes
Rafael Reyes
Rafael Reyes Prieto was Chief of Staff of the Colombian National Army and President of Colombia .- Biographic data :...
published the first biographical study of Delgado, in December 1878. Later other Central American intellectuals, including Francisco Gavidia, Carlos Meléndez Chaverri, Ramón López Jiménez, Rodolfo Barón Castro, José Salvador Guandique and Jorge Lardé y Larín did likewise.
His name was given to the town resulting from the merger of Aculhuaca, Paleca and San Sebastián Texincal on October 23, 1935. Dr. José Matías Delgado University, the foundation of which was announced on September 15, 1977, is today located in Antiguo Cuscatlán
Antiguo Cuscatlan
Antiguo Cuscatlán is a municipality in the La Libertad department of El Salvador, southwest of San Salvador and to the east of Santa Tecla. Antiguo Cuscatlán is considered the richest and most urban municipality inside the "Metropolitan Area of San Salvador" as well as in the whole country.It...
, a suburb of San Salvador.
The National Assembly commissioned a portrait in oil for its chamber. It was made into a lithograph in New York by A. Demarest. A marble bust was installed on Avenida Inependencia in San Salvador in 1902. Another statue was donated by the German, Austrian and Swiss residents of the country on September 14, 1913. This statue was located at the Parque Arce, but the earthquake of October 10, 1986 destroyed it. There is also a statue of Delgado at the university named for him.
External links
Short biography- Brief biography Brief biography Dr. José Matías Delgado University official site