José Ramón Rodil y Campillo
Encyclopedia
Don
José Ramón Rodil y Campillo, 1st Marquis of Rodil and 3rd Viscount of Trobo, (Santa María de Trobo, Lugo Province, February 5, 1789 – Madrid
, February 20, 1853) was a Spanish
general and statesman, born in Santa María del Trovo, Galicia region. Originally a law student at the University of Santiago de Compostela
, he enlisted in the Spanish army and went to Peru
in 1817 as one of the commissioned officers in the fight against the pro-independence nationalist forces.
, Rodil refused to surrender, even as scurvy
and starvation wreaked havoc among the hundreds of loyalists living in the fort. Even his top lieutenants began turning against him, only for Rodil to execute them by firing squad. He even executed his chaplain, Pedro Marieluz, for not revealing to him the details of the confessions made by those sentenced to death.
The Patriots, despairing at the resistance of the Spaniards, threatened reprisals against the defenders of Callao but were countermanded by Bolívar: "Heroism does not merit punishment. How we would applaud Rodil if he were a patriot!" Nevertheless, in the long run, resistance proved futile; two of Rodil's trusted comrades who commanded other forts nearby, and their forces, surrendered or jumped to the nationalist side, thus revealing Rodil's potential defensive plans. On January 23, 1826, Rodil surrendered and was allowed to go back to Spain.
, who had been defeated in the earlier Battle of Ayacucho
. After Ferdinand VII's death, he supported Isabella II in the civil war against the Carlists. He later was viceroy of Navarra, which wasn't yet fully incorporated in the Spanish kingdom, and was President of the Government of Spain in 1842. He had a personal rivalry with Baldomero Espartero, Count of Luchana
, who had attempted to divest him of his military honors. Rodil then retired from Spanish politics, and died at age 64.
Don (honorific)
Don, from Latin dominus, is an honorific in Spanish , Portuguese , and Italian . The female equivalent is Doña , Dona , and Donna , abbreviated "Dª" or simply "D."-Usage:...
José Ramón Rodil y Campillo, 1st Marquis of Rodil and 3rd Viscount of Trobo, (Santa María de Trobo, Lugo Province, February 5, 1789 – Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, February 20, 1853) was a Spanish
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...
general and statesman, born in Santa María del Trovo, Galicia region. Originally a law student at the University of Santiago de Compostela
University of Santiago de Compostela
The Royal University of Santiago de Compostela - USC is a public university located in the city of Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. A second campus is located in Lugo, Galicia....
, he enlisted in the Spanish army and went to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
in 1817 as one of the commissioned officers in the fight against the pro-independence nationalist forces.
The last stand of the Spaniards in Peru
In 1824 he assumed command of the last Spanish stronghold on Peruvian territory, Callao port city. Besieged by nationalist forces backed by Simón BolívarSimón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios Ponte y Yeiter, commonly known as Simón Bolívar was a Venezuelan military and political leader...
, Rodil refused to surrender, even as scurvy
Scurvy
Scurvy is a disease resulting from a deficiency of vitamin C, which is required for the synthesis of collagen in humans. The chemical name for vitamin C, ascorbic acid, is derived from the Latin name of scurvy, scorbutus, which also provides the adjective scorbutic...
and starvation wreaked havoc among the hundreds of loyalists living in the fort. Even his top lieutenants began turning against him, only for Rodil to execute them by firing squad. He even executed his chaplain, Pedro Marieluz, for not revealing to him the details of the confessions made by those sentenced to death.
The Patriots, despairing at the resistance of the Spaniards, threatened reprisals against the defenders of Callao but were countermanded by Bolívar: "Heroism does not merit punishment. How we would applaud Rodil if he were a patriot!" Nevertheless, in the long run, resistance proved futile; two of Rodil's trusted comrades who commanded other forts nearby, and their forces, surrendered or jumped to the nationalist side, thus revealing Rodil's potential defensive plans. On January 23, 1826, Rodil surrendered and was allowed to go back to Spain.
Return to Spain and later life
Back in Spain, Rodil was more respected than his other Army colleagues, such as José de la Serna and José de CanteracJosé de Canterac
José de Canterac was a Spanish general of French origin who fought in the Spanish American wars of independence. As Field Marshal, he took command of the Spanish Army in South America in 1822. His defeats at the Battle of Junín and the Battle of Ayacucho led to his capitulation to the Patriot forces...
, who had been defeated in the earlier Battle of Ayacucho
Battle of Ayacucho
The Battle of Ayacucho was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. It was the battle that sealed the independence of Peru, as well as the victory that ensured independence for the rest of South America...
. After Ferdinand VII's death, he supported Isabella II in the civil war against the Carlists. He later was viceroy of Navarra, which wasn't yet fully incorporated in the Spanish kingdom, and was President of the Government of Spain in 1842. He had a personal rivalry with Baldomero Espartero, Count of Luchana
Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara
Don Joaquín Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Alvarez de Toro, 1st Prince of Vergara, 1st Duke of la Victoria, 1st Duke of Morella, 1st Count of Luchana, 1st Viscount of Banderas was a Spanish general and political figure...
, who had attempted to divest him of his military honors. Rodil then retired from Spanish politics, and died at age 64.