– 5 July 1817, Palma, Majorca) was a Spanish hero, "a heroic martyr in his country's cause", a famous Brigadier General of the Spanish Army who fought for Spain in the Peninsular War

Peninsular War

The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...

. He came from an Irish family that had already seen two generations serving in the Spanish army. His grandfather Patrick de Lacy Snr. had been a General of the infantry regiment of infantry of the Spanish "Irish Regiment" of Ultonia, and his father Patrick de Lacy Jnr. had risen to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before his early death.

Biography

Luis was the only child of Spanish born Lt. Colonel Patrick de Lacy Jnr. who died young and his wife Antonia. He was born in San Roque, a Spanish village near the frontier of Gibraltar. Spanish historians tell us that he was born of a "distinguished Irish family". No Irish family has attained greater fame in the military history of Europe than the de Lacy family of county Limerick.

Luis was the grandson of Limerick born General Patrick de Lacy Snr. who was a Spanish hero of the siege of Oran

Oran

Oran is a major city on the northwestern Mediterranean coast of Algeria, and the second largest city of the country.It is the capital of the Oran Province . The city has a population of 759,645 , while the metropolitan area has a population of approximately 1,500,000, making it the second largest...

 in 1732. Patrick de Lacy Snr. was part of the de Lacy-Billingari family. The suffix "-Billingari" became added to some in this branch of the de Lacy family from Ballingarry, Limerick that became known as "of La Garthe". Luis's Spanish born uncle Francis Anthony de Lacy (1731–1792), his father's brother, was also well known for his military and diplomatic exploits. He conducted the siege of Gibraltar

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...

 in 1779, was later sent as minister plenipotentiary to Sweden and Russia, and in 1789 became Governor and Capitan General of Catalonia

Catalonia

Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...

. He was also created a Knight of the order of Carlos Tecera. One of Luis's aunts married General Count Browne, Governor-General of Livonia, Russia; and his other aunt married the Marquis Canada, of the ancient family of Terry.

Further back Luis's descent is traced from John de Lacy (b.c.1646) of La Garthe in county Limerick in Ireland. John de Lacy is believed to have descended from John Roe (the ruddy) de Lacy(-Billingari) of La Garthe who owned Ballangarry castle, who was attainted and had some of his lands confiscated in 1583 during the time of Elizabeth I, and who married Lady Eleanor Hurley (b.c.1652) of Knocklong, Limerick, daughter of Sir John Hurley. This made him a cousion to Colonel John Hurley

Colonel John Hurley

Colonel John Hurley, Jacobite soldier and Rapparee, fl. December 1694.-Biography:Colonel Hurley was a son of John Hurley, and a grandson of another John Hurley, a younger son of Sir Thomas Hurley of Knocklong, County Limerick, and Joanna, daudaughter of John Brown, of Mount Brown, County Limerick...

 and Sir John Hurley

Sir John Hurley

-Biography:Sir John Hurley was a grandson of Sir Maurice Hurley of Knocklong, eldest son of Sir Thomas and Joanna. His father, Sir William, was an M.P...

.

One of the sons of John de Lacy was Luis's great-grandfather, Pierce (Peter) de Lacy, a Captain in the Jacobite

Jacobitism

Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...

 army in the service of King James II of England

James II of England

James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...

, who married the Lady Arabella Gould (the daughter of Robert Goold & Eda O'Connor) of Knockraun in the county of Cork. Luis's grandfather General Patrick de Lacy Snr., apparently the second son of a large family, married in Spain. His wife was the daughter of the Irishman Sir (Baron) Ignatius White (d. 1798, France), Marquis D'Albeville, who had been in the service of both King Charles II of England

Charles II of England

Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...

 and King James II of England

James II of England

James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...

.

Even further back the de Lacys of county Limerick claim descent from William Gorm de Lacy the son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath

Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath

Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath was an Anglo-Norman magnate granted the lands of the Kingdom of Meath by Henry II in 1172, during the Norman Invasion of Ireland.-Early life:Hugh de Lacy was born before 1135...

 (bef.1135–1186) from his second marriage to Princess

Princess

Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....

 Rose Ní Conchobair

Rose Ní Conchobair

Rose Ní Conchobair, Princess of Connaught and Ireland, Lady of Meath, fl. 1180.Rose was one of some thirteen children of King of Ireland, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair. About 1180 she married Hugh de Lacy, 1st Earl of Ulster . De Lacy had five daughters and two sons by his first wife Rose de Monmouth...

, daughter of King of Ireland

King of Ireland

A monarchical polity has existed in Ireland during three periods of its history, finally ending in 1801. The designation King of Ireland and Queen of Ireland was used during these periods...

, Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair

Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair

Ruaidrí Ua Conchobair , often anglicised Rory O'Connor, reigned as King of Connacht from 1156 to 1186, and from 1166 to 1198 was the last High King before the Norman invasion of Ireland .Ruaidrí was one of over twenty sons of King...

.
It is also from the de Lacys of Limerick that the famous soldiers Count Peter von Lacy

Peter Lacy

Count Peter von Lacy, or Pyotr Petrovich Lacy , as he was known in Russia , was one of the most successful Russian imperial commanders before Rumyantsev and Suvorov...

 (1678–1751), and his son Count Franz Moritz von Lacy (1725–1801) descend, and the different branches of the de Lacy family of Limerick did support each other as kinsmen in their respective military careers. The Limerick man whom they all claim as kinsman, Pierce Oge (the young) de Lacy of Bruff (–1607, executed) celebrated from the wars against Elizabeth I, the son of Sir Hempon Pierce de Lacy, maintained that he was 18th in direct descent from William Gorm de Lacy, son of Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath

Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath

Hugh de Lacy, Lord of Meath was an Anglo-Norman magnate granted the lands of the Kingdom of Meath by Henry II in 1172, during the Norman Invasion of Ireland.-Early life:Hugh de Lacy was born before 1135...

, and great-great-grandson of Walter I de Lacy

De Lacy

de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...

 (–1085), the Norman soldier. It is known that a highly distinguished family known as "de Lacy" was settled in county Limerick and had castles at Ballingarry, Bruree, Bruff and more which were in the family down to the time of the Desmond confiscations in 1583, but the family may be of different origins entirely.

Many references state that Luis's mother Antonia was French, but this is because she married again to a Frenchman named Gautier who was also in the Spanish army. In Spanish references even today they call him "Luis de Lacy y Gautier" which means that his mother's surname was Gautier. However, his mother's surname and ancestry is unknown. There is nothing to say that his mother was French, and she was probably Spanish.

Early Military Career (1785–1808)

• 1785, at the age of 13 (he was recorded as 14 years of age), Luis enlisted in the Spanish army where he also served with his French stepfather and step-uncle, John and Francis Gautier (it is not known which of these brothers was Luis's stepfather), and participated in an expedition to Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico
  Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
  
  . Because of his courage and fearlessness in battle, 29 October 29, 1786, at only 14 years of age, he was given his first promotion.
• 1789, at the age of 17, Luis returned to Coruna with his stepfather and step-uncle. He ran away and walked 200 miles to Oporto with the idea of catching a ship to the Moluccas. Instead his stepfather found him and brought him back to Spain.
• 1791, at the age of 19, Luis was a Captain in the infantry of the Spanish "Irish Regiment" of Ultonia and accompanied his regiment to the Western Pyrenees
  Pyrenees
  The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
  
  . There he distinguised himself fighting against the French.
• 1794, at the age of 22, Luis participated in the Campaign Roussillon in the Great War where he remained until the signing of the Peace of Basel
  Peace of Basel
  The Peace of Basel of 1795 consists of three peace treaties involving France .* The first of the three treaties of 1795, France made peace with Prussia on 5 April; , * The Second was with Spain on 22 July, ending the War of the Pyrenees; and*...
  
   on 5 April 5, 1795.
• 1795-1803. In 1795, at the age of 23, Luis was sent to the Canary Islands
  Canary Islands
  The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
  
  . There he fell in love with a local girl. Unfortunately his rival in love was no less a person than the Captain General of the Canary Islands. They fought a duel and Luis's opponent was wounded. Luis was then banished by the jealous Captain General to the island of El Hierro
  El Hierro
  El Hierro, nicknamed Isla del Meridiano , is the smallest and farthest south and west of the Canary Islands , in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa, with a population of 10,162 .- Name :The name El Hierro, although phonetically identical to the Spanish word for 'iron', is generally thought...
  
  , which a Spanish commentator called "the only means of disposing of a rival as daring as he was fortunate". While in exile Luis began writing insulting letters to the Captain General, which resulted in Luis being summoned to a court martial. In light of Luis's "good military record" he sentence was light and he was condemned to only one year in the Royal Prison at the Concepción Arsonal at Cadiz
  Cádiz
  Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
  
  . While there his resentment at this unjust treatment brokered by the Captain General showed itself so violently that Luis was considered by his jailers to be mentally unbalanced. As a result he was taken off the active list of the Spanish army, deprived of his commission, and prevented from re-enlisting. Now a career soldier without a country, he headed towards France and enlited in a French line regiment. Within a month he was appointed a Captain in the new Irish Brigade of the French Army that was being formed at Morlaix
  Morlaix
  Morlaix is a commune in the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France. It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Leisure and tourism:...
  
  . Legend is that Luis's appointment into the Irish Brigade was due to a personal interview with Napoleon, who had been apprised by the Duke of Fettra, General Clarke, of Luis's de Lacy
  De Lacy
  de Lacy is the surname of an old Norman noble family originating from Lassy . The first records are about Hugh de Lacy . Descendent of Hugh de Lacy left Normandy and travelled to England along with William the Conqueror. Walter and Ilbert de Lacy fought in the battle of Hastings...
  
   family tradition in Ireland and Spain, and Luis's own personal exploits.
• 1803, at the age of 31, Luis married a young French woman, Emilia Guermer at Quimper
  Quimper
  Quimper is a commune and capital of the Finistère department of Brittany in northwestern France.-Administration:Quimper is the prefecture of the Finistère department.-Geography:...
  
  . This match was frowned upon by her family, not because he had a deserved reputation as a lover of many women, but because her family was strongly French Royaltist in sympathy and did not want their daughter associated with a soldier in Napoleon's Imperial army. This did not influence Emilia, however, and she accompanied her new husband on most of his campaigns, commencing with starting out for Antwerp just 3 days after the wedding. Luis participated in the French campaign against Germany
  Germany
  Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
  
  , travelling as far as Berlin
  Berlin
  Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
  
  .
• 1807, at the age of 35, Luis was appointed Chief of Battalion in the French army and ordered to proceed to 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...
  
   as part of a French invasion. Not wanting to fight against his own county he requested a transfer but his request was ignored. He then tendered his resignation, but it too was ignored. Having no choice he proceeded to 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...
  
   with his men, but only after first sending his wife and child to her family home in Brittany
  Brittany
  Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
  
  .
• 1808, at the age of 36, he arrived in Madrid to find the city in arms against the French. Rather than fight against his countrymen, he deserted from the French army and surrendered to his Spanish comrades as a prisoner of war. Instead he was given a command in the Spanish army and admitted with the rank of captain.

The French invasion of Spain

From the date of his desertion from the Napoleon's army, Spanish history makes frequent references to Brigadier General Luis de Lacy. He became a Spanish hero fighting the French from the river Erro

Erro (river)

The Erro is a 38 km torrent of north-west Italy, a right tributary of the Bormida.The river rises in the Ligurian Province of Savona at an elevation 1,267 metres on Monte Ermetta, to the west of Monte Beigua. Having passed through the territory of Sassello, the river enters the Piedmontese...

 to the river Tagus

Tagus

The Tagus is the longest river on the Iberian Peninsula. It is long, in Spain, along the border between Portugal and Spain and in Portugal, where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean at Lisbon. It drains an area of . The Tagus is highly utilized for most of its course...

. He inflicted notable losses on the French troops, and on one occasion captured 3,000 enemy cavalry.

Early army fighting against Napoleon's forces (1808–09)

• 1808, September 24 - Luis was appointed Lieutenant Colonel and given command of the Battalion of Light Ledesma.
• 1808, November 23 - Luis participated with his battalion in the Action of Bubierca
  Bubierca
  Bubierca is a municipality located in the province of Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain. According to the 2004 census , the municipality has a population of 92 inhabitants....
  
  .
• 1809, January 24 - Luis was promoted to the rank of Colonel.
• 1809, July 3 - Luis was appointed by the Brigadier as Subinspector of the Infantry, Chief of Staff and Commanding General of the Island of Leon.
• 1809, November 10 - Luis was made the 1st Division commander of the army of General Juan Carlos Areizaga, participated in the Battle of Ocana
  Battle of Ocana
  The Battle of Ocana or Battle of Ocaña was fought on 19 November 1809 between French forces under Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult and King Joseph Bonaparte and the Spanish army under Juan Carlos de Aréizaga, which suffered its greatest single defeat in the Peninsular War...
  
   and becomes one its heroes. Luis's detachment was the last to arrive on the scene, and arriving at night it was unable to reconnoitre the ground, which makes his achievements in that battle all the more remarkable. Adding the cavalry of General Freire he came from Tembleque
  Tembleque
  Tembleque is also a coconut dessert pudding from Puerto Rico.Tembleque is made by cooking coconut milk or coconut cream with milk, salt, cornstarch, and sugar with spices such as cloves, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg...
  
   and temporarily dislodged the French from Ocana. In one phase of the Battle of Ocana there was a hazardous change of front to avoid an attept on the part of the Franch to surround them. Luis's troops were noted for the calmness in which they manoeuvered in such dangerous circumstances. Luis was personal hero of the battle taking two cannon, wounding the French commander, and killing the French adjutant.

Andalusia (1810)

• 1810, March 16 - Luis, aged 38, was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal
  Field Marshal
  Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
  
  .
• 1810, June - In the summer of that year, whilst Cadiz
  Cádiz
  Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
  
   was being besieged by the French, the Spanish Regency adopted the system of sending expeditions by sea to land in the surrounding countryside, encourage the local Spanish resistance, and harry the besiegers. The first of these expeditions was led by Luis, who had command of the Isla de Leon on which Cadiz
  Cádiz
  Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
  
   is situated.
• 1810, June 17 - After having strengthened the fortifications around Cadiz, Luis embarked with 3,000 soldiers to sail to the city Algeciras
  Algeciras
  Algeciras is a port city in the south of Spain, and is the largest city on the Bay of Gibraltar . Port of Algeciras is one of the largest ports in Europe and in the world in three categories: container,...
  
  . From there they attempted to proceed the 50 miles overland to Ronda
  Ronda
  Ronda is a city in Spanish province of Málaga. It is located about West from the city of Málaga, within the autonomous community of Andalusia. Its population is approximately 35,000 inhabitants.-History:...
  
   with the aim of retaking the city and fortifying a series of other cities in the area. However the French army sent reinforcements to prevent them carrying out their purpose and they were forced to take refuge in Casares
  Casares, Málaga
  Casares is a town and municipality in Spain, located in Málaga province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia.-Geography and demography:...
  
  . From there they attacked the area of Marbella
  Marbella
  Marbella is a town in Andalusia, Spain. It is situated on the Mediterranean Sea, in the province of Málaga, beneath the La Concha mountain. In 2000 the city had 98,823 inhabitants, in 2004, 116,234, in 2010 approximately 135,000....
  
   until a large contingent of enemy French troops forced him to return to Cádiz
  Cádiz
  Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
  
  .
• 1810, July 22 - Luis and his troops reached Cádiz
  Cádiz
  Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
  
  . He then planned another expedition, this time to the area of Huelva
  Huelva
  Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
  
   near the Portugese boarder.
• 1810, August 23 - Luis embarked for Huelva
  Huelva
  Huelva is a city in southwestern Spain, the capital of the province of Huelva in the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is located along the Gulf of Cadiz coast, at the confluence of the Odiel and Tinto rivers. According to the 2010 census, the city has a population of 149,410 inhabitants. The...
  
   at the front of a contingent of 3,000 men. This action successfully drew off part of the French forces in Spain by forcing them to go to the aid of the French General Andre Massena who was in command in Portugal
  Portugal
  Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
  
  .
• 1810, September 22 - Luis returned to Cadiz and lead a sally destroying many enemy posts. According to French accounts of the time this corner of Spain was the only part oif the country giving trouble to the would-be French conquerors.

Catalonia (1811–12)

• 1811, June - Luis, aged 39, was appointed Captain General of Catalonia in replacement of the Marquis de Campoverde after the Marquis had lost to the French of the City of Tarragona
  Tarragona
  Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
  
  .
• 1811, July 9 - Luis took his new office as Captain General of Catalonia at the city of Vic
  Vic
  Vic is the capital of the comarca of Osona, in the Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain. Vic's location, only 69 km far from Barcelona and 60 km from Girona, has made it one of the most important towns in central Catalonia.-History:...
  
  .
• Luis placed himself, his troops, and the Junta
  Junta
  Junta may refer to:Governance:* Military-led government:** By military junta or committee**Military dictatorship regardless of structure* Other governance:** Junta ** Specific to Spain:*** Junta , 1808–1810...
  
   in Solsona
  Solsona, Lleida
  Solsona is a municipality and capital of the comarca of the Solsonès in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the centre of the comarca in the Central Catalan Depression. It is served by the C-55 road to Manresa, and is linked to Berga and Bassella by the C-26.The old town is known as the Clos antic...
  
  . Lying between the French captured city of Tarragona
  Tarragona
  Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
  
   and his central base of Solsona
  Solsona, Lleida
  Solsona is a municipality and capital of the comarca of the Solsonès in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the centre of the comarca in the Central Catalan Depression. It is served by the C-55 road to Manresa, and is linked to Berga and Bassella by the C-26.The old town is known as the Clos antic...
  
   is the mountain and monastery of Montserrat
  Montserrat
  Montserrat is a British overseas territory located in the Leeward Islands, part of the chain of islands called the Lesser Antilles in the West Indies. This island measures approximately long and wide, giving of coastline...
  
   which he left his second in command, Baron de Eroles to defend. He retook the forts of La Seu d'Urgell
  La Seu d'Urgell
  La Seu d'Urgell is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of Bishop of Urgell, one of the Andorra co-princes...
  
   and Cardona
  Cardona
  Cardona is a town ìn Catalonia, Spain, in the province of Barcelona; about 90 km northwest of the city of Barcelona, on a hill almost surrounded by the river Cardoner, a branch of the Llobregat.Near the town is an extensive deposit of rock salt...
  
  . He then decided to base the defense of the principality along the front of the three cities of La Seu d'Urgell
  La Seu d'Urgell
  La Seu d'Urgell is a town located in the Catalan Pyrenees in Spain. La Seu d'Urgell is also the capital of the comarca Alt Urgell, head of the judicial district of la Seu d'Urgell and the seat of Bishop of Urgell, one of the Andorra co-princes...
  
  , Solsona
  Solsona, Lleida
  Solsona is a municipality and capital of the comarca of the Solsonès in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated in the centre of the comarca in the Central Catalan Depression. It is served by the C-55 road to Manresa, and is linked to Berga and Bassella by the C-26.The old town is known as the Clos antic...
  
   and Cardona
  Cardona
  Cardona is a town ìn Catalonia, Spain, in the province of Barcelona; about 90 km northwest of the city of Barcelona, on a hill almost surrounded by the river Cardoner, a branch of the Llobregat.Near the town is an extensive deposit of rock salt...
  
  .
• 1811, July 15 - Luis made a public appeal for volunteers to join his forces many rallied to the cause. His fame preceded him and he was easily able to both recruit new men and restore the confidence of the existing troops. He set up a field of recruitment and training on the plateau of Busa's Plan and rebuilt the army of Catalonia, to the astonishment of the country.
• 1811, July - He also sent reinforcements to the defence of Valencia. His tactics of war were to be to avoid frontal collisions, and to lash at the enemy with constant raids that cut supply and communications. His forces broke the line of communication established by the French between Barcelona
  Barcelona
  Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
  
   and Lerida and kept the French invaders busy away from his Catalonian province. This enabled him to concentrate on the training of his recruits.
• 1811, August - In August a rumour was circulating that Luis was going to leave Catalonia. In response he published a manifesto that said that he would rather die with his last soldier rather than abandon his post.
• 1811, August - Luis led his troops on a punitive expedition into France. He attacked Alta Cerdanya and Latour de Carol. He burned several villages in the French province of Ariège
  Ariège
  Ariège is a department in southwestern France named after the Ariège River.- History :Ariège is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from the counties of Foix and Couserans....
  
   in retaliation for French incendiarism in Spain, and levied tribute from Acs
  ACS
  -Companies and commerce:* ACS:Law, a British law firm specialising in intellectual property cases* Advanced Composites Solutions, engineering company specialized in composite materials technology...
  
   and other towns. This brief ground campaign in France moralised his troops, demoralised the French and had a great impact throughout Europe
  Europe
  Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
  
  . The Spanish instead of the French had become the aggressors.
• 1811, August 29 - On Luis's orders his second in command, Baron de Eroles, with the assistance of the Colonel Green and his men provided by the British, disembarked with troops on the Medes Islands in the mouth of the Ter (river). They took and destroyed the fort the French had built there, but then on the orders of English Colonel Green abandoned it.
• 1811 , September 11 - Unhappy with the abandonment of the fort on the Medes Islands, Luis embarked for the islands himself. He rebuilt, garrisoned and fortified the fort sufficient to avoid attack, and symbolically renamed the islands the Isles of the Restoration.
• 1811, October 4 - Travelling towards Berga
  Berga
  Berga is the capital of the comarca of Berguedà, in Catalonia, Spain.- History :Berga derives its name from the Bergistani, an Iberian tribe that lived in the area before the Roman conquest. The Bergistani were first subdued by Hannibal in 218 BC...
  
   where the Junta had need of his presence, Luis engaged the French at Igualada
  Igualada
  Igualada is a municipality of the province of Barcelona in Catalonia . It is located on the left bank of the Anoia river, and at the western end of the Igualada-Martorell-Barcelona railway. Igualada is the capital and central market of the Anoia comarca, a rich agricultural and wine-producing...
  
  . The French took refuge in a neighbouring Capucin monastery. He was then able to force the French troops out of the monastery, and in this engagement the French lost 200 men.
• 1811, December 5 - On the heights of La Garriga, Luis ambushed a convoy of men and supplies that the new French commander, General Decaen, was sending to Barcelona
  Barcelona
  Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
  
  . General Decaen, with his 5,000 infantry, 400 horses, and 4 cannon was routed. Luis sent men, under the command of 2 of his subordinates, Casa and Manso, to pursue the fleeing French to Granollers
  Granollers
  Granollers is a city near Barcelona, in Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital and most densely populated city of the comarca of Vallès Oriental.Granollers is a bustling business centre, and many industries are located there...
  
   where the French troops had to turn aside and leave Vic
  Vic
  Vic is the capital of the comarca of Osona, in the Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain. Vic's location, only 69 km far from Barcelona and 60 km from Girona, has made it one of the most important towns in central Catalonia.-History:...
  
   and Camara
  Camara
  Camara may refer to:* Abdelaziz Camara, French footballer* Abdoulaye Camara, Malian footballer* Aboubacar M'Baye Camara, Guinean footballer* Alcar Camara, Senegalese footballer* Camara , Irish Charity* Camara Laye, Guinean writer...
  
   untroubled.
• 1811, December 18 - Luis was promoted to Lieutenant General.
• 1811, December - Luis's triumphs and his methods of fighting, had led to the rise of bands of guerrilleros who constantly worried the French and disturbed their communication with France. Luis ordered the army to incorporate all of the guerrilleros without exception. This meant taking the guerrilleros out from among the people, but greatly added to the strength of his forces. In contrast the stronger French army was lacking in patriots, and in organisational skills. With the French making incursions into Spanish held territory, and Luis's forces employing guerilla tactics in French held territory, the war stagnated with neither side able to take the advantage.
• 1812, January - Luis took back the city of Reus
  Reus
  Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague...
  
   and from this base was keeping watch over the neighbouring captured city of Tarragona
  Tarragona
  Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
  
  . He was in turn being watched by Laforce who had been sent out from Tortosa specifically to watch him. Laforce made a careless move, and Luis took the advantage to attack the French battalion in Villaseca, almost destroying it. Fearing that Decaen who was garrisoned at Olot
  Olot
  Olot is the capital of the comarca of the Garrotxa, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.- Etymology :The etymology of Olot is not clear and there are several hypotheses...
  
   was marching to attack Vic
  Vic
  Vic is the capital of the comarca of Osona, in the Barcelona Province, Catalonia, Spain. Vic's location, only 69 km far from Barcelona and 60 km from Girona, has made it one of the most important towns in central Catalonia.-History:...
  
   Luis decided to intercept. To avoid being exposed to a combat disadvantage on the flat marched his troops to Coluspina where he halted over January 24 & 27. After no move was made by the French he proceeded to Moià
  Moià
  Moià is a municipality of the shire of Bages....
  
  . On discovering that the French were at Centellas and heading towards Sant Feliu de Codines
  Sant Feliu de Codines
  Sant Feliu de Codines is a municipality in the comarca of the Vallès Oriental in Catalonia, Spain. It is linked by a local road to Caldes de Montbui and to Centelles....
  
   he advanced his troops to these posts, engaged them in a bloody battle, and routed them completely.
• 1812, February - Luis began the "Dirty war": in mid-February police discovered a plot to poison Napoleon with flour laced with arsenic
  Arsenic
  Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
  
   destined for the French army in Figueres
  Figueres
  Figueres is the capital of the comarca of Alt Empordà, in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.The town is the birthplace of artist Salvador Dalí, and houses the Teatre-Museu Gala Salvador Dalí, a large museum designed by Dalí himself which attracts many visitors...
  
  .
• 1812, April 17 - In a decree the Spanish Regency confirmed Luis's command of the army of Catalonia
  Catalonia
  Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
  
  . Luis then attempted to recapture Tarragona
  Tarragona
  Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
  
   from the French. He did not succeed in his ambition, but his harrying tactics so disturbed the French General Decaen that he sought a parley at Reus
  Reus
  Reus is the capital of the comarca of Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona, in Catalonia, Spain. The area has always been an important producer of wines and spirits, and gained continental importance at the time of the Phylloxera plague...
  
  . Luis attended the meeting, but nothing seems to have come from it. During this time Luis was anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Anglo-Sicilain Fleet. When it did arrive, however, he sent the fleet to Alicante
  Alicante
  Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
  
   stating that it was needed there more. According to some sources he was forced to do this as the Catalonian Board of the Principality could not afford to pay the fleet.
• 1812, May 3 - To take advantage of the French occupation with changing their positions in both the north-east and near Tarragona
  Tarragona
  Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
  
  , Luis's forces marched on Mataró
  Mataró
  Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it...
  
   with the intention of taking the fortress that the French had made out of the Capuchin monastery there. However, despite the support of a naval artillery squadron that was provied by the British, they did not reach their goal. Luis's efforts were unsuccessful as both French commanders came with their forces to attack him: General Jean Maximilien Lamarque
  Jean Maximilien Lamarque
  Jean Maximilien Lamarque was a French commander during the Napoleonic Wars who later became a member of French Parliament. As an opponent of the Ancien Régime, he is known for his active suppression of Royalist and Legitimist activity...
  
   descending from the north-east from the city of Torroella de Montgrí
  Torroella de Montgrí
  Torroella de Montgrí is a small town in Catalonia, on the north bank of the Ter river.-Features:The town is 22 km east of Girona and 5 km west of the resort of L'Estartit...
  
  ; and General Charles Mathieu Isidore Decaen coming over from the city of Lleida
  Lleida
  Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
  
   in the west. Faced with the prospect of becoming cornered, Luis send the English artillery back to their ships, and Luis with his forces retreated into the region of Llinars del Vallés (Valley of Llinars) - today a municipality of Spain
  Municipalities of Spain
  The municipalities of Spain In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. municipi.*Galician or , sing. municipio/bisbarra.*Basque , sing. udalerria. are the basic level of Spanish local government...
  
  .
• 1812, July - Luis discovered that bthe local Catalonians resented the requisitioning of their forces for the army. To hold their allegiances he ordered that all horses taken be purchased at the usual prices and in cash.
• 1812, July 16 - At midnight, a sabotage action exploded the immense gunpowder
  Gunpowder
  Gunpowder, also known since in the late 19th century as black powder, was the first chemical explosive and the only one known until the mid 1800s. It is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate - with the sulfur and charcoal acting as fuels, while the saltpeter works as an oxidizer...
  
   of Lleida
  Lleida
  Lleida is a city in the west of Catalonia, Spain. It is the capital city of the province of Lleida, as well as the largest city in the province and it had 137,387 inhabitants , including the contiguous municipalities of Raimat and Sucs. The metro area has about 250,000 inhabitants...
  
  , injuring or killing 280 French residents of this Spanish city.
• 1812, July 22 - The conspirators managed to place arsenic
  Arsenic
  Arsenic is a chemical element with the symbol As, atomic number 33 and relative atomic mass 74.92. Arsenic occurs in many minerals, usually in conjunction with sulfur and metals, and also as a pure elemental crystal. It was first documented by Albertus Magnus in 1250.Arsenic is a metalloid...
  
   in bread flour supplies destined for the garrison of the French in the military Citadell in Barcelona
  Barcelona
  Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
  
   (today Barcelona's most central park incorporating a zoo, a lake, a large fountain and several museums). Most of the French troops suffered the consequences of the poisoned bread in the form of painful vomiting. There were then attempts to poison the wine of the Valley of Llinars, the spirit of Tarragona
  Tarragona
  Tarragona is a city located in the south of Catalonia on the north-east of Spain, by the Mediterranean. It is the capital of the Spanish province of the same name and the capital of the Catalan comarca Tarragonès. In the medieval and modern times it was the capital of the Vegueria of Tarragona...
  
  , and the water of Hostalric
  Hostalric
  Hostalric is a village in the province of Girona and autonomous community of Catalonia, Spain.-References:...
  
   and Mataró
  Mataró
  Mataró is the capital and largest city of the comarca of the Maresme, in the province of Barcelona, Catalonia Autonomous Community, Spain. It is located on the Costa del Maresme, to the south of Costa Brava, between Cabrera de Mar and Sant Andreu de Llavaneres, to the north-east of Barcelona. , it...
  
  .
• 1812, August 1812 - Luis's forces now had more than 18,000 patriotic troops grouped into eleven regiments, six battalions and a small body of light cavalry. Meanwhile, the French army has begun its Russian Campaign and removed its best units from Spain.
• 1812 - During the rest of 1812 Luis's military operations continued. The cruelty of some of the French Generals led Luis to shoot some of the French prisoners that he had taken, and to threaten even worse reprisals if the conventions of war were not respected. This was ironic as Luis was involved in the "Dirty war" using tactics that included poisonings, conspiracies, bombings, sabotage, and this latest execution of prisoners. The methods of "Dirty war" were seen as immoral by the Catalonian Board of the Principality, as demonstrated in the explosion of gunpowder in Lleida which made no allowance for the civilian casualties. Luis also had a liberal political ideology, which contrasted with the more conservative tone of the Board. As a result of the increasingly strained relations between Luis and the Board, the Board decided to accuse him to the Spanish Regency on a charge of inactivity. The Regency supported Luis and quietly dismissed the Board.

Galicia (1813–14)

• 1813, January - Deciding that the whole Spanish army was in need of reorganisation, and that 41 year-old Luis was just the man to do it, the Regency appointed Luis to the Council of Regency. He was transferred across the other side of the country to Santiago de Compostela
  Santiago de Compostela
  Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, Spain.The city's Cathedral is the destination today, as it has been throughout history, of the important 9th century medieval pilgrimage route, the Way of St. James...
  
   as Captain General of the Kingdom of Galicia and in command of the Reserva de Galicia. This regiment was composed of some 50,000 men under the direct orders of Lord Wellington. Luis devoted himself to the task of disciplining and reorganising his men, and fighting continued until the end of the war. While there he also joined the Masonic Lodge
  Masonic Lodge
  This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
  
  .
• 1813, June 21 - At Vitoria
  Vitória
  Vitória is the capital of the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. It is located on a small island within a bay where a few rivers meet the sea. It was founded in 1551. The city proper has a population of 313,300 whilst the Greater Vitória metropolitan area has a population of more than 1,612,885 ,...
  
  , the combined Anglo-Portuguese and Spanish armies won against Napoleon's brother Joseph Bonaparte
  Joseph Bonaparte
  Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
  
  , finally breaking the French power in Spain. The French had to retreat out of the Spain over the Pyrenees
  Pyrenees
  The Pyrenees is a range of mountains in southwest Europe that forms a natural border between France and Spain...
  
   mountains.
• 1813, December 11 - Napoleon agreed to acknowledge Ferdinand VII as King of Spain. He set him free in early 1814.
• 1814, April - With the abducation of Napoleon on 6 April Ferdinand VII returned to Spain. Luis requested a move to Valencia and fixed his residence at Vinaròs
  Vinaròs
  Vinaròs is a town and municipality in eastern Spain, in the province of Castelló and part of the autonomous Valencian Community. The town is on the Gulf of Valencia coast of the western Mediterranean Sea, Vinaròs is a fishing harbour and tourist destination....
  
  .

The events leading to Luis's execution (1814–1817)

• 1814–1816 - When Ferdinand VII returned to Spain in April 1814, the Cádiz Cortes
  Cádiz Cortes
  The Cádiz Cortes were sessions of the national legislative body which met in the safe haven of Cádiz during the French occupation of Spain during the Napoleonic Wars...
  
   refused to acknowledge him as King until he was sworn to recognise the Spanish Constitution of 1812
  Spanish Constitution of 1812
  The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated 19 March 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain, while in refuge from the Peninsular War...
  
  . He, however, had decided that his power should be absolute. He came back to a people for whom he had no affection, and when a small band of nobles presented him with a petition for a return of the "ancien régime" he decided to put his ideas for an absolute monachy into execution, and disbanded the Cortes. In common with many others Luis was deciding that Ferdinand could not be allowed to continue on this path. Luis spent the next couple of years brooding over the injustice and oppression he saw becoming so prevalent in the country before deciding to take action.
• 1816, November - Luis, aged 44, moved to Catalonia and was in contact with General Francis Milans del Bosch, his former subordinate. They planned a military and civilian uprising against the monachy in order to restore the Spanish Constitution of 1812
  Spanish Constitution of 1812
  The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated 19 March 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain, while in refuge from the Peninsular War...
  
  . Luis did not want this revolt to fail as so many had before in history, and he went from 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...
  
   to Catalonia
  Catalonia
  Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
  
   planning, organising, and inspiring.
• 1817, April 5 - The planned revolt, known as the "Pronouncement of Lacy", began directed by Luis from Caldes d'Estrac
  Caldes d'Estrac
  Caldes d'Estrac is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Sant Vicenç de Montalt and Arenys de Mar.It is served by the main N-II road along the coast and by a station on the RENFE railway line....
  
  . The intention had been to march on Barcelona
  Barcelona
  Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
  
   with the troops quartered in the Maresme
  Maresme
  Maresme is a comarca located along the Catalan Mediterranean coast in Spain, between the comarques of Barcelonès and Selva , and also bordering with Vallès Oriental ....
  
  , but this was never to happen. On the night of the revolt the few scattered companies and isolated officers that were at the meeting place with Luis at Caldes d'Estrac
  Caldes d'Estrac
  Caldes d'Estrac is a municipality in the comarca of the Maresme inCatalonia, Spain. It is situated on the coast between Sant Vicenç de Montalt and Arenys de Mar.It is served by the main N-II road along the coast and by a station on the RENFE railway line....
  
   were forced to flee as someone had betrayed them. Francis Milans del Bosch successfully escaped, but Luis was captured attempting to flee by ship to Blanes
  Blanes
  Blanes is a town on the Costa Brava in the province of Girona, Catalonia, Spain.The coast of Blanes has 4 km of different kinds of beaches, including the Blanes beach and S'Abanell beach.-Main sights:...
  
  .
• 1817, April - Luis was taken to Barcelona
  Barcelona
  Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
  
   and sentenced to death by court-martial on the orders of the King. He was still the popular hero, however, and a protest against the sentence was led by Barcelon's Guild of the City.
• 1817, July 5 - Fearing an uprising, Luis was taken across to the island of Mallorca
  Mallorca
  Majorca or Mallorca is an island located in the Mediterranean Sea, one of the Balearic Islands.The capital of the island, Palma, is also the capital of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. The Cabrera Archipelago is administratively grouped with Majorca...
  
   on the pretense that he would be pardoned on arrival in the island. Smuggled by night, however, he was instead shot in the moat of Bellver Castle
  Bellver Castle
  Bellver Castle is a Gothic style castle on a hill 3 km northwest of Palma on the Island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It was built in the 14th century for King James II of Majorca, and is one of the few circular castles in Europe...
  
   in Palma. His long and brilliant career as a soldier ended at the age of 45. It is romantically said that he faced death with "the same bravery which he had shown in defending his country".

Restoration to Honor (1820)

After Luis's execution in 1817 many other military coups were attempted, until finally Col. Rafael del Riego

Rafael del Riego

Rafael del Riego y Nuñez was a Spanish general and liberal politician, who played a key role in the outbreak of the Liberal Triennium .-Early life and action in the Peninsular War:...

 lead a revolt in 1820 which succeeded and forced the King to accept the Spanish Constitution of 1812

Spanish Constitution of 1812

The Spanish Constitution of 1812 was promulgated 19 March 1812 by the Cádiz Cortes, the national legislative assembly of Spain, while in refuge from the Peninsular War...

. This was the beginning of what is today called the "Trienio Liberal" (the Three Liberal Years) from 1820 to 1823. In those years the King did everything he could to obstruct the Government (vetoing nearly every law, for instance), but also asked many powers, including the Holy Alliance

Holy Alliance

The Holy Alliance was a coalition of Russia, Austria and Prussia created in 1815 at the behest of Czar Alexander I of Russia, signed by the three powers in Paris on September 26, 1815, in the Congress of Vienna after the defeat of Napoleon.Ostensibly it was to instill the Christian values of...

, to invade his own country and restore his absolutist powers. He finally received help from a French army (The Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis

The Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis

The Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis was the popular name for a French army mobilized by the Bourbon King of France, Louis XVIII to restore King's Ferdinand VII of Spain absolute power of which he had been deprived during the Liberal Triennium. Despite the name, the actual number of troops was...

) which allowed the King to restore his powers and begin his second period of absolutist rule.

Back in 1820, however, the newly reconstituted Cortes of Madrid

Cortes Generales

The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...

 of Madrid, in recognising Luis's "Pronouncement of Lacy", declared Luis de Lacy a heroic martyr in his country's cause. Their Royal Order of 25 March 1820 provided that Luis would be restored to all his honors and have his name placed onto a plaque in the Hall of the Parliament bearing the names of those who like Rafael del Riego

Rafael del Riego

Rafael del Riego y Nuñez was a Spanish general and liberal politician, who played a key role in the outbreak of the Liberal Triennium .-Early life and action in the Peninsular War:...

 had served the cause of democracy in Spain. Luis was accorded a public funeral as a Spanish war hero. Ferdinand VII himself, who had three years earlier ordered Luis's execution, begrudgingly attended the funeral. The King riding the public sentiment also posthumously created Luis as Duke of Ultonia.

Today the plaque bearing the name of Luis de Lacy, and the other heroes of Spanish democracy, is seen on the right side of the President of Spain when he faces the Cortes of Madrid

Cortes Generales

The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...

.

Sources, References, and external links

• De Lacy-Bellingari, Edward de Lacy-Harnett, The roll of the house of Lacy : pedigrees, military memoirs and synoptical history of the ancient and illustrious family of De Lacy from the earliest times, in all its branches, to the present day
• Macbride, Patrick, General Luis de lacy in the Spanish Service"
• Great Catalan Encyclopaedia
• Military History Spain
• Topics contemporary history. The reign of Ferdinand VII
• Luis de Lacy
• Spanish War of Independence
• Irish surname Lacy
• O'Laughlin, Von Michael C. The book of Irish families, great & small