Manuel Piar
Encyclopedia
Manuel Carlos Piar was General
-in-Chief of the army
fighting Spain during the Venezuelan War of Independence
.
born in Willemstad
, Curaçao
, Piar grew up as a humble mestizo
subject to the discriminating limits imposed by the social norms of colonial times.
He arrived in Venezuela with his mother when he was ten years old and set up residence in La Guaira
. Without formal schooling he acquired by himself a good level of general knowledge and taught himself several languages.
At the age of 23, he decided to join the independence effort and participated in the unsuccessful 1797 Gual and España Conspiracy.
fighting the English in Curaçao
. The Curaçao militia successfully expelled the English, restoring Dutch rule. 1807 found him in Haiti
helping the revolution on the island and commanding a warship.
By 1810 his military experience and his desire for independence from the colonial governments put him at the service of the incipient Venezuelan independence conflict against Spain. He started in the navy and was deployed to Puerto Cabello
. As Commander
of a ship he saw action in several engagements against the Spanish navy, participating in the Battle of Sorondo in the Orinoco
river in 1812.
A deteriorating and losing situation for his side forced Piar to take refuge in Trinidad
for some time. Back in Venezuela in 1813 as an army Colonel
he successfully defended Maturín
and helped liberate the eastern part of the country from Spanish forces.
The following year, 1814, now a Brigadier General, Piar led troops fighting in the provinces of Barcelona
, Caracas
and Cumaná
. He lost an engagement with the forces of José Tomás Boves
near El Salado.
Promoted to Major General
he joined in the successful Los Cayos expedition, and the engagements of Los Frailes and Carupano
.
In 1816 he defeated the army of Francisco Tomás Morales at El Juncál
. From there Piar started marching on Guayana
with the intention of beginning the liberation of that province. At the beginning of 1817 he laid siege to the city of Angostura
. On April 11 his forces achieved a major victory over those commanded by Spanish General Miguel de la Torre
at the battle of San Félix
. A month later Piar was promoted to the rank of General-in-Chief.
superiors, including Simón Bolívar
. This friction eventually resulted in Bolívar stripping Piar of direct troop command. Piar then asked for leave, which was granted to him in June 1817.
Besides independence, Piar also wanted greater power-sharing, social and political rights for the mestizos. Unhappy with the way mestizos had been treated by the insular Spaniards under the colonial system, Piar had hoped for better treatment for the mestizos after the defeat of the royalists. However it seemed this would not be the case. Piar, now without any troops to command, decided to remain in Guayana and lobby for support for his views against those of the all-white criollo (Piar being the only exception) leadership.
Together with Piar were other very senior military commanders also opposed to Bolívar's leadership. Among these were José Félix Ribas
, Santiago Mariño
and José Francisco Bermúdez
. However, unlike Piar, they were also white-criollos and their reasons for opposing Bolivar were certainly different from the need to support mestizo rights.
In what is one of the independence struggle's darkest episodes, Bolívar ordered Piar arrested and tried for desertion, insubordination and conspiring against the government. Seeing as Piar was the only one charged and arrested in this episode, it is generally agreed that Bolívar simply needed to make an example of a single general from among the military leadership. Piar was the unlucky chosen one. He was arrested on September 28, 1817 and was judged by a court martial which found him guilty on all charges; and on October 15 sentenced him to death. On that same day Simón Bolívar, as Supreme Commander, confirmed the sentence. The following day Manuel Piar, General-in-Chief, was executed against the wall of the cathedral of Angostura
by a firing squad. In a puzzling moment, Bolívar, who had decided against witnessing the execution, heard the shots from inside his nearby office and said in tears, "He derramado mi sangre" (I have spilled my blood).
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
-in-Chief of the army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
fighting Spain during the Venezuelan War of Independence
Venezuelan War of Independence
-The First Republic:Criollos resented the mercantilist policies of Spain. Trade was only allowed in Pacific ports which was a terrible burden for Argentina, Paraguay and the Caribbean colonies. This is significant as Cuba and Puerto Rico were forced to allow free trade in 1763 by Britain and...
.
Heritage and early life
The son of Fernando Piar, a Spanish merchant seaman of Canarian origin and a Dutch mulattaMulatto
Mulatto denotes a person with one white parent and one black parent, or more broadly, a person of mixed black and white ancestry. Contemporary usage of the term varies greatly, and the broader sense of the term makes its application rather subjective, as not all people of mixed white and black...
born in Willemstad
Willemstad, Netherlands Antilles
Willemstad is the capital city of Curaçao, an island in the southern Caribbean Sea that forms a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Formerly the capital of the Netherlands Antilles prior to its dissolution in 2010, it has an estimated population of 140,000. The historic centre of...
, Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, Piar grew up as a humble mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
subject to the discriminating limits imposed by the social norms of colonial times.
He arrived in Venezuela with his mother when he was ten years old and set up residence in La Guaira
La Guaira
La Guaira is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Vargas and the country's chief port. It was founded in 1577 as an outlet for Caracas, to the southeast. The town and the port were badly damaged during the December 1999 floods and mudslides that affected much of the region...
. Without formal schooling he acquired by himself a good level of general knowledge and taught himself several languages.
At the age of 23, he decided to join the independence effort and participated in the unsuccessful 1797 Gual and España Conspiracy.
Military career
In 1804 he joined the militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
fighting the English in Curaçao
Curaçao
Curaçao is an island in the southern Caribbean Sea, off the Venezuelan coast. The Country of Curaçao , which includes the main island plus the small, uninhabited island of Klein Curaçao , is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. The Curaçao militia successfully expelled the English, restoring Dutch rule. 1807 found him in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
helping the revolution on the island and commanding a warship.
By 1810 his military experience and his desire for independence from the colonial governments put him at the service of the incipient Venezuelan independence conflict against Spain. He started in the navy and was deployed to Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State about 75 km west of Caracas. As of 2001, the city has a population of around 154,000 people. The city is the home to the largest port in the country and is thus a vital cog in the country's vast oil...
. As Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of a ship he saw action in several engagements against the Spanish navy, participating in the Battle of Sorondo in the Orinoco
Orinoco
The Orinoco is one of the longest rivers in South America at . Its drainage basin, sometimes called the Orinoquia, covers , with 76.3% of it in Venezuela and the remainder in Colombia...
river in 1812.
A deteriorating and losing situation for his side forced Piar to take refuge in Trinidad
Trinidad
Trinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
for some time. Back in Venezuela in 1813 as an army Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
he successfully defended Maturín
Maturín
Maturín is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inhabitants...
and helped liberate the eastern part of the country from Spanish forces.
The following year, 1814, now a Brigadier General, Piar led troops fighting in the provinces of Barcelona
Barcelona, Anzoátegui
Barcelona is the capital of Anzoátegui State, Venezuela and was founded in 1671. Together with Puerto La Cruz, Lecheria and Guanta, Barcelona forms one of the most important urban areas of Venezuela with a population of approximately 950,000.-History:...
, Caracas
Caracas
Caracas , officially Santiago de León de Caracas, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela; natives or residents are known as Caraquenians in English . It is located in the northern part of the country, following the contours of the narrow Caracas Valley on the Venezuelan coastal mountain range...
and Cumaná
Cumaná
Cumaná is the capital of Venezuela's Sucre State. It is located 402 km east of Caracas. It was the first settlement founded by Europeans in the mainland America, in 1501 by Franciscan friars, but due to successful attacks by the indigenous people, it had to be refounded several times...
. He lost an engagement with the forces of José Tomás Boves
José Tomás Boves
José Tomás Boves , royalist caudillo of the llanos during the Venezuelan War of Independence, particularly remembered for his use of brutality and atrocities against those who supported Venezuelan independence...
near El Salado.
Promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
he joined in the successful Los Cayos expedition, and the engagements of Los Frailes and Carupano
Carúpano
Carúpano is a city in the eastern Venezuelan state of Sucre. It is located on the Venezuelan Caribbean coast at the opening of two valleys, some 120 km east of the capital of Sucre, Cumaná...
.
In 1816 he defeated the army of Francisco Tomás Morales at El Juncál
El Juncal
El Juncal is a village and municipality in Río Negro Province in Argentina....
. From there Piar started marching on Guayana
Guayana Region
The Guayana Region is an administrative region of Venezuela.The region has a population of 1,383,297 inhabitants and a territory of 458,344 km². It borders the independent nation of Guyana which forms part of The Guyanas...
with the intention of beginning the liberation of that province. At the beginning of 1817 he laid siege to the city of Angostura
Ciudad Bolívar
Ciudad Bolívar is the capital of Venezuela's southeastern Bolivar State. It was founded with the name Angostura in 1764, renamed in 1846, and, as of 2010, had an estimated population of 350,691....
. On April 11 his forces achieved a major victory over those commanded by Spanish General Miguel de la Torre
Miguel de la Torre
Miguel de la Torre y Pando, conde de Torrepando was a Spanish General, Governor and Captain General, who served in Spain, Venezuela, Colombia and Puerto Rico during the Spanish American wars of independence and after.At the age of fourteen he joined the Spanish Army as a soldier during the War of...
at the battle of San Félix
Ciudad Guayana
Ciudad Guayana is a city in Bolívar State, Venezuela. It lies south of the Orinoco, where the river is joined by the Caroní River. The city, officially founded in 1961, is actually composed of the old town of San Félix at the east and the new town of Puerto Ordaz at the west, which lie either...
. A month later Piar was promoted to the rank of General-in-Chief.
Downfall, trial and execution
At this time, following his military victories, Piar came into conflict with his higher-ranking white criolloCreole peoples
The term Creole and its cognates in other languages — such as crioulo, criollo, créole, kriolu, criol, kreyol, kreol, kriulo, kriol, krio, etc. — have been applied to people in different countries and epochs, with rather different meanings...
superiors, including Simón Bolívar
Simón 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...
. This friction eventually resulted in Bolívar stripping Piar of direct troop command. Piar then asked for leave, which was granted to him in June 1817.
Besides independence, Piar also wanted greater power-sharing, social and political rights for the mestizos. Unhappy with the way mestizos had been treated by the insular Spaniards under the colonial system, Piar had hoped for better treatment for the mestizos after the defeat of the royalists. However it seemed this would not be the case. Piar, now without any troops to command, decided to remain in Guayana and lobby for support for his views against those of the all-white criollo (Piar being the only exception) leadership.
Together with Piar were other very senior military commanders also opposed to Bolívar's leadership. Among these were José Félix Ribas
José Félix Ribas
José Félix Ribas , was a Venezuelan independence leader and hero of the Venezuelan War of Independence.-Early life:Ribas was the last of eleven sons, born to a prominent Caracas family. In his early years, he received a quality education and attended the city's seminary. After finishing his...
, Santiago Mariño
Santiago Mariño
Santiago Mariño , was a nineteenth-century Venezuelan revolutionary leader and hero in the Venezuelan War of Independence...
and José Francisco Bermúdez
José Francisco Bermúdez
José Francisco Bermúdez was a Venezuelan who fought in the Venezuelan War of Independence, reaching the rank of General. He is buried in the National Pantheon of Venezuela....
. However, unlike Piar, they were also white-criollos and their reasons for opposing Bolivar were certainly different from the need to support mestizo rights.
In what is one of the independence struggle's darkest episodes, Bolívar ordered Piar arrested and tried for desertion, insubordination and conspiring against the government. Seeing as Piar was the only one charged and arrested in this episode, it is generally agreed that Bolívar simply needed to make an example of a single general from among the military leadership. Piar was the unlucky chosen one. He was arrested on September 28, 1817 and was judged by a court martial which found him guilty on all charges; and on October 15 sentenced him to death. On that same day Simón Bolívar, as Supreme Commander, confirmed the sentence. The following day Manuel Piar, General-in-Chief, was executed against the wall of the cathedral of Angostura
Angostura
Angostura may refer toPlacesThe Spanish word Angostura means "narrows" and so often refers to a narrowing or crossing on a river.* Angostura, Sinaloa, a municipality in northwestern Mexico.* Villa La Angostura is a mountain town in Neuquén, Argentina....
by a firing squad. In a puzzling moment, Bolívar, who had decided against witnessing the execution, heard the shots from inside his nearby office and said in tears, "He derramado mi sangre" (I have spilled my blood).