Martín de Álzaga (politician)
Encyclopedia
Martín de Alzaga was a Spanish
merchant and politician during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata
.
. He became a merchant, gaining riches in the slave trade, and selling textiles and firearms. He became a respected member of the community and a politician and member of the Buenos Aires
Cabildo
, by 1785 as Defender of the Poor. He was one of the founding members of the Consulado de Comercio de Buenos Aires (the equivalent of today's Chamber of Commerce), in 1794.
When in 1806 the first British Invasion
came to Buenos Aires, he put his fortune at the service of the creole reconquest, organizing a group of conspirators and joining with other groups formed and funded by other prominent merchants, such as Sáenz Valiente and Juan Martín de Pueyrredón
. The invading General Beresford had ordered the confiscation of all arms in civilian's hands, but Álzaga who was a specialist in arms smuggling collected hundreds and installed secret gun-repair shops. He rented houses around the main square (Plaza Mayor) in secret, and from there they excavated tunnels to mine the Fort.
His organizational skills were notable; he had a strong will and natural leadership, but he was never popular. The wages for the volunteers were paid for by Álzaga from his own coffers. He rented the Perdriel Ranch, in present-day San Martín
, where the volunteers trained. The British spy-network only heard about this place a few days before the start of the reaction, and was too late to attack Perdriel, only accelerating the fight for reconquest.
When Santiago de Liniers
arrived back from Montevideo
and started the Reconquest, on 12 August, he was joined by Álzaga's secret army, and the British were rapidly defeated. Beresford's surrender came in early and the viceroyalty was saved.
abierto), which removed viceroy Sobremonte
from military command, giving it to Liniers, and forbidding Sobremonte's return to Buenos Aires. On January 1, 1807 Alzaga was re-elected Mayor and took control of the city government.
The British fleet had not left the Río de la Plata, and awaited reinforcements which arrived under command of general Whitelocke
. They captured Montevideo
in June 1807, easily defeating Sobremonte's forces. Álzaga simply ordered the removal of the viceroy and ordered his arrest, replacing him temporarily with Liniers.
He participated in the organization of volunteer city militias, and army of more than 6,000 men, and paid for a regiment of Asturians
and Vizcayans
out of his own funds.
On 2 July 1807 the expected invasion came through, and Liniers was defeated at Miserere, on the outskirts of the city. Whitelocke did not pursue the escaping creole army giving his troops three days of rest. Álzaga convinced the defeated Liniers on preparing the city's defenses, taking advantage of the respite; organized the defense house-by-house, illuminated the city with oil lamps to continue working through the night and made sure all houses had projectiles and other defensive arms on their roofs.
The British resumed their attack on June 5, but made the tactical mistake of coming in separate columns, making it easier for the defenders to defeat them separately. At noon on the 7th, the British capitulated and retreated. Álzaga forced general Whitelocke to sign a document that included the surrender of Montevideo.
had declared war on Napoleon Bonaparte's France
.
On January 1, 1809, he organized a revolution to depose Liniers. Álzaga took his regiments to the streets (the "Gallegos", "Miñones de Cataluña" and "Vizcaínos", all Spaniards), organized a protest against the viceroy and tried to force Liniers to resign. In his place he would name a Junta, managed by Spaniards with two porteño secretaries: Mariano Moreno
and Julián de Leyva. Liniers resignation was on the condition that military command passed to general Ruiz Huidobro
, his second in command. This disconcerted Álzaga and gave time for colonel Cornelio Saavedra
, commander of the Patricios Regiment. He in turn disbanded the mutinous
Spanish forces and forced Liniers to withhold his resignation.
This failed revolution was a precursor of the May Revolution
the following year and highlighted the conflict lines between the royalist Spanish and the Creoles and produced a schism that was the start of the May Revolution.
Álzaga was sent to prison to Carmen de Patagones
and a trial followed. The mutinous Spanish regiments were disbanded, which eased the way for the May Revolution. The Governor Francisco Javier de Elío
, in Montevideo
, formed a Junta to govern that city and rescued Álzaga from Carmen de Patagones. The Junta was disbanded when the new viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
, arrived in Buenos Aires.
Álzaga took part in the subsequent revolution against Cisneros the following year, and even though he was not present in the open cabildo
of May 22, 1810, he it is known he participated in the negotiations to leading to the formation of the Primera Junta
, as he placed three members of his party: Mariano Moreno
, Juan Larrea and Domingo Matheu
.
, of members Rivadavia
, Pueyrredón and Chiclana
, prepared to take over on July 5, the 5th anniversary of the defense against the British. During the ensuing investigation, Secretary Rivadavia, based on dubious proof and confessions extended the accusations against Álzaga and his co-conspirators.
Álzaga was arrested, tried and condemned to death along with other people. The executions started on July 4, two days after his arrest which raises the suspicion that the trial outcome was previously decided. More than 30 men were executed, including military commanders, merchants and clerics.
He was executed on 6 July 1812 in Buenos Aires. The bodies were then hanged and left on the Plaza de la Victoria for three days.
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...
merchant and politician during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
.
Hero of the Reconquest
He arrived in Buenos Aires at 11 years of age, poor and speaking only BasqueBasque language
Basque is the ancestral language of the Basque people, who inhabit the Basque Country, a region spanning an area in northeastern Spain and southwestern France. It is spoken by 25.7% of Basques in all territories...
. He became a merchant, gaining riches in the slave trade, and selling textiles and firearms. He became a respected member of the community and a politician and member of the Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
Cabildo
Cabildo
Cabildo can refer to:* Cabildo , a former Spanish municipal administrative unit governed by a council* Cabildo , African ethnic associations in colonial Cuba* Cabildo , an Argentine nationalist Catholic magazine...
, by 1785 as Defender of the Poor. He was one of the founding members of the Consulado de Comercio de Buenos Aires (the equivalent of today's Chamber of Commerce), in 1794.
When in 1806 the first British Invasion
British invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
came to Buenos Aires, he put his fortune at the service of the creole reconquest, organizing a group of conspirators and joining with other groups formed and funded by other prominent merchants, such as Sáenz Valiente and Juan Martín de Pueyrredón
Juan Martín de Pueyrredón
Juan Martín de Pueyrredón y O'Dogan was an Argentine general and politician of the early 19th century. He was appointed Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata after the Argentine Declaration of Independence.-Early life:Pueyrredón was born in Buenos Aires, the fifth of...
. The invading General Beresford had ordered the confiscation of all arms in civilian's hands, but Álzaga who was a specialist in arms smuggling collected hundreds and installed secret gun-repair shops. He rented houses around the main square (Plaza Mayor) in secret, and from there they excavated tunnels to mine the Fort.
His organizational skills were notable; he had a strong will and natural leadership, but he was never popular. The wages for the volunteers were paid for by Álzaga from his own coffers. He rented the Perdriel Ranch, in present-day San Martín
General San Martín Partido
General San Martín Partido is a partido in the Gran Buenos Aires urban area, immediately to the north-west of Capital Federal in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina....
, where the volunteers trained. The British spy-network only heard about this place a few days before the start of the reaction, and was too late to attack Perdriel, only accelerating the fight for reconquest.
When Santiago de Liniers
Santiago de Liniers
Jacques de Liniers was a French officer in the Spanish military service, and a viceroy of the Spanish colonies of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He is more widely known by the Spanish form of his name, Santiago de Liniers...
arrived back from Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
and started the Reconquest, on 12 August, he was joined by Álzaga's secret army, and the British were rapidly defeated. Beresford's surrender came in early and the viceroyalty was saved.
Defense of Buenos Aires
Alzaga convened an open council (cabildoCabildo (council)
For a discussion of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American cabildo, see Ayuntamiento.A cabildo or ayuntamiento was a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of...
abierto), which removed viceroy Sobremonte
Rafael de Sobremonte
Don Rafael de Sobremonte y Núñez del Castillo, 3rd Marquis of Sobremonte , third Marquis of Sobremonte, was an aristocrat, military man and Spanish colonial administrator, and Viceroy of the Río de la Plata...
from military command, giving it to Liniers, and forbidding Sobremonte's return to Buenos Aires. On January 1, 1807 Alzaga was re-elected Mayor and took control of the city government.
The British fleet had not left the Río de la Plata, and awaited reinforcements which arrived under command of general Whitelocke
John Whitelocke
-Military career:Whitelocke entered the army in 1778 and served in Jamaica and in San Domingo. In 1805 he was made a lieutenant-general and inspector-general of recruiting, and in 1807 he was appointed to command an expedition to seize Buenos Aires from the Spanish Empire, which was in disarray due...
. They captured Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
in June 1807, easily defeating Sobremonte's forces. Álzaga simply ordered the removal of the viceroy and ordered his arrest, replacing him temporarily with Liniers.
He participated in the organization of volunteer city militias, and army of more than 6,000 men, and paid for a regiment of Asturians
Asturias
The Principality of Asturias is an autonomous community of the Kingdom of Spain, coextensive with the former Kingdom of Asturias in the Middle Ages...
and Vizcayans
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
out of his own funds.
On 2 July 1807 the expected invasion came through, and Liniers was defeated at Miserere, on the outskirts of the city. Whitelocke did not pursue the escaping creole army giving his troops three days of rest. Álzaga convinced the defeated Liniers on preparing the city's defenses, taking advantage of the respite; organized the defense house-by-house, illuminated the city with oil lamps to continue working through the night and made sure all houses had projectiles and other defensive arms on their roofs.
The British resumed their attack on June 5, but made the tactical mistake of coming in separate columns, making it easier for the defenders to defeat them separately. At noon on the 7th, the British capitulated and retreated. Álzaga forced general Whitelocke to sign a document that included the surrender of Montevideo.
Revolution of January 1, 1809
Liniers and Álzaga became the heroes of the day, but soon they had a mutual conflict, as much as by the failed administration by the viceroy, as that Liniers was French and SpainSpain
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...
had declared war on Napoleon Bonaparte's France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
On January 1, 1809, he organized a revolution to depose Liniers. Álzaga took his regiments to the streets (the "Gallegos", "Miñones de Cataluña" and "Vizcaínos", all Spaniards), organized a protest against the viceroy and tried to force Liniers to resign. In his place he would name a Junta, managed by Spaniards with two porteño secretaries: Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno was an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and politician. He played a decisive role in the Primera Junta, the first national government of Argentina, created after the May Revolution....
and Julián de Leyva. Liniers resignation was on the condition that military command passed to general Ruiz Huidobro
Pascual Ruiz Huidobro
Pascual Ruiz Huidobro , Spanish soldier in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, who fought against the British invasions of the Río de la Plata as Governor of Montevideo....
, his second in command. This disconcerted Álzaga and gave time for colonel Cornelio Saavedra
Cornelio Saavedra
Cornelio Judas Tadeo de Saavedra y Rodríguez was a military officer and statesman from the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata...
, commander of the Patricios Regiment. He in turn disbanded the mutinous
Mutiny
Mutiny is a conspiracy among members of a group of similarly situated individuals to openly oppose, change or overthrow an authority to which they are subject...
Spanish forces and forced Liniers to withhold his resignation.
This failed revolution was a precursor of the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
the following year and highlighted the conflict lines between the royalist Spanish and the Creoles and produced a schism that was the start of the May Revolution.
Álzaga was sent to prison to Carmen de Patagones
Carmen de Patagones
- Geography :It is located 937 km from the city of Buenos Aires, on the north bank of the Río Negro , near the Atlantic Ocean, and opposite Viedma, capital of the province of Río Negro...
and a trial followed. The mutinous Spanish regiments were disbanded, which eased the way for the May Revolution. The Governor Francisco Javier de Elío
Francisco Javier de Elío
Francisco Javier de Elío , was a Spanish military, governor of Montevideo and the last Viceroy of the Río de la Plata. He was also instrumental in the Absolutist repression after the restoration of Ferdinand VII as King of Spain...
, in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
, formed a Junta to govern that city and rescued Álzaga from Carmen de Patagones. The Junta was disbanded when the new viceroy, Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros de la Torre was a Spanish naval officer born in Cartagena. He took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar, and in the Spanish resistance against Napoleon's invasion in 1808. He was later appointed Viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la...
, arrived in Buenos Aires.
Álzaga took part in the subsequent revolution against Cisneros the following year, and even though he was not present in the open cabildo
Buenos Aires Cabildo
The Buenos Aires Cabildo is the public building in Buenos Aires that was used as seat of the ayuntamiento during the colonial times and the government house of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata...
of May 22, 1810, he it is known he participated in the negotiations to leading to the formation of the Primera Junta
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta or First Assembly is the most common name given to the first independent government of Argentina. It was created on 25 May 1810, as a result of the events of the May Revolution. The Junta initially had representatives from only Buenos Aires...
, as he placed three members of his party: Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno was an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and politician. He played a decisive role in the Primera Junta, the first national government of Argentina, created after the May Revolution....
, Juan Larrea and Domingo Matheu
Domingo Matheu
Domingo Matheu was a Spanish businessman and politician. He was a member of the Primera Junta, the first national government of modern Argentina.- Biography :...
.
Trial and death
On 1 July 1812, the government discovered a plot of Spaniards against the Primer TriunviratoFirst Triumvirate (Argentina)
The First Triumvirate was the executive body of government that replaced the Junta Grande in the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata...
, of members Rivadavia
Bernardino Rivadavia
Bernardino de la Trinidad Gónzalez Rivadavia y Rivadavia was the first president of Argentina, from February 8, 1826 to July 7, 1827 . He was a politician of the United Provinces of Río de la Plata, Argentina today...
, Pueyrredón and Chiclana
Feliciano Chiclana
Feliciano Antonio Chiclana, was an Argentine lawyer, soldier, and judge, He studied at the Colegio de San Carlos. In 1783 he attained a law degree from the Universidad de Chile....
, prepared to take over on July 5, the 5th anniversary of the defense against the British. During the ensuing investigation, Secretary Rivadavia, based on dubious proof and confessions extended the accusations against Álzaga and his co-conspirators.
Álzaga was arrested, tried and condemned to death along with other people. The executions started on July 4, two days after his arrest which raises the suspicion that the trial outcome was previously decided. More than 30 men were executed, including military commanders, merchants and clerics.
He was executed on 6 July 1812 in Buenos Aires. The bodies were then hanged and left on the Plaza de la Victoria for three days.