Patricio Montojo
Encyclopedia
Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón (September 7, 1839 - September 30, 1917) was a career Spanish
naval officer most known for his defeat at the Battle of Manila Bay (May 1, 1898) by Admiral George Dewey
, a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War
.
, and was assigned as a Midshipman in 1855. By 1860, he had become a Sub-lieutenant and fought against the Moros
of Mindanao
in the Philippines
before returning to Spain in 1864.
Montojo fought in the Battle of Abtao
and the Battle of El Callao under Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez
against Peru
and subsequently assumed a post at the Secretariat of the Admiralty. He was promoted to the rank of Commander in 1873. His new duties included commanding several warships in Havana's
naval station as well as those in the Río de la Plata
.
, Montojo was in command of the Spanish Squadron that was destroyed by the U.S. Asiatic Squadron in the Battle of Manila Bay
on May 1, 1898. Montojo was wounded during this battle, as was one of his two sons who were participating in this battle. Most of the Spanish vessels sank or were surrendered.
By a September 1898 decree, Montojo was relieved of his duties. Moreover, he was ordered to appear before a Supreme Court-Martial
in Madrid
. Montojo left Manila in October 1898 and arrived in Madrid on November 11, 1898. In March 1899 he was court-martialed and imprisoned. He was later absolved. Among his defenders was his onetime opponent in battle, Admiral George Dewey
. However, Montojo was discharged from the Spanish Navy
. He died in Madrid on September 30, 1917.
family), Gloria (who married into the Padilla family and whose children, Georgina Macrohon and Alejandro Padilla of Spain
administer the Premio Zobel), and Fernando Zobel
, the renowned painter whose works hang prominently in Madrid
, Barcelona
, and Ateneo de Manila University
's art galleries.
With this marriage, Fermina Montojo became stepmother to her husband's three young children: Jacobo (father of polo player billionaire Enrique Zobel
de Ayala y Olgado), Alfonso (father of photographer billionaire Jaime Zobel de Ayala
y Pfitz) and the youngest, Mercedes Zobel de Ayala y Roxas de McMicking (a.k.a. MacMicking) who owned the majority of shares in the Ayala Corporation
, Bank of the Philippine Islands
, Globe Telecom
, Cebu Holdings, Honda
Philippines, and was, together with husband Joseph McMicking, developer of the Sotogrande
in Spain
and the entire Makati central business district, including Forbes Park
.
Spanish people
The Spanish are citizens of the Kingdom of Spain. Within Spain, there are also a number of vigorous nationalisms and regionalisms, reflecting the country's complex history....
naval officer most known for his defeat at the Battle of Manila Bay (May 1, 1898) by Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
, a decisive battle of the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
.
Early life and career
Born in Ferrol, Galicia, Montojo studied at the Naval School in CadizCádiz
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....
, and was assigned as a Midshipman in 1855. By 1860, he had become a Sub-lieutenant and fought against the Moros
Moros
In Greek mythology, Moros is the personification of impending doom, who drives mortals to their deadly fate. He is one of the offspring of Nyx , who had conceived him without male intervention, and brother of the Moirae ....
of Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
before returning to Spain in 1864.
Montojo fought in the Battle of Abtao
Battle of Abtao
The Naval Battle of Abtao took place on February 7, 1866, between a Spanish naval squadron and a combined Peruvian-Chilean fleet, at the island of Abtao in the Gulf of Ancud near Chiloé Archipelago in south-central Chile.-Background:...
and the Battle of El Callao under Admiral Casto Méndez Núñez
Casto Méndez Núñez
Casto Secundino María Méndez Núñez , Spanish military naval officer. Born in Vigo . In 1866 during the Chincha Islands War between Spain, Peru and Chile, he was General Commander of the Spanish fleet in the Pacific...
against Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and subsequently assumed a post at the Secretariat of the Admiralty. He was promoted to the rank of Commander in 1873. His new duties included commanding several warships in Havana's
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
naval station as well as those in the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
.
Service in the Philippines
Montojo returned to the Philippines again as Rear-Admiral, serving as general commander of all Spanish Philippine naval stations. At the outbreak of the Spanish-American WarSpanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, Montojo was in command of the Spanish Squadron that was destroyed by the U.S. Asiatic Squadron in the Battle of Manila Bay
Battle of Manila Bay (1898)
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, during the Spanish-American War. The American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey engaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron under Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón...
on May 1, 1898. Montojo was wounded during this battle, as was one of his two sons who were participating in this battle. Most of the Spanish vessels sank or were surrendered.
By a September 1898 decree, Montojo was relieved of his duties. Moreover, he was ordered to appear before a Supreme Court-Martial
Court-martial
A court-martial is a military court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of members of the armed forces subject to military law, and, if the defendant is found guilty, to decide upon punishment.Most militaries maintain a court-martial system to try cases in which a breach of...
in 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...
. Montojo left Manila in October 1898 and arrived in Madrid on November 11, 1898. In March 1899 he was court-martialed and imprisoned. He was later absolved. Among his defenders was his onetime opponent in battle, Admiral George Dewey
George Dewey
George Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
. However, Montojo was discharged from the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
. He died in Madrid on September 30, 1917.
Descendants
Admiral Montojo's daughter, Fermina, became the second wife of Jacobo Zobel y Zangoniz. With Don Jacobo she sired Consuelo (married to the American General Adler of Hawaii and benefactress of the Consuelo Foundation), Matilde (who married into the Andres SorianoAndrés Soriano
Andrés Soriano was an influential Spanish citizen businessman in the Philippines and the leader of the Philippine Falange, acting as an agent of Spanish ruler Francisco Franco of the Spanish Falange from the late 1930s. He served as finance minister of the Philippines during the Quezon administration...
family), Gloria (who married into the Padilla family and whose children, Georgina Macrohon and Alejandro Padilla of 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...
administer the Premio Zobel), and Fernando Zobel
Fernando Zobel
Fernando Zóbel de Ayala , is a Filipino businessman, from the prominent Ayala-Zóbel family. Zóbel graduated from Harvard College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1982. He also completed a program in International Management at INSEAD in France....
, the renowned painter whose works hang prominently in 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...
, 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 Ateneo de Manila University
Ateneo de Manila University
The Ateneo de Manila University is a private teaching and research university run by the Society of Jesus in the Philippines. It began in 1859 when the City of Manila handed control of the Escuela Municipal de Manila in Intramuros, Manila, to the Jesuits...
's art galleries.
With this marriage, Fermina Montojo became stepmother to her husband's three young children: Jacobo (father of polo player billionaire Enrique Zobel
Enrique Zobel
Enrique Jacobo Emilio Zobel y Olgado , was a prominent Filipino businessman. The only child of Colonel Jacobo Zóbel y Roxas and Ángela Olgado, he was a member of the influential Zobel de Ayala family of the Philippines and a first cousin of Jaime Zobel de Ayala.Zobel was chief executive officer of...
de Ayala y Olgado), Alfonso (father of photographer billionaire Jaime Zobel de Ayala
Jaime Zobel de Ayala
Jaime Zobel y Fitz , also known as Jaime Zobel de Ayala, is a prominent Filipino businessman and philanthropist. He was the last managing partner of Ayala y Compañía in 1967 when the company changed to a corporation. He served as both president and chairman of Ayala Corporation from 1983 to 2005...
y Pfitz) and the youngest, Mercedes Zobel de Ayala y Roxas de McMicking (a.k.a. MacMicking) who owned the majority of shares in the Ayala Corporation
Ayala Corporation
Ayala Corporation is a holding company for the diversified interests of the Ayala Group. Founded in the Philippines by the Spanish and German Ayala, Roxas, and Zobel families during colonial rule, it is the country's oldest and largest conglomerate...
, Bank of the Philippine Islands
Bank of the Philippine Islands
Bank of the Philippine Islands is the oldest bank in the Philippines still in operation and is the country's third largest bank in terms of assets, the country's largest bank in terms of market capitalization, and the country's most profitable bank...
, Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom
Globe Telecom , commonly known as Globe, is a telecommunications company in the Philippines. Globe provides mobile, fixed line, and broadband Internet services.- History :In 1928, Congress passed Act No...
, Cebu Holdings, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
Philippines, and was, together with husband Joseph McMicking, developer of the Sotogrande
Sotogrande
Sotogrande is the largest resort and privately owned residential development in Andalusia. A large part of the resort is administered by NH Hotels and it is considered part of the NH World...
in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and the entire Makati central business district, including Forbes Park
Forbes Park
Forbes Park may refer to:* Forbes Park, Makati City, Philippines* Forbes Park, Fort Garland, Colorado, United States* Forbes Park, Chelsea, Massachusetts, United States...
.
See also
- Battles of the Spanish-American WarBattles of the Spanish-American WarThe following are known Battles of the Spanish–American War...This list includes all major engagements and most reported skirmishes of the Spanish–American War. Some items, such as the claim by Puerto Ricans that Spanish guns in San Juan fired the first shots of the war, cannot be confirmed by...
- Spanish-American WarSpanish-American WarThe Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
- Battle of Manila Bay
- George DeweyGeorge DeweyGeorge Dewey was an admiral of the United States Navy. He is best known for his victory at the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War...
External links
- Battle of Manila Bay, 1 May 1898 from Naval Historical Center
- Profiles of Key Persons in the Spanish American War
- Admiral Patricio Montojo y Pasarón