Rafael Urdaneta
Encyclopedia
Rafael José Urdaneta y Faría (1788–1845) was a Venezuelan General and hero of the Spanish American wars of independence in several countries in northern South America.
in Venezuela
to an elite family of Spanish descent on October 24, 1788. He died in Paris
, France
, on August 23, 1845, while performing his diplomatic duties for Colombia, due to complications from kidney stones.
Urdaneta, was often referred to as "el Brillante" ("The Brilliant") in Venezuelan historiography..
and then his high school education in Caracas. Later he traveled to Santa Fe de Bogotá to continue with his college education. Prior to the independence war he was a student of Latin
and philosophy
, and a pay officer for the viceregal troops in Bogotá, New Granada
.
After the establishment of a Junta in Caracas, Urdaneta joined the army in the fight against royalist. After years of service to the patriotic cause, he became one of Simón Bolívar
's closest collaborators and was promoted to General of the republican army in 1821.
(a union which included today's Venezuela
, Colombia
and Ecuador
).
, as vice-president, had taken control of the presidency. At the time, the Venezuelan battalion “el Callao”, loyal to General Bolívar, was stationed in Bogotá
. Another battalion, loyal to General Santander
, and also stationed in the same city, persuade Caycedo to relocate “el Callao” to the city of Tunja
. This action provoked an upraise in the civilian population from Venezuela, who lived in Bogotá, and triggered a confrontation between both battalions.
The “el Callao” battalion defeated the Colombian battalion and president Joaquín Mosquera
and vice-president Domingo Caycedo
abandoned the capital. General Urdaneta took control of the presidency on September 5, 1830, to save the country from civil war and dissolution, and hoping to bring General Bolívar back as president.
As the country teetered on the brink of civil war, Bolívar had resigned in May and embarked on a journey to exile in Europe. Bolívar would never set sail, and instead, died in Santa Marta
of tuberculosis
on December 17, 1830.
In an effort to restore peace and order in the country, Genera Urdaneta ordered Congress to convene on June 15,1831, in the city of Villa de Leiva.
The Colombian Generals expressed their displeasure against General Urdaneta, and military actions erupted throughout the country. Generals Obando and López took control of the southern states and General Salvador Cordova of the northern states. On April 14, 1831, the advancing armies proclaimed Domingo Caycedo
as legitimate president, and request General Urdaneta to enter into peace negotiations. General Urdaneta accepts, and meets with the Colombian Generals in the town of Juntas de Apulo. On April 28, both parties sign the Treaty of Apulo, by which peace is secured and General Urdaneta relinquishes power. Urdaneta resigns before the “Consejo de Estado” and General Domingo Caycedo
is reinstated as president.
Biographic data
Urdaneta was born in the province of MaracaiboMaracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
in Venezuela
Captaincy General of Venezuela
The Captaincy General of Venezuela was an administrative district of colonial Spain, created in 1777 to provide more autonomy for the provinces of Venezuela, previously under the jurisdiction of the Viceroyalty of New Granada and the Audiencia of Santo Domingo...
to an elite family of Spanish descent on October 24, 1788. He died in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, 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 August 23, 1845, while performing his diplomatic duties for Colombia, due to complications from kidney stones.
Urdaneta, was often referred to as "el Brillante" ("The Brilliant") in Venezuelan historiography..
Early life
Urdaneta began his elementary education in MaracaiboMaracaibo
Maracaibo is a city and municipality located in northwestern Venezuela off the western coast of the Lake Maracaibo. It is the second-largest city in the country after the national capital Caracas and the capital of Zulia state...
and then his high school education in Caracas. Later he traveled to Santa Fe de Bogotá to continue with his college education. Prior to the independence war he was a student of Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, and a pay officer for the viceregal troops in Bogotá, New Granada
Viceroyalty of New Granada
The Viceroyalty of New Granada was the name given on 27 May 1717, to a Spanish colonial jurisdiction in northern South America, corresponding mainly to modern Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, and Venezuela. The territory corresponding to Panama was incorporated later in 1739...
.
Military career
Right after the events of July 10, 1810, “el Grito de Independencia”, Urdaneta decides to join the revolutionary army. He is enlisted as lieutenant of the battalion “Patriotas de Cundinamarca”.After the establishment of a Junta in Caracas, Urdaneta joined the army in the fight against royalist. After years of service to the patriotic cause, he became one of 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...
's closest collaborators and was promoted to General of the republican army in 1821.
Political career
Urdaneta served as Secretary of the Military and as Minister of War. He was also elected as senator on numerous occasions to the Congress of the Gran ColombiaGran Colombia
Gran Colombia is a name used today for the state that encompassed much of northern South America and part of southern Central America from 1819 to 1831. This short-lived republic included the territories of present-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Panama, northern Peru and northwest Brazil. The...
(a union which included today's Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
).
The Presidency
President Simón Bolivar was feeling very sick and had resigned, irrevocably, to the presidency. On August 2, 1830, Domingo CaycedoDomingo Caycedo
Domingo de Caycedo y Sanz de Santamaría was a Colombian statesman who served as Vice-president of Gran Colombia and the Republic of New Granada, and due to the absence of the presidents, he himself served as President a total of eleven times, making him the person to have served more times as...
, as vice-president, had taken control of the presidency. At the time, the Venezuelan battalion “el Callao”, loyal to General Bolívar, was stationed in Bogotá
Bogotá
Bogotá, Distrito Capital , from 1991 to 2000 called Santa Fé de Bogotá, is the capital, and largest city, of Colombia. It is also designated by the national constitution as the capital of the department of Cundinamarca, even though the city of Bogotá now comprises an independent Capital district...
. Another battalion, loyal to General Santander
Francisco de Paula Santander
Francisco José de Paula Santander y Omaña , was a Colombian military and political leader during the 1810–1819 independence war of the United Provinces of New Granada...
, and also stationed in the same city, persuade Caycedo to relocate “el Callao” to the city of Tunja
Tunja
Tunja is a city and municipality located in the central part of Colombia, in the region of "Alto Chicomocha". As of the 2005 Census it had 152,419 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Department of Boyacá and part of the subregion of the Central Boyacá Province. It is approximately 145 km...
. This action provoked an upraise in the civilian population from Venezuela, who lived in Bogotá, and triggered a confrontation between both battalions.
The “el Callao” battalion defeated the Colombian battalion and president Joaquín Mosquera
Joaquín Mosquera
Joaquín Mariano Mosquera y Arboleda was a Neogranadine statesman and a Founding Father of Colombia and served as the 6th and 4th President of Gran Colombia, and as the 3rd Vice President of the Republic of New Granada...
and vice-president Domingo Caycedo
Domingo Caycedo
Domingo de Caycedo y Sanz de Santamaría was a Colombian statesman who served as Vice-president of Gran Colombia and the Republic of New Granada, and due to the absence of the presidents, he himself served as President a total of eleven times, making him the person to have served more times as...
abandoned the capital. General Urdaneta took control of the presidency on September 5, 1830, to save the country from civil war and dissolution, and hoping to bring General Bolívar back as president.
As the country teetered on the brink of civil war, Bolívar had resigned in May and embarked on a journey to exile in Europe. Bolívar would never set sail, and instead, died in Santa Marta
Santa Marta
Santa Marta is the capital city of the Colombian department of Magdalena in the Caribbean Region. It was founded in July 29, 1525 by the Spanish conqueror Rodrigo de Bastidas, which makes it the oldest remaining city in Colombia...
of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
on December 17, 1830.
In an effort to restore peace and order in the country, Genera Urdaneta ordered Congress to convene on June 15,1831, in the city of Villa de Leiva.
The Colombian Generals expressed their displeasure against General Urdaneta, and military actions erupted throughout the country. Generals Obando and López took control of the southern states and General Salvador Cordova of the northern states. On April 14, 1831, the advancing armies proclaimed Domingo Caycedo
Domingo Caycedo
Domingo de Caycedo y Sanz de Santamaría was a Colombian statesman who served as Vice-president of Gran Colombia and the Republic of New Granada, and due to the absence of the presidents, he himself served as President a total of eleven times, making him the person to have served more times as...
as legitimate president, and request General Urdaneta to enter into peace negotiations. General Urdaneta accepts, and meets with the Colombian Generals in the town of Juntas de Apulo. On April 28, both parties sign the Treaty of Apulo, by which peace is secured and General Urdaneta relinquishes power. Urdaneta resigns before the “Consejo de Estado” and General Domingo Caycedo
Domingo Caycedo
Domingo de Caycedo y Sanz de Santamaría was a Colombian statesman who served as Vice-president of Gran Colombia and the Republic of New Granada, and due to the absence of the presidents, he himself served as President a total of eleven times, making him the person to have served more times as...
is reinstated as president.
See also
- Venezuelan War of IndependenceVenezuelan 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...
- History of VenezuelaHistory of VenezuelaThis article discusses the history of Venezuela. See also the history of South America.-Pre-Columbian period:Archeologists have discovered evidence of the earliest known inhabitants of the Venezuelan area in the form of leaf-shaped flake tools, together with chopping and plano–convex scraping...
- General Rafael Urdaneta BridgeGeneral Rafael Urdaneta BridgeThe General Rafael Urdaneta Bridge is located at the outlet of Lake Maracaibo, in western Venezuela. The bridge connects Maracaibo with much of the rest of the country...