Rosa Campuzano
Encyclopedia
Rosa Campuzano Cornejo was an activist affiliated with the cause of freedom in the struggle for the independence of Peru
, born in Guayaquil
, Viceroyalty of Peru
on April 13, 1796 and died in Lima
in 1851. She was called "the protectress" for being the mistress of General José de San Martín
, the exalted "Protector of Peru."
Rosita is described by the chroniclers as a beautiful woman with fair skin and blue eyes, intelligent, breezy and literate. She came to Lima in 1817, after 21 years as mistress of a wealthy Spaniard and soon she became well known in Lima's society. Her social circle was frequented by prominent people. She took advantage of her position as mistress of a royalist general to obtain military information that she supplied to the Peruvian patriot forces. She hid, in her house, official royal army deserters and then; she helped them to join the Patriot Military Forces. Because of this clandestine and subversive activities she was detained for several days. Also, for these activities and attend the same social circles she met Manuela Sáenz
, establishing between them a great friendship and complicity in the conspiracy work. Also in 1818 was denounced to the Inquisition for having banned books.
On Saturday night, July 28, 1821, the Cabildo
of Lima organized a party in the city hall in honor of San Martín
and the proclamation of independence. The General and Rosita met there and the next day, Sunday, July 29, San Martin returned the deference with another dance, now in the halls of the Palace of the Viceroy
s and saw again the beautiful Guayaquil
.
According to several testimonies Rosa and the General became lovers. When "the Protector" included her in the 112 women that received the Order of the Sun, the traditional society Lima considered it an affront. The day San Martín left Peru, they were barely able to say goodbye.
By 1832 Rosita began a relationship with the German businessman John Weniger, owner of two valuable shoe stores on the St. Augustine silversmiths' street. They had a son named Alexander Weniger Campuzano, who she didn't raise because John took him when they ended their relationship.
In Rosa's testament she claims that she was married to Ernesto Gaber, who left her by going off to Europe
, and to have a son named Alexander. Rosa died almost in poverty in 1851, at age 55. She was buried in the church of San Juan Bautista de Lima.
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....
, born in Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
, Viceroyalty of Peru
Viceroyalty of Peru
Created in 1542, the Viceroyalty of Peru was a Spanish colonial administrative district that originally contained most of Spanish-ruled South America, governed from the capital of Lima...
on April 13, 1796 and died in Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
in 1851. She was called "the protectress" for being the mistress of General José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
, the exalted "Protector of Peru."
Biography
Rosa was the illegitimate daughter of Francisco Herrera Campuzano and Gutierrez, officer, rich cocoa producer, who conceived her with a "mulata" named Felipa Cornejo.Rosita is described by the chroniclers as a beautiful woman with fair skin and blue eyes, intelligent, breezy and literate. She came to Lima in 1817, after 21 years as mistress of a wealthy Spaniard and soon she became well known in Lima's society. Her social circle was frequented by prominent people. She took advantage of her position as mistress of a royalist general to obtain military information that she supplied to the Peruvian patriot forces. She hid, in her house, official royal army deserters and then; she helped them to join the Patriot Military Forces. Because of this clandestine and subversive activities she was detained for several days. Also, for these activities and attend the same social circles she met Manuela Sáenz
Manuela Sáenz
Doña Manuela Sáenz was born in Quito, Viceroyalty of New Granada and died in Paita, Peru. She was a revolutionary hero of South America, who also became the mistress of the South American revolutionary leader, Simón Bolívar...
, establishing between them a great friendship and complicity in the conspiracy work. Also in 1818 was denounced to the Inquisition for having banned books.
On Saturday night, July 28, 1821, the 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...
of Lima organized a party in the city hall in honor of San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
and the proclamation of independence. The General and Rosita met there and the next day, Sunday, July 29, San Martin returned the deference with another dance, now in the halls of the Palace of the Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
s and saw again the beautiful Guayaquil
Guayaquil
Guayaquil , officially Santiago de Guayaquil , is the largest and the most populous city in Ecuador,with about 2.3 million inhabitants in the city and nearly 3.1 million in the metropolitan area, as well as that nation's main port...
.
According to several testimonies Rosa and the General became lovers. When "the Protector" included her in the 112 women that received the Order of the Sun, the traditional society Lima considered it an affront. The day San Martín left Peru, they were barely able to say goodbye.
By 1832 Rosita began a relationship with the German businessman John Weniger, owner of two valuable shoe stores on the St. Augustine silversmiths' street. They had a son named Alexander Weniger Campuzano, who she didn't raise because John took him when they ended their relationship.
In Rosa's testament she claims that she was married to Ernesto Gaber, who left her by going off to 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...
, and to have a son named Alexander. Rosa died almost in poverty in 1851, at age 55. She was buried in the church of San Juan Bautista de Lima.