Antonio José de Irisarri
Encyclopedia
Antonio José de Irisarri Alonso (February 7, 1786 – June 10, 1868), was a Guatemala
n statesman, journalist and Interim Supreme Director of Chile (1814). He is considered one of the fathers of Chilean journalism together with Fr. Camilo Henríquez
.
Irisarri was born in Guatemala City
, the son of Juan Bautista de Irisarri and of María de la Paz Alonso. He studied in his native city and in Europe, from whence he was recalled back to his home after the death of his father in 1805. In 1809 he visited Chile, and having married Mercedes Trucíos y Larraín, an heiress there, took up his residence in that country and joined with enthusiasm the movement for independence in 1810. He had charge of important public offices during the struggle for liberty, including the command of the National guard and the civil and military government of the province of Santiago, and from March 7 to 14, 1814, he was temporarily in charge of the supreme direction of the nation.
In 1818 he was appointed Minister of Government and Foreign Affairs
by Bernardo O'Higgins
, and in October of the same year he went to Buenos Aires
as minister. At the end of 1819 he was sent to Europe to negotiate the recognition of Chilean Independence by England and France (which he was not able to obtain.) While at London he negotiated a loan of £1,000,000 (the first foreign debt of Chile.) He was sent to Central America in 1827 as minister for Chile, and in 1837 as plenipotentiary to Peru
and private adviser to Admiral Manuel Blanco
during the War of the Confederation
. After the Chilean army was forced to sign the Treaty of Paucarpata on November 17, 1837, the scandal was gigantic. Irisarri refused to return to Chile, was tried in absentia for high treason, and sentence to death. Irisarri wisely never returned to Chile.
He was minister of Guatemala and Salvador to Ecuador
from 1839 till 1845, and in 1846-1848 to Colombia
, but resigned, and went to Curaçao
in 1849, and in 1850 to the United States
, where he resided till his death. The governments of Guatemala and Salvador appointed him, in 1855, their minister to Washington, and for a long time he was dean of the diplomatic corps. Irisarri continued his literary work in the United States, and was generally esteemed for his knowledge, genial character, and polished manners.
Irisarri was chief editor of the Semanario Republicano de Chile in Santiago in 1813; of El Duende in the same city in 1818; of El Censor Americano in London in 1820; of El Guatemalteco in Guatemala in 1828; of "La Verdad desnuda," "La Balanza," and "El Correo" in Guayaquil in 1839-1843; of "La Concordia" in Quito in 1844-1845; of" Nosotros," "Orden y Libertad," and "El Cristiano Errante" in Bogota in 1846-1847; and of "El Revisor" in Curaçao in 1849, the publication of which he continued in New York. He also published "La defensa de la historia critica del asesinato cometido en la persona del Gran Mariseal de Ayacucho" (Quito, 1845); "Memoria biografica del Arzobispo Mosquera" (Bogota, 1848); a collection of his satirical poems, a novel, "Cuestiones Filologicas," and several pamphlets. He died in Brooklyn
, New York
, on June 10, 1868.
In 1973 Guatemala honoured him with the institution of an "Order of Antonio José de Irisarri
".
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
n statesman, journalist and Interim Supreme Director of Chile (1814). He is considered one of the fathers of Chilean journalism together with Fr. Camilo Henríquez
Camilo Henríquez
Friar José Camilo Henríquez González was a priest, author, politician, and is considered an intellectual antecedent to and founding father of the Republic of Chile for his passionate leadership and influential writings...
.
Irisarri was born in Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
, the son of Juan Bautista de Irisarri and of María de la Paz Alonso. He studied in his native city and in Europe, from whence he was recalled back to his home after the death of his father in 1805. In 1809 he visited Chile, and having married Mercedes Trucíos y Larraín, an heiress there, took up his residence in that country and joined with enthusiasm the movement for independence in 1810. He had charge of important public offices during the struggle for liberty, including the command of the National guard and the civil and military government of the province of Santiago, and from March 7 to 14, 1814, he was temporarily in charge of the supreme direction of the nation.
In 1818 he was appointed Minister of Government and Foreign Affairs
Ministry of the Interior (Chile)
The Ministry of the Interior and Public Security is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of "maintaining public order, security and social peace" within Chile. It is also charged with planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling, and informing the domestic policies...
by Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
, and in October of the same year he went to 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...
as minister. At the end of 1819 he was sent to Europe to negotiate the recognition of Chilean Independence by England and France (which he was not able to obtain.) While at London he negotiated a loan of £1,000,000 (the first foreign debt of Chile.) He was sent to Central America in 1827 as minister for Chile, and in 1837 as plenipotentiary to 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 private adviser to Admiral Manuel Blanco
Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel José Blanco y Calvo de Encalada was a Vice-Admiral in the Chilean Navy, a political figure, and Chile's first President .-Biography:...
during the War of the Confederation
War of the Confederation
The War of the Confederation , was a conflict between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation on one side and Chile, Peruvian dissidents and Argentina, on the other, fought mostly in the actual territory of Peru and which ended with a Confederate defeat and the dissolution of the...
. After the Chilean army was forced to sign the Treaty of Paucarpata on November 17, 1837, the scandal was gigantic. Irisarri refused to return to Chile, was tried in absentia for high treason, and sentence to death. Irisarri wisely never returned to Chile.
He was minister of Guatemala and Salvador to 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...
from 1839 till 1845, and in 1846-1848 to 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...
, but resigned, and went to 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...
in 1849, and in 1850 to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he resided till his death. The governments of Guatemala and Salvador appointed him, in 1855, their minister to Washington, and for a long time he was dean of the diplomatic corps. Irisarri continued his literary work in the United States, and was generally esteemed for his knowledge, genial character, and polished manners.
Irisarri was chief editor of the Semanario Republicano de Chile in Santiago in 1813; of El Duende in the same city in 1818; of El Censor Americano in London in 1820; of El Guatemalteco in Guatemala in 1828; of "La Verdad desnuda," "La Balanza," and "El Correo" in Guayaquil in 1839-1843; of "La Concordia" in Quito in 1844-1845; of" Nosotros," "Orden y Libertad," and "El Cristiano Errante" in Bogota in 1846-1847; and of "El Revisor" in Curaçao in 1849, the publication of which he continued in New York. He also published "La defensa de la historia critica del asesinato cometido en la persona del Gran Mariseal de Ayacucho" (Quito, 1845); "Memoria biografica del Arzobispo Mosquera" (Bogota, 1848); a collection of his satirical poems, a novel, "Cuestiones Filologicas," and several pamphlets. He died in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on June 10, 1868.
In 1973 Guatemala honoured him with the institution of an "Order of Antonio José de Irisarri
Order of Antonio José de Irisarri
The Order of Antonio José de Irisarri was founded in 1973 by the government of Guatemala. It was named in honour of the statesman and writer Antonio José de Irisarri. The order has five classes.* Grand Collar...
".
See also
- History of ChileHistory of ChileThe territory of Chile has been populated since at least 2,000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish conquistadors began to subdue and colonize the region of present-day Chile, and the territory became a colony from 1540 to 1818, when it gained independence from Spain...
- Chilean IndependenceChilean IndependenceChilean War of Independence was an armed conflict between pro-Independence criollos who sought political and economic independence from Spain and royalist criollos, who supported the continued allegiance to and permanence within the Spanish Empire of the Kingdom of Chile...
- War of the ConfederationWar of the ConfederationThe War of the Confederation , was a conflict between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation on one side and Chile, Peruvian dissidents and Argentina, on the other, fought mostly in the actual territory of Peru and which ended with a Confederate defeat and the dissolution of the...
- Hermógenes Irisarri TrucíosHermógenes IrisarriHermógenes Irisarri Trucíos , was a Chilean poet, journalist, diplomat and political figure.He was born in Santiago, the son of Antonio José de Irisarri Alonso and of Mercedes Trucíos y Larraín...