Blas Videla
Encyclopedia
Blas Videla was an Argentine
soldier and Unitarian
politician.
He was born into a wealthy family of merchants and landowners in San Luis Province
. In 1803 he became a lieutenant in a volunteer regiment of the provincial cavalry. In 1806 he marched to Buenos Aires
under the command of the viceroy Rafael de Sobremonte
to fight against the British invasion
. Though he arrived too late to join in the reconquest of the city, he aided in the defense of the city the following year.
In 1810 he participated in the provincial militia in support of the Revolution of May. He commanded a contingent of 225 San Luis soldiers, who joined with the Army of the North
. He participated in the battles of Tucumán
, Salta
, and Vilcapugio
. He was apparently wounded in the latter, because he did not figure in any of the later activities of the Army of the North, and returned to San Luis.
Later he joined the Army of the Andes
, but took no part in the famous Chilean campaign, as he was committed to the defense of the border against the Ranquel
. In 1819 he helped to put down a royalist mutiny among the officer corps.
For many years Videla remained posted to the border. He was involved in a notable incident in 1822 in which he repelled an invasion, and the following year he advanced into the "desert" of the interior in order to collect intelligence on the military capabilities of the Ranquel and Pehuenche
.
He took part in the Unitarian Revolution of 1829, and upon its failure he retreated to Córdoba Province
under the protection of Colonel Juan Gualberto Echeverría. The following year, after participating in the Battle of Oncativo, he returned to his native province in order to support the governments of his brothers Ignacio and Luis. Early in 1831 he fought against Facundo Quiroga in the Battle of Río Quinto under the command of Colonel Juan Pascual Pringles
. He withdrew his forces to Mendoza Province
, where he joined up with the army of José Videla Castillo, who confronted Quiroga in the Battle of Rodeo de Chacón. After the battle Videla fled south and was taken prisoner. Other prisoners alleged that he had attempted to gain his freedom by betraying his comrades to the Federales
. Whatever the truth of these accusations, he remained imprisoned.
A few weeks later, in the middle of March, Quiroga learned of the assassination of his friend José Benito Villafañe, who had been returning to Chile, and decided to exact vengeance: he ordered the execution of twenty-six officials, almost all of whom were prisoners taken at Río Quinto or Rodeo de Chacón. Among these was Blas Videla. He died in Mendoza
.
Blas Videla is today best known as the great-great-grandfather of Jorge Rafael Videla
, the dictator of Argentina between 1976 and 1981.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
soldier and Unitarian
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
politician.
He was born into a wealthy family of merchants and landowners in San Luis Province
San Luis Province
San Luis is a province of Argentina located near the geographical center of the country . Neighboring provinces are, from the north clockwise, La Rioja, Córdoba, La Pampa, Mendoza and San Juan.-History:...
. In 1803 he became a lieutenant in a volunteer regiment of the provincial cavalry. In 1806 he marched 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...
under the command of the viceroy Rafael de 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...
to fight against the 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...
. Though he arrived too late to join in the reconquest of the city, he aided in the defense of the city the following year.
In 1810 he participated in the provincial militia in support of the Revolution of May. He commanded a contingent of 225 San Luis soldiers, who joined with the Army of the North
Army of the North
The Army of the North , contemporaneously called Army of Peru, was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was freeing the Argentine Northwest and the Upper Peru from the royalist troops of the Spanish...
. He participated in the battles of Tucumán
Battle of Tucumán
The Battle of Tucumán was a battle fought on 24 and 25 September 1812 near the Argentine city of San Miguel de Tucumán, during the Argentine War of Independence. The Army of the North, commanded by General Manuel Belgrano, defeated the royalist troops commanded by General Pío de Tristán, who had a...
, Salta
Battle of Salta
The Battle of Salta took place on February 20, 1813 on the plains of Castañares, near the present-day Argentina city of Salta, during the Argentine War of Independence. The Army of the North, under the command of general Manuel Belgrano, defeated for the second time the royalist troops of general...
, and Vilcapugio
Battle of Vilcapugio
The Battle of Vilcapugio was an action fought on October 1, 1813 during the second Campaign of Upper Peru in the Argentine War of Independence, where the republican forces led by General Manuel Belgrano were defeated by a pro-Spanish royalist army, led by Joaquin de la Pezuela.The campaign was...
. He was apparently wounded in the latter, because he did not figure in any of the later activities of the Army of the North, and returned to San Luis.
Later he joined the Army of the Andes
Army of the Andes
The Army of the Andes was a military force created by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and mustered by general José de San Martín in his campaign to free Chile from the Spanish Empire...
, but took no part in the famous Chilean campaign, as he was committed to the defense of the border against the Ranquel
Ranquel
The Ranquel are an indigenous tribe from the northern part of La Pampa Province, Argentina, in South America. They are part of the Mapuche, with Puelche origins, Pehuenche and also Patagones from the Günün-a-Küna group.-Name:...
. In 1819 he helped to put down a royalist mutiny among the officer corps.
For many years Videla remained posted to the border. He was involved in a notable incident in 1822 in which he repelled an invasion, and the following year he advanced into the "desert" of the interior in order to collect intelligence on the military capabilities of the Ranquel and Pehuenche
Pehuenche
Pehuenches are an indigenous people that are part of the Mapuche peoples and live in the Andes in south central Chile and Argentina. Their name derives from their habit of harvesting of piñones, the seeds of the Araucaria araucana or pehuén...
.
He took part in the Unitarian Revolution of 1829, and upon its failure he retreated to Córdoba Province
Córdoba Province (Argentina)
Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Neighboring provinces are : Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja and Catamarca...
under the protection of Colonel Juan Gualberto Echeverría. The following year, after participating in the Battle of Oncativo, he returned to his native province in order to support the governments of his brothers Ignacio and Luis. Early in 1831 he fought against Facundo Quiroga in the Battle of Río Quinto under the command of Colonel Juan Pascual Pringles
Juan Pascual Pringles
Juan Pascual Pringles was a distinguished military leader in the Spanish American wars of independence, with the rank of colonel, and later a leader of the Argentine Unitarian Party....
. He withdrew his forces to Mendoza Province
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
, where he joined up with the army of José Videla Castillo, who confronted Quiroga in the Battle of Rodeo de Chacón. After the battle Videla fled south and was taken prisoner. Other prisoners alleged that he had attempted to gain his freedom by betraying his comrades to the Federales
Federales (Argentina)
Federales was the name under which the supporters of federalism in Argentina were known, opposing the Unitarios that claimed a centralised government of Buenos Aires Province, with no participation of the other provinces of the custom taxes benefits of the Buenos Aires port...
. Whatever the truth of these accusations, he remained imprisoned.
A few weeks later, in the middle of March, Quiroga learned of the assassination of his friend José Benito Villafañe, who had been returning to Chile, and decided to exact vengeance: he ordered the execution of twenty-six officials, almost all of whom were prisoners taken at Río Quinto or Rodeo de Chacón. Among these was Blas Videla. He died in Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
.
Blas Videla is today best known as the great-great-grandfather of Jorge Rafael Videla
Jorge Rafael Videla
Jorge Rafael Videla Redondo is a former senior commander in the Argentine Army who was the de facto President of Argentina from 1976 to 1981. He came to power in a coup d'état that deposed Isabel Martínez de Perón...
, the dictator of Argentina between 1976 and 1981.