Estanislao López
Encyclopedia
Estanislao López was a governor and caudillo
of the , between 1818 and 1838, a hero of provincial federalism
and an ally of Juan Manuel de Rosas
during the Argentine Civil War
.
. An illegitimate child, he was baptized with his mother's last name at the request of his father, Juan Manuel Roldán. Roldán sent the youth away to fight against Malón
raids in the Gran Chaco
region at age 15. He fought in the retake of Buenos Aires
from the British invasion of 1806
, and in the Argentine War of Independence
under the command of Manuel Belgrano
(creator of the Argentine flag
); during this latter conflict, López was held prisoner in Montevideo
in 1810.
In 1816 he led his men in an uprising against Buenos Aires, where the Buenos Aires army under General Juan José Viamonte
was forced to surrender. Along with José Gervasio Artigas
(leader of the Banda Oriental
, now Uruguay
), he became a hero of this campaign. After this, in 1818, López assumed the government of Santa Fe, deposing governor Mariano Vera
, separating the province from Buenos Aires control, and ruling by popular consensus for twenty years. He was formally elected governor in 1 July 1818 and then indefinitely reelected.
López rejected a draft for a provincial constitution for Santa Fe (which accepted a centralized government from Buenos Aires), and wrote another one, where he incorporated the idea of popular election of the governor by direct vote, which was approved on 26 August 1819. He married the former María Josefa del Pilar on 17 December, and they had seven children.
López allied with Artigas and then with Francisco Ramírez, caudillo of Entre Ríos
, amassing large armies against Buenos Aires, at the time ruled by Supreme Director Juan Martín de Pueyrredón. General José de San Martín
, Liberator and hero of the Independence Wars, wrote separate letters to López and Artigas urging them to cease hostilities and join the national cause. San Martín also refused Pueyrredón's request to divert troops from the independentist conflict toward the defense of the national government.
After Pueyrredón's forced resignation, López went to war again, together with Ramírez, former Supreme Director Carlos María de Alvear
and José Miguel Carrera
(former president of Chile
). The three allies defeated the forces of Buenos Aires led by José Rondeau in the Battle of Cepeda
on 1 February 1820, which marked the end of the Supreme Directorship and the victory of provincial federalism
. Peace was ratified by the Governor Manuel de Sarratea
of Buenos Aires, as well as López and Ramírez, through the Treaty of Pilar
(23 February 1820).
In 1821 an incident broke his alliance with Francisco Ramírez, who was killed near Coronda
by a group of López's soldiers when he was crossing Santa Fe's territory to attack Córdoba. López exhibited Ramírez's head publicly in the Cabildo of Santa Fe. He thus became the indisputed leader of the littoral provinces, and on 7 April 1822 he signed the Quadrilateral Treaty with Entre Ríos, Corrientes
and Buenos Aires, calling for national unity and convening on the call to a Constitutional Assembly in Santa Fe.
López protected Juan Manuel de Rosas when he had to flee after the defeat of Manuel Dorrego
's army by Juan Lavalle
in Navarro. He then joined forces with Rosas to defeat Lavalle in Puente de Márquez on 26 April 1829. After Rosas made peace with Lavalle without López's consent, the relationship between the allies was strained.
In 1831, with Rosas being the governor of Buenos Aires and the littoral provinces threatened by the centralist alliance ruled by José María Paz
, the Federal Pact
was subscribed (on 4 January) by the four provinces, forging a military alliance and establishing the basis of a federal organization of the country. After Paz was captured, the civil war ended for a time, and Rosas was free to rule on the national level.
López ruled Santa Fe until his death on 15 June 1838. He was succeeded by Domingo Cullen
.
The Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López and the Brigadier Estanislao López Highway
are named after him.
Caudillo
Caudillo is a Spanish word for "leader" and usually describes a political-military leader at the head of an authoritarian power. The term translates into English as leader or chief, or more pejoratively as warlord, dictator or strongman. Caudillo was the term used to refer to the charismatic...
of the , between 1818 and 1838, a hero of provincial federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
and an ally of Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas
Juan Manuel de Rosas , was an argentine militar and politician, who was elected governor of the province of Buenos Aires in 1829 to 1835, and then of the Argentine Confederation from 1835 until 1852...
during the Argentine Civil War
Argentine Civil War
The Argentine Civil Wars were a series of internecine wars that took place in Argentina from 1814 to 1876. These conflicts were separate from the Argentine War of Independence , though they first arose during this period....
.
Biography
López was born in Santa FeSanta Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
. An illegitimate child, he was baptized with his mother's last name at the request of his father, Juan Manuel Roldán. Roldán sent the youth away to fight against Malón
Malón
Malón or maloca was a military raiding tactic of the Mapuche peoples from the 17th to the 19th centuries.The "maloca" among the Mapuche is described as a means of obtaining justice, by Juan Ignacio Molina:...
raids in the Gran Chaco
Gran Chaco
The Gran Chaco is a sparsely populated, hot and semi-arid lowland region of the Río de la Plata basin, divided among eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, northern Argentina and a portion of the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul, where it is connected with the Pantanal region...
region at age 15. He fought in the retake of 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...
from the British invasion of 1806
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...
, and in the Argentine War of Independence
Argentine War of Independence
The Argentine War of Independence was fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces loyal to the Spanish crown...
under the command of Manuel Belgrano
Manuel Belgrano
Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano , usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina...
(creator of the Argentine flag
Flag of Argentina
The national flag of Argentina is a triband, composed of three equally wide horizontal bands coloured light blue, white and light blue. There are multiple interpretations on the reasons for those colors...
); during this latter conflict, López was held prisoner in Montevideo
Montevideo
Montevideo is the largest city, the capital, and the chief port of Uruguay. The settlement was established in 1726 by Bruno Mauricio de Zabala, as a strategic move amidst a Spanish-Portuguese dispute over the platine region, and as a counter to the Portuguese colony at Colonia del Sacramento...
in 1810.
In 1816 he led his men in an uprising against Buenos Aires, where the Buenos Aires army under General Juan José Viamonte
Juan José Viamonte
Juan José Viamonte González was an Argentine general in the early 19th century.-Biography:Viamonte was born in Buenos Aires and entered the army in his youth following in his father's footsteps...
was forced to surrender. Along with José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas
José Gervasio Artigas is a national hero of Uruguay, sometimes called "the father of Uruguayan nationhood".-Early life:Artigas was born in Montevideo on June 19, 1764...
(leader of the Banda Oriental
Banda Oriental
The Banda Oriental del Uruguay was the South American territory east of the Uruguay River and north of the Río de la Plata, coinciding approximately with the modern nation of Uruguay, the Brazilian State of Rio Grande do Sul and some parts of Santa Catarina...
, now Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
), he became a hero of this campaign. After this, in 1818, López assumed the government of Santa Fe, deposing governor Mariano Vera
Mariano Vera
Mariano Vera was a caudillo and governor of the province of Santa Fe, Argentina, between 12 April 1816 and 23 July 1818.Vera was a supporter of federalism, against the idea of a centralized government...
, separating the province from Buenos Aires control, and ruling by popular consensus for twenty years. He was formally elected governor in 1 July 1818 and then indefinitely reelected.
López rejected a draft for a provincial constitution for Santa Fe (which accepted a centralized government from Buenos Aires), and wrote another one, where he incorporated the idea of popular election of the governor by direct vote, which was approved on 26 August 1819. He married the former María Josefa del Pilar on 17 December, and they had seven children.
Entre Ríos Province
Entre Ríos is a northeastern province of Argentina, located in the Mesopotamia region. It borders the provinces of Buenos Aires , Corrientes and Santa Fe , and Uruguay in the east....
, amassing large armies against Buenos Aires, at the time ruled by Supreme Director Juan Martín de Pueyrredón. 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...
, Liberator and hero of the Independence Wars, wrote separate letters to López and Artigas urging them to cease hostilities and join the national cause. San Martín also refused Pueyrredón's request to divert troops from the independentist conflict toward the defense of the national government.
After Pueyrredón's forced resignation, López went to war again, together with Ramírez, former Supreme Director Carlos María de Alvear
Carlos María de Alvear
Carlos María de Alvear was an Argentine soldier and statesman, Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1815....
and José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera Verdugo was a Chilean general, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most important leader of the Chilean War of Independence during the period of the Patria Vieja...
(former president of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
). The three allies defeated the forces of Buenos Aires led by José Rondeau in the Battle of Cepeda
Battle of Cepeda (1820)
The Battle of Cepeda of 1820 took place on February 1 in Cañada de Cepeda, Santa Fe, Argentina.It was the first major battle that saw Unitarians and Federals as two constituted sides. Federal League Provinces of Santa Fe and Entre Ríos joined forces to topple the 1819 centralist Constitution, and...
on 1 February 1820, which marked the end of the Supreme Directorship and the victory of provincial federalism
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
. Peace was ratified by the Governor Manuel de Sarratea
Manuel de Sarratea
Manuel de Sarratea, , was an Argentine diplomat, politician and soldier. He is the son of Martin de Sarratea , of the richest merchant of Buenos-Aires and Tomasa Josefa de Altolaguirre...
of Buenos Aires, as well as López and Ramírez, through the Treaty of Pilar
Treaty of Pilar
The Treaty of Pilar was a pact signed among the rulers of the Argentine provinces of Santa Fe, Entre Ríos and Buenos Aires, which is recognized as the foundation of the federal organization of the country...
(23 February 1820).
In 1821 an incident broke his alliance with Francisco Ramírez, who was killed near Coronda
Coronda
Coronda is a small and beautiful city in the . It is located in the San Jerónimo Department, 43 km south from the provincial capital . It has a population of about 17,000 inhabitants ....
by a group of López's soldiers when he was crossing Santa Fe's territory to attack Córdoba. López exhibited Ramírez's head publicly in the Cabildo of Santa Fe. He thus became the indisputed leader of the littoral provinces, and on 7 April 1822 he signed the Quadrilateral Treaty with Entre Ríos, Corrientes
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
and Buenos Aires, calling for national unity and convening on the call to a Constitutional Assembly in Santa Fe.
López protected Juan Manuel de Rosas when he had to flee after the defeat of Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego was an Argentine statesman and soldier. He was governor of Buenos Aires in 1820, and then again from 1827 to 1828....
's army by Juan Lavalle
Juan Lavalle
Juan Galo de Lavalle was an Argentine military and political figure.-Biography:Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires to María Mercedes González Bordallo and Manuel José de La Vallée y Cortés, general accountant of rents and tobacco for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.In 1799, the family moved to...
in Navarro. He then joined forces with Rosas to defeat Lavalle in Puente de Márquez on 26 April 1829. After Rosas made peace with Lavalle without López's consent, the relationship between the allies was strained.
In 1831, with Rosas being the governor of Buenos Aires and the littoral provinces threatened by the centralist alliance ruled by José María Paz
José María Paz
Brigadier General José María Paz y Haedo was an Argentine military figure, notable in the Argentine War of Independence and the Argentine Civil War.-Childhood:...
, the Federal Pact
Pacto Federal
The Federal Pact was a treaty first signed by the Argentine provinces of Buenos Aires, Entre Ríos and Santa Fe on 4 January 1831, for which a Federal military alliance was created to confront the Unitarian Liga Unitaria...
was subscribed (on 4 January) by the four provinces, forging a military alliance and establishing the basis of a federal organization of the country. After Paz was captured, the civil war ended for a time, and Rosas was free to rule on the national level.
López ruled Santa Fe until his death on 15 June 1838. He was succeeded by Domingo Cullen
Domingo Cullen
Domingo Cullen was the governor of province of Santa Fe, Argentina during 1838.Cullen was born in Tenerife, Canary Islands, but moved to Argentina in the 1820s after establishing commercial activities in the area. He met Santa Fe's caudillo Estanislao López when serving as a deputy of the Cabildo...
.
The Estadio Brigadier General Estanislao López and the Brigadier Estanislao López Highway
Brigadier Estanislao López Highway
The Brigadier Estanislao López Highway is a highway in the Argentine province of Santa Fe, linking the provincial capital Santa Fe and the city of Rosario...
are named after him.
Sources
In Spanish unless otherwise noted.- Todo-Argentina.net - Biography.
- WebFe - History of Santa Fe (timeline).
- José de San Martín, el Libertador - Biography of General San Martín.
- ArgentinaWorld - History of Santa Fe.
- Treaty of Pilar, 23 Feb 1820 (complete text, MS Word 2000 DOC file).
- Santa Fe - History of the city of Santa Fe (official website).
- Constitución de la Provincia de Santa Fe (1819) (complete text of the 1819 provincial constitution, MS Word 2000 DOC file).