Joaquín de la Pezuela
Encyclopedia
Joaquín de la Pezuela Griñán y Sánchez Muñoz de Velasco, 1st marquis of Viluma (1761–1830) was a Spanish military officer and viceroy of Peru
during the War of Independence.
family originally from Santander
. He attended the Artillery College in Segovia
. In the army, he fought in the siege of Gibraltar
, and later against the French in Guipúzcoa and Navarre
, in 1793 and 1794. In 1805 he went to America as head of the army in Alto Perú (now Bolivia
).
From there he went to Peru, when Viceroy José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa
named him directory of the Royal Artillery. He reorganized the artillery, with emphasis on its modernization and technical aspects. In 1813 he was promoted to brigadier.
on October 19, 1813 in the Battle of Vilcapugio
and again on November 14, 1813 in the Battle of Ayohuma
(in present-day Bolivia). After these victories he advanced to the south, occupying the cities of Jujuy (northern Argentina) on May 27, 1814 and Salta
on July 25, 1814. However, he was forced to withdraw under continuing harassment by General Martín Miguel de Güemes
's gaucho
s. He lost 1,200 men on the retreat back to Jujuy.
In 1815 he fought José Rondeau
, whom he defeated in the Battle of Sipe-Sipe
or Viluma. This battle took place on November 29, 1815 near Cochabamba
, Alto Perú. It is said to be one of the most serious defeats suffered by the insurgents in the Spanish American wars of independence. The insurgents lost 2,000 men and all their artillery.
For his success, in 1816 Pezuela was promoted to lieutenant general and given the title marqués de Viluma. By royal order dated October 15, 1815, he was named interim viceroy of Peru to replace Abascal. The following year he also became captain general of Peru.
In 1819 he was attacked in Callao
by the squadron of Thomas Cochrane
, and was forced to flee the port.
deteriorated fast because De la Pezuela was an absolutist while de la Serna a liberal. De la Serna finally asked to be relieved of command so that he could retire to Spain. Permission was received in May 1819, and in September, de la Serna resigned the command of the army to General José Canterac. De la Serna had partisans in Lima, and upon his arrival there they demonstrated in favor of his remaining in Peru to face the threatened invasion of General José de San Martín
from Chile. De la Pezuela agreed to promote de la Serna to lieutenant general and name him president of a council of war.
San Martin landed in Pisco
, on September 8, 1820. De la Serna, through secret negotiations, was named commander-in-chief of the army gathered at Aznapuquio to protect the capital against San Martin's advance. He was ordered by the viceroy to march to Chancay
. On January 29, 1821, the principal officers of the camp, partisans of de la Serna, petitioned Viceroy de la Pezuela to resign in favor of de la Serna. De la Pezuela refused and ordered de la Serna to subdue the mutiny, but de la Serna claimed to be unable to do so. The viceroy, seeing his authority evaporate, turned over the executive power on the evening of the same day. Later, the results of this coup were recognized by Spain.
. He died in Madrid in 1830. His eldest son was Manuel de la Pezuela, 2nd Marquis of Viluma. Another son was Juan de la Pezuela y Ceballos, conde de Cheste (1809–1906), born in Lima, was a general in Spain, a conservative politician, and a man of letters. He was minister of the navy and of commerce in the Spanish cabinet, and later a senator. As minister of the navy, he developed the concept of an ocean-going torpedo gunboat. As a result, naval officer Fernando Villaamil
conceived the Destructor, built in 1885 in Britain and a precursor of the modern destroyer
s.
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....
during the War of Independence.
Background
Pezuela was born into a hidalgoHidalgo (Spanish nobility)
A hidalgo or fidalgo is a member of the Spanish and Portuguese nobility. In popular usage it has come to mean the non-titled nobility. Hidalgos were exempt from paying taxes, but did not necessarily own real property...
family originally from Santander
Santander, Cantabria
The port city of Santander is the capital of the autonomous community and historical region of Cantabria situated on the north coast of Spain. Located east of Gijón and west of Bilbao, the city has a population of 183,446 .-History:...
. He attended the Artillery College in Segovia
Segovia
Segovia is a city in Spain, the capital of Segovia Province in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is situated north of Madrid, 30 minutes by high speed train. The municipality counts some 55,500 inhabitants.-Etymology:...
. In the army, he fought in the siege of Gibraltar
Great Siege of Gibraltar
The Great Siege of Gibraltar was an unsuccessful attempt by Spain and France to capture Gibraltar from the British during the American War of Independence. This was the largest action fought during the war in terms of numbers, particularly the Grand Assault of 18 September 1782...
, and later against the French in Guipúzcoa and Navarre
Navarre
Navarre , officially the Chartered Community of Navarre is an autonomous community in northern Spain, bordering the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Aragon in Spain and Aquitaine in France...
, in 1793 and 1794. In 1805 he went to America as head of the army in Alto Perú (now Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
).
From there he went to Peru, when Viceroy José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa
José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa
José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, 1st Marquis of La Concordia , was a Spanish military officer and colonial administrator in America...
named him directory of the Royal Artillery. He reorganized the artillery, with emphasis on its modernization and technical aspects. In 1813 he was promoted to brigadier.
Viceroy of Peru
A defender of the Spanish Crown in South America, Pezuela fought the insurgents. He defeated Manuel BelgranoManuel 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...
on October 19, 1813 in the Battle of 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...
and again on November 14, 1813 in the Battle of Ayohuma
Battle of Ayohuma
The Battle of Ayohuma was an action fought on 14 November 1813, during the second Upper Peru Campaign of the Argentine War of Independence...
(in present-day Bolivia). After these victories he advanced to the south, occupying the cities of Jujuy (northern Argentina) on May 27, 1814 and Salta
Salta
Salta is a city in northwestern Argentina and the capital city of the Salta Province. Along with its metropolitan area, it has a population of 464,678 inhabitants as of the , making it Argentina's eighth largest city.-Overview:...
on July 25, 1814. However, he was forced to withdraw under continuing harassment by General Martín Miguel de Güemes
Martín Miguel de Güemes
Martín Miguel de Güemes was a military leader and popular caudillo who defended northwestern Argentina from the Spanish during the Argentine War of Independence.-Biography:...
's gaucho
Gaucho
Gaucho is a term commonly used to describe residents of the South American pampas, chacos, or Patagonian grasslands, found principally in parts of Argentina, Uruguay, Southern Chile, and Southern Brazil...
s. He lost 1,200 men on the retreat back to Jujuy.
In 1815 he fought José Rondeau
José Rondeau
José Casimiro Rondeau Pereyra was a general and politician in Argentina and Uruguay in the early 19th century.-Biography:...
, whom he defeated in the Battle of Sipe-Sipe
Battle of Sipe-Sipe
The Battle of Sipe-Sipe was a major battle in the South American wars of independence in which the United Provinces of Río de la Plata were decisively defeated by Spanish royalist forces in Upper Peru...
or Viluma. This battle took place on November 29, 1815 near Cochabamba
Cochabamba
Cochabamba is a city in central Bolivia, located in a valley bearing the same name in the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cochabamba Department and is the fourth largest city in Bolivia with an urban population of 608,276 and a metropolitan population of more than 1,000,000 people...
, Alto Perú. It is said to be one of the most serious defeats suffered by the insurgents in the Spanish American wars of independence. The insurgents lost 2,000 men and all their artillery.
For his success, in 1816 Pezuela was promoted to lieutenant general and given the title marqués de Viluma. By royal order dated October 15, 1815, he was named interim viceroy of Peru to replace Abascal. The following year he also became captain general of Peru.
In 1819 he was attacked in Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
by the squadron of Thomas Cochrane
Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald
Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess of Maranhão, GCB, ODM , styled Lord Cochrane between 1778 and 1831, was a senior British naval flag officer and radical politician....
, and was forced to flee the port.
Coup and deposition
Relations between Viceroy de la Pezuela and his second in command, Lieutenant General José de la SernaJosé de la Serna e Hinojosa
José de la Serna e Hinojosa, 1st Count of los Andes was a Spanish general and colonial official. He was the last Spanish viceroy of Peru to exercise effective power .-Background:...
deteriorated fast because De la Pezuela was an absolutist while de la Serna a liberal. De la Serna finally asked to be relieved of command so that he could retire to Spain. Permission was received in May 1819, and in September, de la Serna resigned the command of the army to General José Canterac. De la Serna had partisans in Lima, and upon his arrival there they demonstrated in favor of his remaining in Peru to face the threatened invasion 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...
from Chile. De la Pezuela agreed to promote de la Serna to lieutenant general and name him president of a council of war.
San Martin landed in Pisco
Pisco
Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Chile and Peru. Pisco was developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain...
, on September 8, 1820. De la Serna, through secret negotiations, was named commander-in-chief of the army gathered at Aznapuquio to protect the capital against San Martin's advance. He was ordered by the viceroy to march to Chancay
Chancay
Chancay is a small city in the Lima Region of Peru. Its population is 26,958....
. On January 29, 1821, the principal officers of the camp, partisans of de la Serna, petitioned Viceroy de la Pezuela to resign in favor of de la Serna. De la Pezuela refused and ordered de la Serna to subdue the mutiny, but de la Serna claimed to be unable to do so. The viceroy, seeing his authority evaporate, turned over the executive power on the evening of the same day. Later, the results of this coup were recognized by Spain.
Later life
Pezuela returned to Spain in 1825, where he was captain general of New CastileNew Castile
New Castile is a historic region of Spain. It roughly corresponds to the southern part of the Castile, taken during the Reconquista of the peninsula by Christian kings from Muslim rulers. Some notable achievements in this reconquest were the capture of Toledo in 1085, ending the Taifa's Kingdom of...
. He died in Madrid in 1830. His eldest son was Manuel de la Pezuela, 2nd Marquis of Viluma. Another son was Juan de la Pezuela y Ceballos, conde de Cheste (1809–1906), born in Lima, was a general in Spain, a conservative politician, and a man of letters. He was minister of the navy and of commerce in the Spanish cabinet, and later a senator. As minister of the navy, he developed the concept of an ocean-going torpedo gunboat. As a result, naval officer Fernando Villaamil
Fernando Villaamil
Fernando Villaamil was a Spanish naval officer, remembered for his internationally recognized professionalism, for being the designer of the first destroyer warship in history and for his heroic death in the naval Battle of Santiago de Cuba of the Spanish-American war, being the highest ranking...
conceived the Destructor, built in 1885 in Britain and a precursor of the modern destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s.