José Tomás Ovalle
Encyclopedia
José Tomás Ovalle y Bezanilla (December 21, 1787 - March 21, 1831) was a Chile
an political figure. He served twice as provisional president of Chile
.
on April 1, 1812, and had eight children.
Ovalle was twice elected deputy for Santiago (1823 and 1824-1825), supplementary senador (1824), Vice presidente of the Provincial Assembly of Santiago and was a delegate to the Plenipotenciaries Congress of 1830, being elected Vice president.
was forced twice to leave the post of president to Francisco Ramón Vicuña
. First, from July 14 to October 19, when Vicuña assumed as President Delegate, and then finally when he resigned on November 2 and Vicuña assumed power.
On December 7, 1829 the conservative troops under General José Joaquín Prieto
, commander of the southern army, approached Santiago from the South. The conservative army decided to halt the march onto Santiago for a while and camped a few miles outside the city. The government under Vicuña fled northward to Coquimbo
. On December 14, 1829 General Prieto and his troops met the liberal army under Francisco de la Lastra
and defeated them at the Battle of Ochagavía. Then, the two military leaders signed a peace treaty, which complicated the political situation further. Meanwhile President Vicuña and his ministers where imprisoned by the victorious conservative troops in Valparaiso
.
was organized and took control, in order to avoid the continuance of hostilities, under a neutral José Tomás Ovalle who was acceptable to both sides. This junta ruled the country from December 24, 1829 to February 18, 1830. Finally an agreement was found with the involvement of Ramón Freire which nominated Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
as acting president.
forced him to ask for a constitutional leave on March 8, 1831. He died a few days later, on March 21, 1831, at 9 AM, and his remains were interred under the altar of the Santiago Cathedral, where they were lost during the renovations of the 19th century and found again in 2004.
After José Tomás Ovalle died, he was replaced by the President of the Plenipotentiaries Congress, Fernando Errázuriz
, who took over on March 31, 1831 with the title of Accidental Vice President of the Republic. Errázuriz called new elections, where General José Joaquín Prieto
was elected. General Prieto was installed on September 18, 1831, and thus began the era of the decade governments.
, where they had been buried (and lost track of) in 1831.
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...
an political figure. He served twice as provisional president of Chile
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
.
Early life
He was born in Santiago, the son of Vicente María Ovalle Guzmán and of María del Rosario Bezanilla y Noriega. He studied in the Convictorio Carolino and law at the Universidad de San Felipe, where he obtained his doctorate in both laws in 1809. He married his cousin, Rafaela BezanillaRafaela Bezanilla
Rafaela Bezanilla Bezanilla was First Lady of Chile and the wife of President José Tomás Ovalle. She was born in Santiago, the daughter of Francisco de Bezanilla y de la Bárcena and of Juana Bezanilla y Abós Padilla. She and her husband had eight children together.-External links:*...
on April 1, 1812, and had eight children.
Ovalle was twice elected deputy for Santiago (1823 and 1824-1825), supplementary senador (1824), Vice presidente of the Provincial Assembly of Santiago and was a delegate to the Plenipotenciaries Congress of 1830, being elected Vice president.
Civil War of 1829
When the Chilean Civil War of 1829 broke out between the conservative centralists and the liberal federalists, President Francisco Antonio PintoFrancisco Antonio Pinto
Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente was a Chilean political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1827 and 1829.-Early life:He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes Díaz de la Puente...
was forced twice to leave the post of president to Francisco Ramón Vicuña
Francisco Ramón Vicuña
Francisco Ramón de Vicuña Larraín was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as acting President of Chile in 1829. Francisco Vicuña was of Basque descent.-Early life:...
. First, from July 14 to October 19, when Vicuña assumed as President Delegate, and then finally when he resigned on November 2 and Vicuña assumed power.
On December 7, 1829 the conservative troops under General José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
, commander of the southern army, approached Santiago from the South. The conservative army decided to halt the march onto Santiago for a while and camped a few miles outside the city. The government under Vicuña fled northward to Coquimbo
Coquimbo
Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the...
. On December 14, 1829 General Prieto and his troops met the liberal army under Francisco de la Lastra
Francisco de la Lastra
General Francisco de la Lastra y de la Sotta was a Chilean military officer and the first Supreme Director of Chile .-Biography:...
and defeated them at the Battle of Ochagavía. Then, the two military leaders signed a peace treaty, which complicated the political situation further. Meanwhile President Vicuña and his ministers where imprisoned by the victorious conservative troops in Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
.
First administration
Chile was without a leader for a few weeks (from December 7 to 24, 1829) until a Government JuntaGovernment Junta of Chile (1829)
Government Junta of Chile , was the political structure established to rule Chile following the defeat of the Liberal army at the Battle of Ochagavía...
was organized and took control, in order to avoid the continuance of hostilities, under a neutral José Tomás Ovalle who was acceptable to both sides. This junta ruled the country from December 24, 1829 to February 18, 1830. Finally an agreement was found with the involvement of Ramón Freire which nominated Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Francisco Antonio Pascual de la Ascensión Ruiz de Tagle y Portales was a Chilean political figure. In 1830, he was briefly president of the country. Provisional President of Republic of Chile elected by Congress.-Biography:...
as acting president.
Second administration
Because of internal dissent with his ministers, Ruiz-Tagle resigned six weeks later on March 31, 1830 and was succeeded by vice-president Ovalle who assumed as a transitional president, and held the position until the advanced state of his tuberculosisTuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
forced him to ask for a constitutional leave on March 8, 1831. He died a few days later, on March 21, 1831, at 9 AM, and his remains were interred under the altar of the Santiago Cathedral, where they were lost during the renovations of the 19th century and found again in 2004.
After José Tomás Ovalle died, he was replaced by the President of the Plenipotentiaries Congress, Fernando Errázuriz
Fernando Errázuriz
Fernando de Errázuriz y Martínez de Aldunate , also known as Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate, was a Chilean political figure. He served as provisional president of Chile in 1831. He was of Basque descent....
, who took over on March 31, 1831 with the title of Accidental Vice President of the Republic. Errázuriz called new elections, where General José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
was elected. General Prieto was installed on September 18, 1831, and thus began the era of the decade governments.
Trivia
On 2004, his remains were found during restoration work on the Santiago CathedralSantiago Cathedral
Santiago Cathedral is a Catholic Cathedral in the city of Bilbao that was officially declared cathedral in 1950. Its origins probably date to well before the foundation of the city in 1300, when Bilbao was little more than a small enclave of fishermen....
, where they had been buried (and lost track of) in 1831.