José de Bustamante y Guerra
Encyclopedia
José de Bustamante y Guerra (Corvera de Toranzo
, Cantabria
1 April 1759 – Madrid
10 March 1825), sometimes referred to simply as Bustamante, was a Spanish naval officer, explorer, and politician. He was a native of Corvera de Toranzo
in Cantabria
, Spain
.
. At the end of his studies there he embarked on the Santa Inés, bound for the Philippines
. But the ship was attacked and captured by a British
man-of-war. Bustamante was eventually released and returned to Spain.
. Together they proposed to the Spanish government a grand scientific expedition modeled after the voyages of James Cook
. The project was approved and two corvettes were built specifically for the expedition. Bustamante was in command of the Atrevida
(meaning "daring" or "bold") while Malaspina commanded the Descubierta
("discovery"). The names were chosen by Malaspina to honor James Cook's Discovery
and Resolution
.
The expedition was under the "dual command" of both Malaspina and Bustamante. Even though in time the expedition became known as the Malaspina's, Bustamante was never considered subordinate. Malaspina insisted on their equality, although Bustamante early acknowledged Malaspina as the "chief of the expedition".
From 1789 to 1794 Bustamante and Malaspina sailed throughout the Pacific Ocean
, stopping at nearly all the Spanish colonies and exploring little known areas such as the Pacific Northwest
, New Zealand
, and Australia
. The two ships sometimes separated to pursue different tasks. For example, when sailing from Talcahuano
to Valparaíso
(in present day Chile
), Bustamante kept to the coast, surveying and mapping, while Malaspina sailed to the Juan Fernández Islands
. Between Valparaíso and Callao
, Peru
, Malaspina again investigated offshore islands while Bustamante continued charting the coast.
Bustamante kept a diary during the Malaspina expedition, which was published in 1868.
_by_francis_sartorius,_national_maritime_museum,uk.jpg..jpg)
After returning to Spain in 1794 Bustamante continued to work with Malaspina until the latter was imprisoned on charges of plotting against the state. Bustamante remained free of the political troubles of Malaspina.
Bustamante was promoted to navy brigadier shortly after his 1794 return to Spain. In 1796 he was appointed political and military governor of Paraguay and Commander-General of the River Plate (Governor of Montevideo
). On October 5, 1804, in peace time, while sailing to Spain in command of four frigates Bustamante was attacked and captured by a British squadron
without any declaration of war between U.K. and Spain. He was eventually released and faced a Spanish court-martial, but emerged untainted. In 1810 he was appointed Captain General
of Guatemala
. He remained at that post until 1817.
José de Bustamante y Guerra died in 1825 at the age of 66.
Corvera de Toranzo
Corvera de Toranzo is a municipality located in the autonomous community of Cantabria, Spain. According to the 2007 census, the city has a population of 2,202 inhabitants. Its capital is San Vicente de Toranzo.-External links:* - Cantabria 102 Municipios...
, Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
1 April 1759 – Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
10 March 1825), sometimes referred to simply as Bustamante, was a Spanish naval officer, explorer, and politician. He was a native of Corvera de Toranzo
Corvera de Toranzo
Corvera de Toranzo is a municipality located in the autonomous community of Cantabria, Spain. According to the 2007 census, the city has a population of 2,202 inhabitants. Its capital is San Vicente de Toranzo.-External links:* - Cantabria 102 Municipios...
in Cantabria
Cantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Early life
In 1770 Bustamante became a midshipman at the Academy of the Guardiamarinas in CádizCádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
. At the end of his studies there he embarked on the Santa Inés, bound for the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. But the ship was attacked and captured by a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
man-of-war. Bustamante was eventually released and returned to Spain.
Malaspina expedition
In 1788 Bustamante partnered with Alessandro MalaspinaAlessandro Malaspina
Alessandro Malaspina was an Italian nobleman who spent most of his life as a Spanish naval officer and explorer...
. Together they proposed to the Spanish government a grand scientific expedition modeled after the voyages of James Cook
James Cook
Captain James Cook, FRS, RN was a British explorer, navigator and cartographer who ultimately rose to the rank of captain in the Royal Navy...
. The project was approved and two corvettes were built specifically for the expedition. Bustamante was in command of the Atrevida
Descubierta and Atrevida
The Descubierta and Atrevida were twin corvettes of the Spanish Navy, custom-designed as identical special exploration and scientific research vessels . Both ships were built at the same time for the Malaspina Expedition...
(meaning "daring" or "bold") while Malaspina commanded the Descubierta
Descubierta and Atrevida
The Descubierta and Atrevida were twin corvettes of the Spanish Navy, custom-designed as identical special exploration and scientific research vessels . Both ships were built at the same time for the Malaspina Expedition...
("discovery"). The names were chosen by Malaspina to honor James Cook's Discovery
HMS Discovery (1774)
HMS Discovery was the consort ship of James Cook's third expedition to the Pacific Ocean in 1776 - 1780. Like Cook's other ships, Discovery was a Whitby-built collier of 298 tons, originally named Diligence when she was built in 1774. Originally a brig, Cook had her changed to a full rigged ship...
and Resolution
HMS Resolution (Cook)
HMS Resolution was a sloop of the Royal Navy, and the ship in which Captain James Cook made his second and third voyages of exploration in the Pacific...
.
The expedition was under the "dual command" of both Malaspina and Bustamante. Even though in time the expedition became known as the Malaspina's, Bustamante was never considered subordinate. Malaspina insisted on their equality, although Bustamante early acknowledged Malaspina as the "chief of the expedition".
From 1789 to 1794 Bustamante and Malaspina sailed throughout the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
, stopping at nearly all the Spanish colonies and exploring little known areas such as the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. The two ships sometimes separated to pursue different tasks. For example, when sailing from Talcahuano
Talcahuano
Talcahuano is a port city and commune in the Biobío Region of Chile. It is part of the Greater Concepción conurbation. Talcahuano is located in the south of the Central Zone of Chile.-Geography:...
to Valparaíso
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...
(in present day 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...
), Bustamante kept to the coast, surveying and mapping, while Malaspina sailed to the Juan Fernández Islands
Juan Fernández Islands
The Juan Fernández Islands are a sparsely inhabited island group reliant on tourism and fishing in the South Pacific Ocean, situated about off the coast of Chile, and is composed of three main volcanic islands; Robinson Crusoe Island, Alejandro Selkirk Island and Santa Clara Island, the first...
. Between Valparaíso and 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...
, 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....
, Malaspina again investigated offshore islands while Bustamante continued charting the coast.
Bustamante kept a diary during the Malaspina expedition, which was published in 1868.
Later life
Bustamante was promoted to navy brigadier shortly after his 1794 return to Spain. In 1796 he was appointed political and military governor of Paraguay and Commander-General of the River Plate (Governor of Montevideo
Governor of Montevideo
The office of Governor of Montevideo was created shortly after the Treaty of Madrid in 1750 by Ferdinand VI of Spain, with the objective of establishing more effective control of the left bank of the Río de la Plata, which had been awarded to Spain as a term of the treaty.The constant threat of...
). On October 5, 1804, in peace time, while sailing to Spain in command of four frigates Bustamante was attacked and captured by a British squadron
Action of 5 October 1804
The Battle of Cape Santa Maria was a naval action that took place off the southern Portuguese coast, in which a British squadron under the command of Commodore Graham Moore attacked a Spanish squadron commanded by Brigadier Don José de Bustamante y Guerra, in time of peace, without...
without any declaration of war between U.K. and Spain. He was eventually released and faced a Spanish court-martial, but emerged untainted. In 1810 he was appointed Captain General
Captain General
Captain general is a high military rank and a gubernatorial title.-History:This term Captain General started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of commander in chief of an army in the field, probably the first usage of the term General in military settings...
of Guatemala
Captaincy General of Guatemala
The Captaincy General of Guatemala , also known as the Kingdom of Guatemala , was an administrative division in Spanish America which covered much of Central America, including what are now the nations of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala, and the Mexican state of Chiapas...
. He remained at that post until 1817.
José de Bustamante y Guerra died in 1825 at the age of 66.