Liniers Counter-revolution
Encyclopedia
When the May Revolution
took place in Buenos Aires
(modern Argentina
) in 1810, the former viceroy Santiago de Liniers
led an ill-fated counter-revolutionary attempt from the city of Córdoba
. It was quickly thwarted by the patriotic forces from Buenos Aires led by Ortiz de Ocampo, who captured the leaders and dispatched them to Buenos Aires as prisoners. Fearing a political commotion, the Primera Junta
ordered Juan José Castelli
to intercept the party before the arrival, take command of the army and shoot the prisoners.
was deposed by the May Revolution
, and replaced by the Primera Junta
, requesting the other cities in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
to join them and send deputies. Liniers was living by then at Córdoba. After being deposed, Cisneros sent instructions to Liniers to prepare a resistance against the revolution, granting him full powers to do so. A meeting of notable people from Córdoba, including Liniers, made a meeting to decide what to do. Only the Dean Gregorio Funes
supported the actions of Buenos Aires, all the others elected to take arms against it.
The royalist perspectives were favourable: the Junta was not recognized by Paraguay, Montevideo was preparing to take actions, and Goyeneche and Nieto could bring strong reinforcements from the north. If Cordoba could stand, the fate of the Primera Junta would have been doomed.
The Junta decided then that the best strategy would be to act immediately against the counter-revolution in Cordoba. Francisco Ortiz de Ocampo prepared an army and headed to Córdoba, with orders from the Junta to take the leaders prisoners. A later order would request instead the death of the counter-revolutionaries. Although this ruling is commonly attributed to Mariano Moreno
, it was supported and signed by all members of the Junta, with the sole exception of Manuel Alberti
, who couldn't approve the capital punishment because of his religious titles.
There was no battle: all the forces gathered by Liniers deserted, and he was left alone. He intended to escape to the north and reunite with the armies of Nieto and Goyeneche, but Ocampo managed to capture him and the other leaders. However, he didn't shoot them, but dispatched them as prisoners to Buenos Aires, following the first orders and a petition by the population of Córdoba.
Mariano Moreno did not accept this, fearing that the prestige of Liniers may cause a political commotion if held prisoner or executed in the city. He requested then the vocal Juan José Castelli
to intercept the convoy, take command of the army and enforce the ruling. By this time, the bishop Orellana was spared from the death sentence.
Castelli got to the prisoners in time, and shot them without trial at Cabeza de Tigre.
After the patriotic
success, the administration of Córdoba was purged of royalists, and Pueyrredón was designated as new governor. A following open cabildo
choose Funes as the deputy decreed by the Junta. The army would keep the march to the north, to the First Alto Perú campaign
.
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
took place in 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...
(modern Argentina
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...
) in 1810, the former viceroy Santiago de Liniers
Santiago de Liniers
Jacques de Liniers was a French officer in the Spanish military service, and a viceroy of the Spanish colonies of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He is more widely known by the Spanish form of his name, Santiago de Liniers...
led an ill-fated counter-revolutionary attempt from the city of Córdoba
Córdoba, Argentina
Córdoba is a city located near the geographical center of Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province. Córdoba is the second-largest city in Argentina after the federal capital Buenos Aires, with...
. It was quickly thwarted by the patriotic forces from Buenos Aires led by Ortiz de Ocampo, who captured the leaders and dispatched them to Buenos Aires as prisoners. Fearing a political commotion, the Primera Junta
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta or First Assembly is the most common name given to the first independent government of Argentina. It was created on 25 May 1810, as a result of the events of the May Revolution. The Junta initially had representatives from only Buenos Aires...
ordered Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli was an Argentine lawyer. He was one of the leaders of the May Revolution, which started the Argentine War of Independence...
to intercept the party before the arrival, take command of the army and shoot the prisoners.
Development
On May 25, 1810, Viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de CisnerosBaltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros
Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros de la Torre was a Spanish naval officer born in Cartagena. He took part in the Battle of Cape St Vincent and the Battle of Trafalgar, and in the Spanish resistance against Napoleon's invasion in 1808. He was later appointed Viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la...
was deposed by the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
, and replaced by the Primera Junta
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta or First Assembly is the most common name given to the first independent government of Argentina. It was created on 25 May 1810, as a result of the events of the May Revolution. The Junta initially had representatives from only Buenos Aires...
, requesting the other cities in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...
to join them and send deputies. Liniers was living by then at Córdoba. After being deposed, Cisneros sent instructions to Liniers to prepare a resistance against the revolution, granting him full powers to do so. A meeting of notable people from Córdoba, including Liniers, made a meeting to decide what to do. Only the Dean Gregorio Funes
Gregorio Funes
Gregorio Funes , also known as Deán Funes, was an Argentine clergyman, educator, historian, and lawmaker who played a significant role in his nation's early, post-independence history.-Early life and the priesthood:...
supported the actions of Buenos Aires, all the others elected to take arms against it.
The royalist perspectives were favourable: the Junta was not recognized by Paraguay, Montevideo was preparing to take actions, and Goyeneche and Nieto could bring strong reinforcements from the north. If Cordoba could stand, the fate of the Primera Junta would have been doomed.
The Junta decided then that the best strategy would be to act immediately against the counter-revolution in Cordoba. Francisco Ortiz de Ocampo prepared an army and headed to Córdoba, with orders from the Junta to take the leaders prisoners. A later order would request instead the death of the counter-revolutionaries. Although this ruling is commonly attributed to Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno
Mariano Moreno was an Argentine lawyer, journalist, and politician. He played a decisive role in the Primera Junta, the first national government of Argentina, created after the May Revolution....
, it was supported and signed by all members of the Junta, with the sole exception of Manuel Alberti
Manuel Alberti
Manuel Máximo Alberti was a priest from Buenos Aires, when the city was part of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He had a curacy at Maldonado, Uruguay during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata, and returned to Buenos Aires in time to take part in the May Revolution of 1810...
, who couldn't approve the capital punishment because of his religious titles.
There was no battle: all the forces gathered by Liniers deserted, and he was left alone. He intended to escape to the north and reunite with the armies of Nieto and Goyeneche, but Ocampo managed to capture him and the other leaders. However, he didn't shoot them, but dispatched them as prisoners to Buenos Aires, following the first orders and a petition by the population of Córdoba.
Mariano Moreno did not accept this, fearing that the prestige of Liniers may cause a political commotion if held prisoner or executed in the city. He requested then the vocal Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli
Juan José Castelli was an Argentine lawyer. He was one of the leaders of the May Revolution, which started the Argentine War of Independence...
to intercept the convoy, take command of the army and enforce the ruling. By this time, the bishop Orellana was spared from the death sentence.
Castelli got to the prisoners in time, and shot them without trial at Cabeza de Tigre.
After the patriotic
Patriot (Spanish American Revolution)
Patriots was the name the peoples of the Spanish America, who rebelled against Spanish control during the Spanish American wars of independence, called themselves. They supported the principles of the Age of Enlightenment and sought to replace the existing governing structures with Juntas...
success, the administration of Córdoba was purged of royalists, and Pueyrredón was designated as new governor. A following open cabildo
Open cabildo
The open cabildo was a special mode of assembly of the inhabitants of Latin American cities during the Spanish colonial period, in case of emergencies or disasters. Usually, the colonial cities were governed by a Cabildo, municipal-type institutions composed of officials appointed by the colonial...
choose Funes as the deputy decreed by the Junta. The army would keep the march to the north, to the First Alto Perú campaign
First Alto Perú campaign
The first Upper Peru campaign was a military campaign of the Argentine War of Independence, which took place in 1810. It was headed by Juan José Castelli, and attempted to expand the influence of the Buenos Aires May Revolution in Upper Peru...
.