Lorenzo Cristóbal Manuel Batlle y Grau (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...

, August 10, 1810 - 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...

, May 8, 1887) was the President of Uruguay

President of Uruguay

The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...

 from 1868–1872.

Family Background and early career

He was the son of a wealthy merchant loyal to the Spanish

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...

 crown. Lorenzo Batlle's son, José Batlle y Ordóñez

José Batlle y Ordóñez

José Pablo Torcuato Batlle y Ordóñez was the president of Uruguay in 1899 and from 1903 until 1907 and for a further term from 1911 to 1915. He was the son of former president, Lorenzo Batlle y Grau. His children César, Rafael and Lorenzo Batlle Pacheco were actively engaged in politics...

, was later to be a longserving president of Uruguay.

Lorenzo Batlle was one of the distinguished members of the Colorado Party

Colorado Party (Uruguay)

The Colorado Party is a political party in Uruguay.- Aims :It unites Conservative, Moderate and Social democratic groups. It was the dominant party of government almost without exception during the stabilisation of the Uruguayan republic....

. He served as Minister of War during the siege of 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 March 1868 interim President Pedro Varela stepped down from the Presidency.

President of Uruguay

He was elected President of Uruguay

President of Uruguay

The President of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay is the head of state of Uruguay. His or her rights are determined in the Constitution of Uruguay. Conforms with the Secretariat of the Presidency, the Council of Ministers and the Director of the Office of Planning and Budget, the executive branch...

, serving from 1868-1872 .

His presidency failed because of a pre-existing monetary crisis. His attempts to control the country failed and, as a result, a civil war and military uprising erupted, culminating in his presidency and ushering in an era of dictatorship.

Death

He died in 1887, a poor man, but was respected as an historical figure for his attempts to help the country.

External links

• :es:Lorenzo Batlle