Manuel José Jimenes González (January 14, 1808 December 22, 1854) was a Cuba

Cuba

The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...

n born military figure and politician in the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

. He served as the second President of the Dominican Republic from August 4, 1848 until May 30, 1849. Prior to that he served as the country's Minister of War and Marine Affairs.

Early years

Jimenes was born on January 14, 1808 in Baracoa, Guantanamo, Cuba to Juan Jimenes and Altagracia González.

Political career

During the nascent years of the Republic, Jimenes served as the country's Minister of War and Marine Matters under Pedro Santana

Pedro Santana

Pedro Santana y Familias was a wealthy cattle rancher, soldier, politician and dictator of the Dominican Republic. He was born in the community of Hinche, which was part of the Colony of Santo Domingo. Currently, Hinche is a border town part of Haiti...

. When Santana relinquished the Presidency on August 4, 1848, General Jimenes was elected the constitutional President. That same year Haitian forces under Emperor Soulouque

Faustin I of Haiti

Faustin I was born Faustin-Élie Soulouque. He was a career officer and general in the Haïtian army when he was elected President of Haïti in 1847. In 1849 he was proclaimed Emperor of Haïti under the name of Faustin I...

, invaded the Dominican Republic

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...

. Jimenes was unable to halt the Haitian forces and was forced to call upon Santana for military assistance. Santana was able to defeat the Haitian military, yet as a result Santana regained control of the Republic by overthrowing Jimenes.

Personal life

Jimenes married his first wife María Francisca Ravelo de los Reyes on August 19, 1835 in Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, known officially as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city in the Dominican Republic. Its metropolitan population was 2,084,852 in 2003, and estimated at 3,294,385 in 2010. The city is located on the Caribbean Sea, at the mouth of the Ozama River...

. The couple had 5 children: María del Carmen, Isabel Emilia, María de los Dolores, Manuel María and Manuel de Jesús.

On May 21, 1849 after marrying his second wife Altagracia Pereyra Pérez, the couple had a son Juan Isidro Jimenes Pereyra, whom would later become President of the Dominican Republic.

On December 22, 1854, Jimenes died in Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince

Port-au-Prince is the capital and largest city of the Caribbean nation of Haiti. The city's population was 704,776 as of the 2003 census, and was officially estimated to have reached 897,859 in 2009....

, Haiti

Haiti

Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...

.

Reference

• Biography at the Enciclopedia Virtual Dominicana