Martín Zurbano
Encyclopedia
Born in Varea, La Rioja
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
, the youngest of four siblings, he fought in the War of Spanish Independence as a guerrilla. With future generals like Francisco Espoz y Mina
Francisco Espoz y Mina
Francisco Espoz y Mina was a Spanish guerrilla leader and general.He was born at Idocin in Navarre. His father, Juan Esteban Espoz y Mina, and his mother, Maria Teresa Hundain y Ardaiz, belonged to the class of yeomen. Mina remained working on the small family inheritance until 1808...
, he defended the Constitution of 1812, and helped create the province of Logroño
La Rioja (Spain)
La Rioja is an autonomous community and a province of northern Spain. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and Nájera.-History:...
.
He then fought in First Carlist War
First Carlist War
The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833-1839.-Historical background:At the beginning of the 18th century, Philip V, the first Bourbon king of Spain, promulgated the Salic Law, which declared illegal the inheritance of the Spanish crown by women...
on the Liberal (Isabeline) side and rose to the rank of field marshal. A British article written in 1840 describes his role in this war: "In time of peace a contrabandista, or smuggler, he soon after the commencement of the war sought and obtained permission to raise a body of men to act in conjunction with the queen’s troops against the Carlists. His standard, once displayed, was resorted to by smugglers, robbers, and outcasts of all descriptions, attracted by the prospect of plunder and adventure. These were increased by deserters..."
Zurbano commanded the force known as the Compañía de Tiradores de Alava
Álava
Álava is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Álava. Its capital city is Vitoria-Gasteiz which is also the capital of the autonomous community...
(founded 1833), which had been joined with the Partida de Contra aduaneros (Anti-aduanero Party), and was known as the Partida de la Muerte (Party of Death). By 1836, the force was known as Batallón de Voluntarios de la Rioja Alavesa and was disbanded in 1840.
He was an ardent follower of Baldomero Espartero
Baldomero Espartero, Prince of Vergara
Don Joaquín Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Alvarez de Toro, 1st Prince of Vergara, 1st Duke of la Victoria, 1st Duke of Morella, 1st Count of Luchana, 1st Viscount of Banderas was a Spanish general and political figure...
, who named him military governor of Girona
Girona
Girona is a city in the northeast of Catalonia, Spain at the confluence of the rivers Ter, Onyar, Galligants and Güell, with an official population of 96,236 in January 2009. It is the capital of the province of the same name and of the comarca of the Gironès...
and commander general of Biscay
Biscay
Biscay is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lord of Biscay. Its capital city is Bilbao...
in 1840. Zurbano participated in the bombardment of Barcelona in 1843.
Zurbano suppressed the moderado faction in Biscay in 1841, and fought against Juan Prim
Juan Prim
Don Juan or Joan Prim, Marquis of los Castillejos, Grandee of Spain, Count of Reus, Viscount of the Bruch was a Spanish general and statesman.-Life:...
in Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
(1843).
He fled to Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
after the fall of Espartero, but Isabel II
Isabella II of Spain
Isabella II was the only female monarch of Spain in modern times. She came to the throne as an infant, but her succession was disputed by the Carlists, who refused to recognise a female sovereign, leading to the Carlist Wars. After a troubled reign, she was deposed in the Glorious Revolution of...
granted him a pardon. In 1844, he led a revolt with 80 men who advocated the adoption of the Constitution of 1837 (Grito de Nájera) and the return of Espartero. It included the support of key generals, including Juan Prim. Zurbano was imprisoned by Ramón María Narváez
Ramón María Narváez y Campos, 1st Duke of Valencia
Don Ramón María de Narváez y Campos, 1st Duke of Valencia was a Spanish soldier and statesman.-Biography:...
.
He was arrested and executed by firing squad, along with his sons Benito and Feliciano, by order of Narváez.