María Josefa Lastiri
Encyclopedia
María Josefa Lastiri Lozano (October 20, 1792 – 1846) was the wife of General Francisco Morazán
and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Central America
, Honduras
, El Salvador
, and Costa Rica
. She was born on October 20, 1792 to her parents Juan Miguel Lastiri and Margarita Lozano y Borjas in Tegucigalpa
. Honduras
. She first married landowner Esteban Travieso in 1818 , with whom she had 4 children but he later died in 1825. Upon his death, she inherited a fortune. On December 30, 1825 she married Francisco Morazán in Comayagua
, with whom she only had one daughter, Adela Morazán Lastiri.
She was First Lady of Honduras
from 1827 to 1830, of the Federal Republic of Central America
from 1830 to 1834 and from 1835 to 1839, and of the State of El Salvador
from 1839 to 1840. She backed General Morazán's political and military activities, in which she lost the large capital her first husband inherited her at death. Due to the constant fighting and turmoil in El Salvador at the time, she left the country and sought asylum in Costa Rica
. The Costa Rican government said it would grant the request if she and her family agreed to settle in the city of Esparza
. Lastiri rejected the offer and instead went to Chiriquí
, where she later met her husband. When Morazán took power in Costa Rica
he immediately sent a boat to Chiriquí to pick up Lastiri and her family.
After Morazán's fall from power and execution in September 1842, Lastiri and her family left the country and returned to El Salvador. She died in San Salvador
in 1846.
Francisco Morazán
General Francisco Morazán was a Honduran general and a politician who ruled several Central American states at different times during the turbulent period from 1827 to 1842. He rose to prominence at the legendary Battle of La Trinidad on November 11, 1827...
and the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Central America
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. She was born on October 20, 1792 to her parents Juan Miguel Lastiri and Margarita Lozano y Borjas in Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa
Tegucigalpa , and commonly referred as Tegus , is the capital of Honduras and seat of government of the Republic, along with its twin sister Comayagüela. Founded on September 29, 1578 by the Spanish, it became the country's capital on October 30, 1880 under President Marco Aurelio Soto...
. Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. She first married landowner Esteban Travieso in 1818 , with whom she had 4 children but he later died in 1825. Upon his death, she inherited a fortune. On December 30, 1825 she married Francisco Morazán in Comayagua
Comayagua
Comayagua is a city in Honduras, some 80 km northwest of Tegucigalpa on the highway to San Pedro Sula at an elevation of 594 meters above sea level. In 2003 the estimated population was 60,000 people. It is the capital of the Comayagua department of Honduras. The city is noted for its wealth...
, with whom she only had one daughter, Adela Morazán Lastiri.
She was First Lady of Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
from 1827 to 1830, of the Federal Republic of Central America
Federal Republic of Central America
The Federal Republic of Central America, known as the United Provinces of Central America in its first year of creation, was a sovereign state in Central America, which consisted of the territories of the former Captaincy General of Guatemala of New Spain...
from 1830 to 1834 and from 1835 to 1839, and of the State of El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
from 1839 to 1840. She backed General Morazán's political and military activities, in which she lost the large capital her first husband inherited her at death. Due to the constant fighting and turmoil in El Salvador at the time, she left the country and sought asylum in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. The Costa Rican government said it would grant the request if she and her family agreed to settle in the city of Esparza
Esparza Canton
Esparza is the name of the second canton in the province of Puntarenas in Costa Rica. The canton covers an area of 216.80 km², and has a population of 25,503. Its capital city is also called Esparza....
. Lastiri rejected the offer and instead went to Chiriquí
Chiriquí Province
Chiriquí is a province of Panama, it is located on the western coast of Panama, and it is also the second most developed province in the country, after the Panamá Province. Its capital is the city of David. It has a total area of 6,490.9 km², with a population of 416,873 as of the year 2010...
, where she later met her husband. When Morazán took power in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
he immediately sent a boat to Chiriquí to pick up Lastiri and her family.
After Morazán's fall from power and execution in September 1842, Lastiri and her family left the country and returned to El Salvador. She died in San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
in 1846.