Mercedes Fontecilla
Encyclopedia
María Mercedes Fontecilla y Fernández de Valdivieso (June 18, 1799 – May 5, 1853) was a First Lady of Chile
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Mercedes Fontecilla was born in Santiago, the daughter of Diego Antonio Fontecilla Palacios and of Rosa Fernández de Valdivieso y Portusagasti. She married José Miguel Carrera Verdugo
on August 20, 1814, and together they had five children: Francisca Javiera, Roberta, Rosa, Josefa and José Miguel (who was born after the death of his father, and was in turn the father of Ignacio Carrera Pinto
, hero of the War of the Pacific
.) After the defeat of Rancagua, together with her husband, she emigrated to Argentina
. Mercedes Fontecilla followed him during all his campaigns and was allowed to return to Chile only in 1821.
After the execution of General Carrera in 1823, she married Diego José Benavente Bustamante, with whom she another four children: Benjamín, Mercedes, Mariana and Carolina. She died in Santiago at the age of 54.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
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Mercedes Fontecilla was born in Santiago, the daughter of Diego Antonio Fontecilla Palacios and of Rosa Fernández de Valdivieso y Portusagasti. She married José Miguel Carrera Verdugo
José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera Verdugo was a Chilean general, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most important leader of the Chilean War of Independence during the period of the Patria Vieja...
on August 20, 1814, and together they had five children: Francisca Javiera, Roberta, Rosa, Josefa and José Miguel (who was born after the death of his father, and was in turn the father of Ignacio Carrera Pinto
Ignacio Carrera Pinto
Ignacio Carrera Pinto is a Chilean hero of the War of the Pacific.He was born in Santiago, Chile; the son of José Miguel Carrera Fontecilla, of Basque descent, and of Emilia Pinto Benavente. He was the grandson of Jose Miguel Carrera Verdugo, one of Chile's independence heroes...
, hero of the War of the Pacific
War of the Pacific
The War of the Pacific took place in western South America from 1879 through 1883. Chile fought against Bolivia and Peru. Despite cooperation among the three nations in the war against Spain, disputes soon arose over the mineral-rich Peruvian provinces of Tarapaca, Tacna, and Arica, and the...
.) After the defeat of Rancagua, together with her husband, she emigrated to 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...
. Mercedes Fontecilla followed him during all his campaigns and was allowed to return to Chile only in 1821.
After the execution of General Carrera in 1823, she married Diego José Benavente Bustamante, with whom she another four children: Benjamín, Mercedes, Mariana and Carolina. She died in Santiago at the age of 54.