Mutiny of Álzaga
Encyclopedia
The Mutiny of Álzaga was an ill-fated attempt to remove Santiago de Liniers
as viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
. It took place on January 1, 1809, and it was led by the merchant Martín de Álzaga
. The troops of Cornelio Saavedra
, head of the Regiment of Patricians, defeated it and kept Liniers in power.
, but after it Liniers was designated as viceroy, replacing Rafael de Sobremonte
. Álzaga ambitioned that role as well, and attempted to remove Liniers from power. The chance came when the Peninsular War
took place in Spain, with the king Ferdinand VII being taken prisoner by Napoleon.
Álzaga's ally, Francisco Javier de Elío
, created a Junta
in the city of Montevideo
, and Álzaga attempted to do the same.
For this end he tried to promote rulings that Liniers would be likely to reject, such as to reject the designation of Bernardino Rivadavia
as ensign, or a new designations of members for the Buenos Aires Cabildo
full of enemies of Liniers. However, the viceroy reluctantly agreed to both things.
The members of the Cabildo decided to go on with their plan anyway. They have gathered a group of symphatizers in the Plaza, and the bulk of the Cabildo, the priest of the city, the Real Audience and the Consulate appeared at the Fort, requesting Linier's resignation. Liniers was ready to sign it, but Saavedra dispersed the rioters and stopped the formalization of the resignation.
Liniers thought that, as the population rejected him, he should resign. Saavedra argued that the rioters were not the population, and requested him to see the Plaza, which was now filled with supporters of Liniers. Thus, he gave up his idea of resigning, and stayed in power.
explained the mutiny of Álzaga and the May Revolution
as closely related events, with the former being an antecedent of the later. This approach was rejected by Vicente Fidel López
, who described Álzaga as highly pro-Spanish, decided monarchist and keeper of the Spanish integrity against the goals of the Criollos. He interpreted the events as mere domestic policy, a dispute about who was more loyal to the king, and deemed Álzaga as counter-revolutionary for acting against the goals of the factions that would eventually prevail in the May Revolution a year later. Later historians would accept López's version as canonical.
The mutiny was later studied by Enrique de Gandía
and Enrique Williams Álzaga, who described it as a clear independantist attempt: Álzaga would have been seeking to remove Liniers and replace him with a Junta, with the purpose of declaring full independence in the case the Spanish government failed completely in Europe. Ernesto Palacio
thought that, instead of a victory of Criollos over Peninsulars, it was a victory of conformism and conservatism over a revolutionary will.
Santiago de Liniers
Jacques de Liniers was a French officer in the Spanish military service, and a viceroy of the Spanish colonies of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. He is more widely known by the Spanish form of his name, Santiago de Liniers...
as viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, , was the last and most short-lived Viceroyalty of the Spanish Empire in America.The Viceroyalty was established in 1776 out of several former Viceroyalty of Perú dependencies that mainly extended over the Río de la Plata basin, roughly the present day...
. It took place on January 1, 1809, and it was led by the merchant Martín de Álzaga
Martín de Álzaga (politician)
Martín de Alzaga , was a Spanish merchant and politician during the British invasions of the Río de la Plata.- Hero of the Reconquest :...
. The troops of Cornelio Saavedra
Cornelio Saavedra
Cornelio Judas Tadeo de Saavedra y Rodríguez was a military officer and statesman from the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata...
, head of the Regiment of Patricians, defeated it and kept Liniers in power.
Development
Liniers and Álzaga were heroes of the resistance against the British invasions of the Río de la PlataBritish invasions of the Río de la Plata
The British invasions of the Río de la Plata were a series of unsuccessful British attempts to seize control of the Spanish colonies located around the La Plata Basin in South America . The invasions took place between 1806 and 1807, as part of the Napoleonic Wars, when Spain was an ally of...
, but after it Liniers was designated as viceroy, replacing Rafael de Sobremonte
Rafael de Sobremonte
Don Rafael de Sobremonte y Núñez del Castillo, 3rd Marquis of Sobremonte , third Marquis of Sobremonte, was an aristocrat, military man and Spanish colonial administrator, and Viceroy of the Río de la Plata...
. Álzaga ambitioned that role as well, and attempted to remove Liniers from power. The chance came when the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
took place in Spain, with the king Ferdinand VII being taken prisoner by Napoleon.
Álzaga's ally, Francisco Javier de Elío
Francisco Javier de Elío
Francisco Javier de Elío , was a Spanish military, governor of Montevideo and the last Viceroy of the Río de la Plata. He was also instrumental in the Absolutist repression after the restoration of Ferdinand VII as King of Spain...
, created a Junta
Junta (Peninsular War)
In the Napoleonic era, junta was the name chosen by several local administrations formed in Spain during the Peninsular War as a patriotic alternative to the official administration toppled by the French invaders...
in the city 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...
, and Álzaga attempted to do the same.
For this end he tried to promote rulings that Liniers would be likely to reject, such as to reject the designation of Bernardino Rivadavia
Bernardino Rivadavia
Bernardino de la Trinidad Gónzalez Rivadavia y Rivadavia was the first president of Argentina, from February 8, 1826 to July 7, 1827 . He was a politician of the United Provinces of Río de la Plata, Argentina today...
as ensign, or a new designations of members for the Buenos Aires Cabildo
Buenos Aires Cabildo
The Buenos Aires Cabildo is the public building in Buenos Aires that was used as seat of the ayuntamiento during the colonial times and the government house of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata...
full of enemies of Liniers. However, the viceroy reluctantly agreed to both things.
The members of the Cabildo decided to go on with their plan anyway. They have gathered a group of symphatizers in the Plaza, and the bulk of the Cabildo, the priest of the city, the Real Audience and the Consulate appeared at the Fort, requesting Linier's resignation. Liniers was ready to sign it, but Saavedra dispersed the rioters and stopped the formalization of the resignation.
Liniers thought that, as the population rejected him, he should resign. Saavedra argued that the rioters were not the population, and requested him to see the Plaza, which was now filled with supporters of Liniers. Thus, he gave up his idea of resigning, and stayed in power.
Consequences
As a consequence of the failure of the mutiny, the leaders of it were judged and imprisoned in Carmen de Patagones. The peninsular military groups that supported it were disbanded, remaining only the ones composed by Criollos, who increased their political power in the city.Historical perspectives
Historian Bartolomé MitreBartolomé Mitre
Bartolomé Mitre Martínez was an Argentine statesman, military figure, and author. He was the President of Argentina from 1862 to 1868.-Life and times:...
explained the mutiny of Álzaga and the May Revolution
May Revolution
The May Revolution was a week-long series of events that took place from May 18 to 25, 1810, in Buenos Aires, capital of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, a Spanish colony that included roughly the territories of present-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay...
as closely related events, with the former being an antecedent of the later. This approach was rejected by Vicente Fidel López
Vicente Fidel López
Vicente Fidel López was an Argentine historian, lawyer and politician. He was a son of writer and politician Vicente López y Planes.-Biography:...
, who described Álzaga as highly pro-Spanish, decided monarchist and keeper of the Spanish integrity against the goals of the Criollos. He interpreted the events as mere domestic policy, a dispute about who was more loyal to the king, and deemed Álzaga as counter-revolutionary for acting against the goals of the factions that would eventually prevail in the May Revolution a year later. Later historians would accept López's version as canonical.
The mutiny was later studied by Enrique de Gandía
Enrique de Gandía
Enrique de Gandía was an Argentine historian, author of over a hundred books.He taught, as a professor of School of Fine Arts , the University of Morón and the University of Belgrano , being co-founder of the latter two. He also held the chair of Political Science at the Kennedy University...
and Enrique Williams Álzaga, who described it as a clear independantist attempt: Álzaga would have been seeking to remove Liniers and replace him with a Junta, with the purpose of declaring full independence in the case the Spanish government failed completely in Europe. Ernesto Palacio
Ernesto Palacio
Ernesto Palacio is a Peruvian tenor, particularly associated with Rossini and Mozart roles.Palacio first studied theology before turning to music...
thought that, instead of a victory of Criollos over Peninsulars, it was a victory of conformism and conservatism over a revolutionary will.