Nicolás de Piérola
Encyclopedia
H.E. Don Jose Nicolás Baltasar Fernández de Piérola y Villena (known as "El Califa" ("The Caliph"); January 5, 1839 – June 23, 1913) was a prominent Peru
vian politician, the Finance Minister
and twice President of the Republic of Peru (from 1879 to 1881 and 1895 to 1899).
. He moved to Lima
to study theology at the Seminario de Santo Toribio, and later obtained his law degree from the Faculty of Law. His parents died in 1857.
He married Doña Jesusa de Iturbide, believed to be the illegitimate daughter of Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte
the son of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide
of Mexico
.
under President José Balta
. He requested, from the Parliament, broad powers in order to negotiate with several companies and to get the best possible deal. The result of his negotiations, the so-called "Hires Dreyfus" treaty was signed with a French company, the "Dreyfus Brothers".
The treaty granted the Dreyfus house of Paris the monopoly of the Peruvian guano
exports. Though successful at first, he was later accused and impeached under Pardo's administration of misappropriating funds, but was honorably acquitted of dishonest practice after he managed to obtain the support of Congress.
the ironclad Huáscar
was seized at Callao port by followers of de Pierola. Led by the retired Navy Captain German Astete, it took part in the inconclusive Battle of Pacocha
in which, at the helm of the monitor "Huáscar
", they defeated (some say the battle was a draw) two British ships, the "Amethyst" and the "Shah".
Huáscar, however, surrendered to the government after almost one month of sabotage actions. Piérola was taken to Callao
after he surrendered, he preferred to remove himself to Valparaíso
and later to Europe.
(1879–1883) with Chile. In the course of these deliberations, President Mariano Ignacio Prado
left his vice president, Luis La Puerta in charge of the government and decided to leave for Europe to buy more armament and obtain more money for the war. Many Peruvians (and parts of the Armed Forces
) took this as an excuse for his inability to govern in the middle of the war.
During the course of these events, Piérola took advantage of President Prado's absence and proclaimed himself "Supreme Commander in Chief" on December 21. With part of the Army supporting his actions, he launched a successful coup d'état
, with heavy fighting and casualties between both factions. Piérola assumed full power on December 23, 1879.
Piérola, after securing the loyalty of the troops that were in the capital, launched a ruthless campaign to censor the press. "El Comercio", the oldest newspaper in the capital, did not appear for 3 years. The Army was purged, and in several cases the seniority was ignored. Officers loyal to Pierola were put in charge based only in their political allegiance rather than experience. General. Andrés Avelino Cáceres
and Admiral Lizardo Montero viewed their influence severely diminished.
After several defeats that the Peruvian Army suffered in Tacna
and Arica
, Piérola ordered what was left of the Army to protect the capital. In this way, the Peruvian army and poorly armed citizens that volunteered to the fight were set up to defend Lima. Fooled by the enemy, Piérola expected a Chilean assault from the north of the city, and marched with a large contingent of troops to the city of Ancón
.
At the end, the Chilean assault was launched from the south. In this way, and with no reinforcements available, the Peruvian forces were defeated in the battles of San Juan and Miraflores, and the city of Lima fell in January 1881 to the forces of General Baquedano. The southern suburbs of Lima, including the upscale beach area of Chorrillos
, were sacked and burned to the ground.
After Chilean forces invaded Lima
in 1881, Piérola had to abandon the capital and leave for Ayacucho
, yet was unsuccessful commanding Peruvian forces from there also. To make matters worse, Chile had never recognized his government. Chile installed its own Government in Lima, and Piérola was soon forced to resign in the midst of the conflict on November 28 of that same year. What remained of his forces was gathered by Andrés Avelino Cáceres
, who was able to launch a guerrilla war against the invading Chilean forces.
, who had taken control of the government after the death of Remigio Morales Bermúdez
, whose Vice President was prevented by Cáceres to take office. Pierola was successful in overthrowing Cáceres and once again became president of Peru in 1895. The politician's second coup became very controversial for it was realized in a messianic and very violent fashion: over a thousand people were murdered in what was supposed to be Pierola's triumphal entry into Lima
For the Peruvian Elections of 1895, Piérola's platform included several members of the Civilista Party
, and thus he was not challenged by any other candidate. He was elected President after receiving 4150 votes out of 4310 valid votes.
It is generally accepted that his Presidency inaugurated the "Aristocratic Republic", a period in which the economic and political "elite" was the sole and undisputed ruling class of the country. This period was marked with the reconstruction of a devastated Peru by initiating fiscal, military, religious, and civil reforms.
One of his most successful reforms was the issuing of the "Libra Peruana", gold currency of the same value as the British Sovereign, which gave Peru unprecedented monetary stability. The country started a slow but steady economic reform that effectively minimized the recession, while at the same time allowed an effective modernization of the State. He also sponsored the immigration of Japanese citizens to Peru
.
Thus, his second term was successfully completed in 1899 and, in the same year, Eduardo López de Romaña
, a prominent member of the Civilista Party
, was elected President.
. This was widely seen as a terrible political mistake, since he was defeated by an independent coalition led by Agustín Elguera. His influence in politics faded away and he made another political mistake by supporting his brothers Carlos, Isaías and Amadeo in their attempt to overthrown President Augusto B. Leguía
.
His political influence continued to decline during his final years. He died in Lima in 1913.
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
vian politician, the Finance Minister
Finance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
and twice President of the Republic of Peru (from 1879 to 1881 and 1895 to 1899).
Early years
Nicolás de Piérola was born and educated in the southern Peruvian city of ArequipaArequipa
Arequipa is the capital city of the Arequipa Region in southern Peru. With a population of 836,859 it is the second most populous city of the country...
. He moved to Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
to study theology at the Seminario de Santo Toribio, and later obtained his law degree from the Faculty of Law. His parents died in 1857.
He married Doña Jesusa de Iturbide, believed to be the illegitimate daughter of Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte
Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte
Don Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte, Prince Imperial of Mexico, OG OME was the son of the first Mexican Emperor Agustín I of Mexico, the heir apparent to the First Mexican Empire and a member of the Imperial House of Iturbide; later in his life he served as a military officer in South...
the son of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu , also known as Augustine I of Mexico, was a Mexican army general who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Minister of Economy
From 1868 to 1871, he became Finance MinisterFinance minister
The finance minister is a cabinet position in a government.A minister of finance has many different jobs in a government. He or she helps form the government budget, stimulate the economy, and control finances...
under President José Balta
José Balta
José Balta y Montero was a Peruvian soldier and politician who was president of Peru from 1868 to 1872. He was the son of John Balta Bru and Agustina Montero Casafranca....
. He requested, from the Parliament, broad powers in order to negotiate with several companies and to get the best possible deal. The result of his negotiations, the so-called "Hires Dreyfus" treaty was signed with a French company, the "Dreyfus Brothers".
The treaty granted the Dreyfus house of Paris the monopoly of the Peruvian guano
Guano
Guano is the excrement of seabirds, cave dwelling bats, and seals. Guano manure is an effective fertilizer due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor. It was an important source of nitrates for gunpowder...
exports. Though successful at first, he was later accused and impeached under Pardo's administration of misappropriating funds, but was honorably acquitted of dishonest practice after he managed to obtain the support of Congress.
Coup against Prado
On May 6, 1877, in an attempt to overthrow the government of Mariano Ignacio PradoMariano Ignacio Prado
Mariano Ignacio Prado Ochoa was twice the President of Peru, from 1865 to 1868 and 1876 to 1879).-Biography:Born in Huánuco in 1826, he entered the army at an early age and served in the provinces of Southern Peru....
the ironclad Huáscar
Huáscar (ship)
Huáscar is a 19th century small armoured turret ship of a type similar to a monitor. She was built in Britain for Peru and played a significant role in the battle of Pacocha and the War of the Pacific against Chile before being captured and commissioned with the Chilean Navy. Today she is one of...
was seized at Callao port by followers of de Pierola. Led by the retired Navy Captain German Astete, it took part in the inconclusive Battle of Pacocha
Battle of Pacocha
The naval Incident of Pacocha took place on 6 May 1877 when Nicolás de Piérola was leading a revolution to overthrow then Peruvian President Mariano Ignacio Prado. Piérola used the Peruvian monitor Huáscar as a raiding ship. She practiced sabotage primarily against the government forces of Peru...
in which, at the helm of the monitor "Huáscar
Huáscar (ship)
Huáscar is a 19th century small armoured turret ship of a type similar to a monitor. She was built in Britain for Peru and played a significant role in the battle of Pacocha and the War of the Pacific against Chile before being captured and commissioned with the Chilean Navy. Today she is one of...
", they defeated (some say the battle was a draw) two British ships, the "Amethyst" and the "Shah".
Huáscar, however, surrendered to the government after almost one month of sabotage actions. Piérola was taken to Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
after he surrendered, he preferred to remove himself to Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
and later to Europe.
Coup against Prado
Piérola was finally allowed to come back to Peru in 1879, taking advantage of the War of the PacificWar 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...
(1879–1883) with Chile. In the course of these deliberations, President Mariano Ignacio Prado
Mariano Ignacio Prado
Mariano Ignacio Prado Ochoa was twice the President of Peru, from 1865 to 1868 and 1876 to 1879).-Biography:Born in Huánuco in 1826, he entered the army at an early age and served in the provinces of Southern Peru....
left his vice president, Luis La Puerta in charge of the government and decided to leave for Europe to buy more armament and obtain more money for the war. Many Peruvians (and parts of the Armed Forces
Military of Peru
The Peruvian Armed Forces are the military services of Peru, comprising independent Army, Navy and Air Force components. Their primary mission is to safeguard the country's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity against any threat...
) took this as an excuse for his inability to govern in the middle of the war.
During the course of these events, Piérola took advantage of President Prado's absence and proclaimed himself "Supreme Commander in Chief" on December 21. With part of the Army supporting his actions, he launched a successful coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, with heavy fighting and casualties between both factions. Piérola assumed full power on December 23, 1879.
Supreme Commander-in-Chief
Andrés Avelino Cáceres
Andrés Avelino Cáceres Dorregaray was three times President of Peru during the 19th century, from 1884 to 1885, then from 1886 to 1890, and again from 1894 to 1895...
and Admiral Lizardo Montero viewed their influence severely diminished.
After several defeats that the Peruvian Army suffered in Tacna
Tacna
- Rail :Tacna is served by a cross-border standard gauge railway to Arica, Chile.It is also the location of the National Railway Museum of Peru.-Air:Tacna is served by the Crnl. FAP...
and Arica
Arica
Arica is a city in northern Chile. "Arica" may also refer to:Places* Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile* Arica Airport , Chile* Arica, Amazonas, town in Colombia* Rio Aricá-açu, tributary of the Cuiabá River south of Cuiabá, BrazilOther...
, Piérola ordered what was left of the Army to protect the capital. In this way, the Peruvian army and poorly armed citizens that volunteered to the fight were set up to defend Lima. Fooled by the enemy, Piérola expected a Chilean assault from the north of the city, and marched with a large contingent of troops to the city of Ancón
Ancón District
Ancón is a district of northern Lima Province in Peru. It is a popular beach resort, visited every summer by hundreds of people from Lima.Officially established as a district on October 29, 1874, the current mayor of Ancón is Jaime Jesús Pajuelo Torres. The district's postal code is...
.
At the end, the Chilean assault was launched from the south. In this way, and with no reinforcements available, the Peruvian forces were defeated in the battles of San Juan and Miraflores, and the city of Lima fell in January 1881 to the forces of General Baquedano. The southern suburbs of Lima, including the upscale beach area of Chorrillos
Chorrillos
Chorrillos is a district of the Lima Province in Peru and part of the city of Lima. It gets its name from the Spanish word for "trickle of water"...
, were sacked and burned to the ground.
After Chilean forces invaded Lima
Lima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
in 1881, Piérola had to abandon the capital and leave for Ayacucho
Ayacucho
Ayacucho is the capital city of Huamanga Province, Ayacucho Region, Peru.Ayacucho is famous for its 33 churches, which represent one for each year of Jesus's life. Ayacucho has large religious celebrations, especially during the Holy Week of Easter...
, yet was unsuccessful commanding Peruvian forces from there also. To make matters worse, Chile had never recognized his government. Chile installed its own Government in Lima, and Piérola was soon forced to resign in the midst of the conflict on November 28 of that same year. What remained of his forces was gathered by Andrés Avelino Cáceres
Andrés Avelino Cáceres
Andrés Avelino Cáceres Dorregaray was three times President of Peru during the 19th century, from 1884 to 1885, then from 1886 to 1890, and again from 1894 to 1895...
, who was able to launch a guerrilla war against the invading Chilean forces.
Coup against Cáceres
However, this was not the end of Piérola as he would prove himself president of Peru years later as the leader of the Democratic Party of Peru, which he had founded in 1882. In 1894, after associating his party with the Civil Party of Peru to organize guerillas with fighters to occupy Lima, he ousted Andrés Avelino CáceresAndrés Avelino Cáceres
Andrés Avelino Cáceres Dorregaray was three times President of Peru during the 19th century, from 1884 to 1885, then from 1886 to 1890, and again from 1894 to 1895...
, who had taken control of the government after the death of Remigio Morales Bermúdez
Remigio Morales Bermúdez
Remigio Morales Bermúdez was president of Peru from 1890 to 1894. His predecessor until 1890 was Andrés Avelino Cáceres, his successor was Justiniano Borgoño in 1894. He died while still in office....
, whose Vice President was prevented by Cáceres to take office. Pierola was successful in overthrowing Cáceres and once again became president of Peru in 1895. The politician's second coup became very controversial for it was realized in a messianic and very violent fashion: over a thousand people were murdered in what was supposed to be Pierola's triumphal entry into Lima
Presidency
Civilista Party
The Civilista Party was a conservative political party in Peru.Founded as a counter measure against the growing power of the military in Peru during the first half of the Republic, the party's sole purpose was to establish a civilian rule in the country...
, and thus he was not challenged by any other candidate. He was elected President after receiving 4150 votes out of 4310 valid votes.
It is generally accepted that his Presidency inaugurated the "Aristocratic Republic", a period in which the economic and political "elite" was the sole and undisputed ruling class of the country. This period was marked with the reconstruction of a devastated Peru by initiating fiscal, military, religious, and civil reforms.
One of his most successful reforms was the issuing of the "Libra Peruana", gold currency of the same value as the British Sovereign, which gave Peru unprecedented monetary stability. The country started a slow but steady economic reform that effectively minimized the recession, while at the same time allowed an effective modernization of the State. He also sponsored the immigration of Japanese citizens to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Thus, his second term was successfully completed in 1899 and, in the same year, Eduardo López de Romaña
Eduardo López de Romaña
Eduardo López de Romaña y Alvizuri was President of Peru from 1899 to 1903. A respected member of the Peruvian Elite and López de Romaña Family, he was the first engineer to become President of the Republic, and one of several Presidents from the Civilista Party during the era of the "Aristocratic...
, a prominent member of the Civilista Party
Civilista Party
The Civilista Party was a conservative political party in Peru.Founded as a counter measure against the growing power of the military in Peru during the first half of the Republic, the party's sole purpose was to establish a civilian rule in the country...
, was elected President.
Post-presidency
In 1890, Pierola intended to return to politics, this time running for the Mayorship of LimaLima
Lima is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón, Rímac and Lurín rivers, in the central part of the country, on a desert coast overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Together with the seaport of Callao, it forms a contiguous urban area known as the Lima...
. This was widely seen as a terrible political mistake, since he was defeated by an independent coalition led by Agustín Elguera. His influence in politics faded away and he made another political mistake by supporting his brothers Carlos, Isaías and Amadeo in their attempt to overthrown President Augusto B. Leguía
Augusto B. Leguía
Augusto Bernardino Leguía y Salcedo was a Peruvian politician who twice occupied the Presidency of Peru, from 1908 to 1912 and from 1919 to 1930.-Early life:...
.
His political influence continued to decline during his final years. He died in Lima in 1913.