Pascual Ruiz Huidobro
Encyclopedia
Pascual Ruiz Huidobro Spanish soldier in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata
, who fought against the British invasions of the Río de la Plata
as Governor of Montevideo
.
Ruiz Huidobro had a long naval service career in the Spanish Navy, in Cádiz
and other locations. He arrived in the Río de la Plata
with the Viceroy Ceballos
expedition in 1777. After serving in different posts in Spanish America, he reached the post of Teniente General de Marina (Navy Lieutenant General). In 1803 he was named civil and military Governor of Montevideo and commander of the local navy fleet. The next year, with new Viceroy Sobremonte
, he was named chief troop inspector of the viceroyalty, that is to say second in military command after the viceroy.
and took it with little resistance.
Ruiz Huidobro organized an expedition to recapture Buenos Aires, but just as he was ready to leave, captain Liniers
arrived with fresh information about the local resistance that was being formed, and he was given command of the troops. Using the Montevideo troops and the local resistance, Liniers retook the city, putting an end to the first invasion of 1806.
The next year saw the British come back in the second invasion, landing at Maldonado
and then marching to Montevideo. Ruiz Huidobro made a serious strategic error by not defending the city from within the walled forts, coming out to do battle in open fields surrounding the city, where he was defeated. A few days later the city fell to the British. He was taken prisoner and sent to England.
About the same time, the cabildo
in Buenos Aires decided on the ouster of viceroy Sobremonte and his replacement by the second in command, Ruiz Huidobro. But by being captured, he lost his opportunity to become viceroy.
and Spain
during the he was freed and returned to Spain. During the Spanish War of Independence, he was a deputy in Galicia's Government Junta.
When the Supreme Junta was formed in Seville
, learned of Sobremonte's ouster, they named Ruiz Huidobro as his replacement as Viceroy of the Rio de la Plata, but when he arrived, he learned that the cabildo had named Liniers, who refused to cede command to him. As his naming to the post was not much more official that the one of Liniers, he accepted the post of Inspector of Arms of the Viceroyalty. This way he lost his second opportunity.
During the revolution of 1 January 1809, after the failure of the first attempts by Martín de Álzaga
, he supported Bishop Lué's idea of replacing Liniers with the most senior officer. The candidate was Ruiz Huidobro, who was recognized as such by Liniers. The fast and sudden move by colonel Cornelio Saavedra
saved the post for Liniers.
, and in the Cabildo Abierto of 22 May 1810, he was the second to speak, right after Bishop Lué. He voted for the deposement of the viceroy and giving political command and power to the Cabildo until the legitimate government of the King in Spain was restored (where the King was deposed by Napoleon, having placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte
in Madrid
). As the cabildo could not hold military command, the new candidate for the post was again Ruiz Huidobro. Following him at the Cabildo, Saavedra spoke supporting his argument but proposed instead a new form of government by a Junta
, the motion that won the day. For fourth, and last, time he lost his opportunity to become viceroy.
During the new Junta's government Primera Junta
he was relieved as military commander, as he was a suspect for being Spanish born. In 1812, the First Triumvirate
included him in the investigations about the purported Álzaga conspiracy. He was not tried, but found it more prudent to travel to Chile
, where he planned to offer his military services and experience to the dictator José Miguel Carrera
. The Second Triumvirate
named him ambassador to the Government in Chile. He never arrived as he died in transit in March 1813 in the city of Mendoza
.
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...
, who fought against the British invasions of the Río de la Plata
British 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...
as Governor 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...
.
Ruiz Huidobro had a long naval service career in the Spanish Navy, in Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
and other locations. He arrived in the Río de la Plata
Río de la Plata
The Río de la Plata —sometimes rendered River Plate in British English and the Commonwealth, and occasionally rendered [La] Plata River in other English-speaking countries—is the river and estuary formed by the confluence of the Uruguay River and the Paraná River on the border between Argentina and...
with the Viceroy Ceballos
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos Cortés y Calderón, also spelled Ceballos , was a Spanish military, Governor of Buenos Aires between 1757 and 1766, and the first Viceroy of the Río de la Plata in 1776....
expedition in 1777. After serving in different posts in Spanish America, he reached the post of Teniente General de Marina (Navy Lieutenant General). In 1803 he was named civil and military Governor of Montevideo and commander of the local navy fleet. The next year, with new Viceroy 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...
, he was named chief troop inspector of the viceroyalty, that is to say second in military command after the viceroy.
The British Invasions of 1806-1807
With the information that the British fleet was about to invade, the viceroy sent most of his troops to Montevideo, as it was thought to be the central focus of the invasion. Instead, the British landed near Buenos AiresBuenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
and took it with little resistance.
Ruiz Huidobro organized an expedition to recapture Buenos Aires, but just as he was ready to leave, captain Liniers
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...
arrived with fresh information about the local resistance that was being formed, and he was given command of the troops. Using the Montevideo troops and the local resistance, Liniers retook the city, putting an end to the first invasion of 1806.
The next year saw the British come back in the second invasion, landing at Maldonado
Maldonado, Uruguay
Maldonado is the capital of Maldonado Department of Uruguay. It is located on Route 39 and shares borders with Punta del Este to the south, Pinares - Las Delicias to the south and to the east and suburb La Sonrisa to the north. Together they all for a unified metropolitan area. East of the city...
and then marching to Montevideo. Ruiz Huidobro made a serious strategic error by not defending the city from within the walled forts, coming out to do battle in open fields surrounding the city, where he was defeated. A few days later the city fell to the British. He was taken prisoner and sent to England.
About the same time, the cabildo
Cabildo (council)
For a discussion of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American cabildo, see Ayuntamiento.A cabildo or ayuntamiento was a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of...
in Buenos Aires decided on the ouster of viceroy Sobremonte and his replacement by the second in command, Ruiz Huidobro. But by being captured, he lost his opportunity to become viceroy.
Return to the Río de la Plata
With the beginning of the alliance between BritainUnited Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
during the he was freed and returned to Spain. During the Spanish War of Independence, he was a deputy in Galicia's Government Junta.
When the Supreme Junta was formed in Seville
Seville
Seville is the artistic, historic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain. It is the capital of the autonomous community of Andalusia and of the province of Seville. It is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir, with an average elevation of above sea level...
, learned of Sobremonte's ouster, they named Ruiz Huidobro as his replacement as Viceroy of the Rio de la Plata, but when he arrived, he learned that the cabildo had named Liniers, who refused to cede command to him. As his naming to the post was not much more official that the one of Liniers, he accepted the post of Inspector of Arms of the Viceroyalty. This way he lost his second opportunity.
During the revolution of 1 January 1809, after the failure of the first attempts by 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 :...
, he supported Bishop Lué's idea of replacing Liniers with the most senior officer. The candidate was Ruiz Huidobro, who was recognized as such by Liniers. The fast and sudden move by colonel 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...
saved the post for Liniers.
May Revolution
He supported the May RevolutionMay 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...
, and in the Cabildo Abierto of 22 May 1810, he was the second to speak, right after Bishop Lué. He voted for the deposement of the viceroy and giving political command and power to the Cabildo until the legitimate government of the King in Spain was restored (where the King was deposed by Napoleon, having placed his brother Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...
in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
). As the cabildo could not hold military command, the new candidate for the post was again Ruiz Huidobro. Following him at the Cabildo, Saavedra spoke supporting his argument but proposed instead a new form of government by a Junta
Military dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
, the motion that won the day. For fourth, and last, time he lost his opportunity to become viceroy.
During the new Junta's government Primera Junta
Primera Junta
The Primera Junta or First Assembly is the most common name given to the first independent government of Argentina. It was created on 25 May 1810, as a result of the events of the May Revolution. The Junta initially had representatives from only Buenos Aires...
he was relieved as military commander, as he was a suspect for being Spanish born. In 1812, the First Triumvirate
First Triumvirate (Argentina)
The First Triumvirate was the executive body of government that replaced the Junta Grande in the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata...
included him in the investigations about the purported Álzaga conspiracy. He was not tried, but found it more prudent to travel to Chile
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...
, where he planned to offer his military services and experience to the dictator José Miguel Carrera
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...
. The Second Triumvirate
Second Triumvirate (Argentina)
The Second Triumvirate was the governing body of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata that followed the First Triumvirate in 1812, shortly after the May Revolution, and lasted 2 years....
named him ambassador to the Government in Chile. He never arrived as he died in transit in March 1813 in the city of Mendoza
Mendoza, Argentina
Mendoza is the capital city of Mendoza Province, in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the , Mendoza's population was 110,993...
.