Pedro Antonio de Cevallos
Encyclopedia
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos Cortés y Calderón, also spelled Ceballos (Cádiz
, 29 June 1715 — Córdoba
, 26 December 1778), was a Spanish military, Governor of Buenos Aires between 1757 and 1766, and the first Viceroy of the Río de la Plata
in 1776.
family.
He is best remembered for conquering the Colonia de Sacramento twice : in his first expedition in 1762-1763
during the Spanish-Portuguese War, 1761-1763
and in his second expedition in 1776-1777 during the Spanish-Portuguese War, 1776-1777
.
On 12 October 1776 he sailed with an army from Cadiz, and spent the winter in Buenos Aires, where he had been appointed Viceroy. On 22 April 1777 he landed in Montevideo
with a force of 9316 men. He then marched to Colonia del Sacramento
, a disputed Portuguese city in present-day Uruguay, which surrendered almost immediately. He then marched towards Rio Grande do Sul
in Brazil, conquered Santa Catarina island
, but received word from a treaty having been signed between Spain and Portugal and turned back.
He then returned to Buenos Aires where he reassumed the post of Viceroy on 15 October 1777. He introduced the Law of free Commerce of 1778, which allowed Buenos Aires
to trade directly with Spain, instead of being forced to trade by way of the Viceroyalty of Peru. He also forbid to move silver out of the limits of the Viceroyalty. This law gave a boost to the development of Buenos Aires
. He promoted agriculture and the commerce of slaves.
He died on 26 December 1778 in the Capuchin Convent of Córdoba (Spain), where he was stayed on his way to the Spanish Court. He was buried in the Cordoba Cathedral in a sumptuous ceremony, a memorable event in the city's history.
He never married and died without successor, but his sister Antonia de Cevallos Cortés Hoyos y Calderón received from King Charles III after his death the title of "Marchioness de la Colonia".
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....
, 29 June 1715 — Córdoba
Córdoba, Spain
-History:The first trace of human presence in the area are remains of a Neanderthal Man, dating to c. 32,000 BC. In the 8th century BC, during the ancient Tartessos period, a pre-urban settlement existed. The population gradually learned copper and silver metallurgy...
, 26 December 1778), was a Spanish military, Governor of Buenos Aires between 1757 and 1766, and the first Viceroy 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...
in 1776.
Biography
Pedro Antonio de Cevallos came from a renowned CantabrianCantabria
Cantabria is a Spanish historical region and autonomous community with Santander as its capital city. It is bordered on the east by the Basque Autonomous Community , on the south by Castile and León , on the west by the Principality of Asturias, and on the north by the Cantabrian Sea.Cantabria...
family.
He is best remembered for conquering the Colonia de Sacramento twice : in his first expedition in 1762-1763
First Cevallos expedition
The First Cevallos expedition was a military action between September 1762 and April 1763, by the Spanish forces led by Don Pedro Antonio de Cevallos, Governor of Buenos Aires, against the Portuguese in South America as part of the Seven Years' War...
during the Spanish-Portuguese War, 1761-1763
Spanish-Portuguese War, 1761-1763
The Spanish-Portuguese War between 1761 and 1763 was fought as part of the Seven Years' War. Because no major battles were fought, even though there were numerous movements of troops, the war is known in the Portuguese history as the Fantastic War , or War of the Pacte de Famille.When the Seven...
and in his second expedition in 1776-1777 during the Spanish-Portuguese War, 1776-1777
Spanish-Portuguese War, 1776-1777
The Spanish-Portuguese War was fought between 1776-1777 over the border between Spanish and Portuguese South America.-Portuguese attack:In the previous Spanish-Portuguese War, 1761-1763, Spain had conquered the Colonia del Sacramento, Santa Tecla, San Miguel, Santa Teresa and Rio Grande de São...
.
On 12 October 1776 he sailed with an army from Cadiz, and spent the winter in Buenos Aires, where he had been appointed Viceroy. On 22 April 1777 he landed in 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...
with a force of 9316 men. He then marched to Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento
Colonia del Sacramento is a city in southwestern Uruguay, by the Río de la Plata, facing Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is the oldest town in Uruguay and capital of the departamento of Colonia. It has a population of around 22,000.It is renowned for its historic quarter, a World Heritage Site...
, a disputed Portuguese city in present-day Uruguay, which surrendered almost immediately. He then marched towards Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
in Brazil, conquered Santa Catarina island
Santa Catarina (island)
Florianópolis Island is an island in the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina. It is located on the south coast of Brazil between the south 27° latitude and west 48° longitude...
, but received word from a treaty having been signed between Spain and Portugal and turned back.
He then returned to Buenos Aires where he reassumed the post of Viceroy on 15 October 1777. He introduced the Law of free Commerce of 1778, which allowed Buenos Aires
Buenos 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...
to trade directly with Spain, instead of being forced to trade by way of the Viceroyalty of Peru. He also forbid to move silver out of the limits of the Viceroyalty. This law gave a boost to the development of Buenos Aires
Buenos 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...
. He promoted agriculture and the commerce of slaves.
He died on 26 December 1778 in the Capuchin Convent of Córdoba (Spain), where he was stayed on his way to the Spanish Court. He was buried in the Cordoba Cathedral in a sumptuous ceremony, a memorable event in the city's history.
He never married and died without successor, but his sister Antonia de Cevallos Cortés Hoyos y Calderón received from King Charles III after his death the title of "Marchioness de la Colonia".