Rafael de Nogales Méndez
Encyclopedia
Rafael Inchauspe Méndez, known as Rafael de Nogales Méndez (San Cristóbal,Táchira
, October 14, 1879 - Panama City
, July 10, 1936) was a Venezuela
n soldier, adventurer and writer. He travelled extensively and fought in many of the wars of his age.
When a young man his father sent him to study in Europe and he attended to Universities in Germany
, Belgium
and Spain
, and spoke various languages fluently. Despite this education, Nogales felt more attracted to the military profession and he began to travel where the news of a war took him. He took part in several conflicts in the last part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th: he fought in the Spanish against the Americans in the Spanish-American War
; in 1902 in the Revolución Libertadora of Venezuela; in 1904 in the Russo-Japanese War
. He returned to Venezuela in 1908, after the military coup of Juan Vicente Gómez
that overthrew his enemy Cipriano Castro
. Even so, he went back to exile after making himself an enemy of the new president.
began, after unsuccessfully attempting to join a number of European armies, he enlisted in the Ottoman Army and was assigned to the Caucasus Front
, where he reached the rank of Bey
. He led gendarmerie troops during the siege of Van
, but asked to be relieved, out of compassion for the insurgents. He later wrote a book describing his experiences with the Ottoman Army in World War I.
After being transferred from the Caucasus, he was action in the Sinai and Palestine Front
. He fought in the Turkish lines during the entire war, and was awarded the Iron Cross
by the Káiser Wilhelm II
.
n revolutionary Augusto César Sandino
. Additionally, he spent time in Alaska
during the time of the gold rush there, and also worked as a cowboy in Arizona
.
He wrote several books about his experiences: Memorias del general Rafael de Nogales Méndez, Cuatro años bajo la Media Luna, about his experiences as an officer of the Ottoman Empire, and El saqueo de Nicaragua. His commentaries about the atrocities committed against the Armenian people by the Turkish officials are in the book Cuatro años bajo la Media Luna.
San Cristóbal, Táchira
San Cristóbal is the capital city of the Venezuelan state of Táchira. It is located in a mountainous region of Western Venezuela. The city is situated 818 m/2,625 ft above sea level in the northern Andes overlooking the Torbes River, 56 km/35 mi from the Colombian border. San...
, October 14, 1879 - Panama City
Panama City
Panama is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Panama. It has a population of 880,691, with a total metro population of 1,272,672, and it is located at the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, in the province of the same name. The city is the political and administrative center of the...
, July 10, 1936) was a Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
n soldier, adventurer and writer. He travelled extensively and fought in many of the wars of his age.
When a young man his father sent him to study in Europe and he attended to Universities in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
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...
, and spoke various languages fluently. Despite this education, Nogales felt more attracted to the military profession and he began to travel where the news of a war took him. He took part in several conflicts in the last part of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th: he fought in the Spanish against the Americans in the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
; in 1902 in the Revolución Libertadora of Venezuela; in 1904 in the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
. He returned to Venezuela in 1908, after the military coup of Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez
Juan Vicente Gómez Chacón was a military general and de facto ruler of Venezuela from 1908 until his death in 1935. He was president on three occasions during this time, and ruled as an unelected military strongman for the rest of the era.-Early years:Gómez was a barely literate cattle herder and...
that overthrew his enemy Cipriano Castro
Cipriano Castro
José Cipriano Castro Ruiz was a high ranking member of the Venezuelan military, politician and the President of Venezuela from 1899 to 1908...
. Even so, he went back to exile after making himself an enemy of the new president.
World War I
When World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
began, after unsuccessfully attempting to join a number of European armies, he enlisted in the Ottoman Army and was assigned to the Caucasus Front
Caucasus Campaign
The Caucasus Campaign comprised armed conflicts between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire, later including Azerbaijan, Armenia, Central Caspian Dictatorship and the UK as part of the Middle Eastern theatre or alternatively named as part of the Caucasus Campaign during World War I...
, where he reached the rank of Bey
Bey
Bey is a title for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. Accoding to some sources, the word "Bey" is of Turkish language In historical accounts, many Turkish, other Turkic and Persian leaders are titled Bey, Beg, Bek, Bay, Baig or Beigh. They are all the same word...
. He led gendarmerie troops during the siege of Van
Van Resistance
The Siege of Van, Resistance at Van, Van Resistance or Van Rebellion, Van Revolt , Armenian Revolution at Van was an insurgency against the Ottoman Empire's attempts to massacre the Armenian population in the vilâyet of Van...
, but asked to be relieved, out of compassion for the insurgents. He later wrote a book describing his experiences with the Ottoman Army in World War I.
After being transferred from the Caucasus, he was action in the Sinai and Palestine Front
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
. He fought in the Turkish lines during the entire war, and was awarded the Iron Cross
Iron Cross
The Iron Cross is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem....
by the Káiser Wilhelm II
William II, German Emperor
Wilhelm II was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia, ruling the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. He was a grandson of the British Queen Victoria and related to many monarchs and princes of Europe...
.
Post war
After the war ended, he worked with the NicaraguaNicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
n revolutionary Augusto César Sandino
Augusto César Sandino
Augusto Nicolás Calderón Sandino was a Nicaraguan revolutionary and leader of a rebellion against the U.S. military occupation of Nicaragua between 1927 and 1933...
. Additionally, he spent time in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
during the time of the gold rush there, and also worked as a cowboy in Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
.
He wrote several books about his experiences: Memorias del general Rafael de Nogales Méndez, Cuatro años bajo la Media Luna, about his experiences as an officer of the Ottoman Empire, and El saqueo de Nicaragua. His commentaries about the atrocities committed against the Armenian people by the Turkish officials are in the book Cuatro años bajo la Media Luna.
External links
- Rafael De Nogales Méndez: Caballero andante venezolano, José Rosario Araujo.
- Memorias de un aventurero venezolano: Rafael de Nogales Méndez, por Violeta Rojo
- FOUR YEARS UNDER THE CRESCENT - Rafael de Nogales /Translated into Russian/ /translated into Turkish by Yaba Publishers in Istanbul in 2008
- Mirela Quero De Trinca, RAFAEL DE NOGALES MENDEZ (Biblioteca Biografica Venezolana, Caracas, August, 2005).