Bernardo O'Higgins
Supreme Director of Chile | |
---|---|
In office 17 February 1817 – 27 January 1823 | |
Preceded by | José Miguel Carrera |
Succeeded by | Ramón Freire |
Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army | |
In office 27 April 1819 – 27 January 1823 | |
Preceded by | José de San Martín |
Succeeded by | Ramón Freire |
In office 27 November 1813 – 2 September 1814 | |
Preceded by | José Miguel Carrera |
Succeeded by | José Miguel Carrera |
Personal details | |
Born | Royal College of San Carlos | 20 August 1778
Occupation | Head of State, Military |
Signature | |
Military service | |
Battles/wars |
|
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (Spanish pronunciation:
He was
Early life
Bernardo O'Higgins, a member of the
O'Higgins spent his early years with his mother's family in central-southern Chile and was never acknowledged by his father,
Bernardo's father continued his professional rise and became
In 1798 O'Higgins went to Spain from
Role in Chilean independence movement
On 18 September 1810, O'Higgins joined the revolt against the now French dominated Spanish government. The
The anti-Royalist camp in Chile was deeply split along lines of patronage and personality, by political beliefs, and by geography (between the rival regional groupings of Santiago and Concepción). The Carrera family had already seized power several times in different coups, and supported a specifically Chilean nationalism, as opposed to the broader Latin American focus of the Lautaro Lodge grouping,[10] which included O'Higgins and the Argentine José de San Martín.[11] José Miguel Carrera, the most prominent member of the Carrera family, enjoyed a power base in Santiago; that of de Rozas, and later O'Higgins, lay in Concepción.
As a result, O'Higgins was to find himself increasingly in political and military competition with Carrera—although early on, O'Higgins was nowhere near as prominent as his later rival. De Rozas initially appointed O'Higgins to a minor military position in 1812, possibly because of his illegitimate origins, poor health, or lack of military training.[
O'Higgins was back on his estates in
Lads! Live with honor, or die with glory! He who is brave, follow me![15]
Despite being injured, O'Higgins went on to pursue the royalist forces from the field. The Junta in Santiago reassigned command of the army from Carrera, who had retreated during the battle, to O'Higgins, who then appointed Juan Mackenna as commandant-general. Carrera was subsequently captured and imprisoned by the royalist forces; in his absence, in May 1814 O'Higgins supported the Treaty of Lircay, which promised a halt to the fighting. Once released, however, Carrera violently opposed both O'Higgins' new role and the treaty, overthrowing the Junta in a coup in July 1814 and immediately exiling Mackenna.
O'Higgins turned to focus on Carrera, and their forces met at the battle of Las Tres Acequias, where Carrera's brother Luis inflicted a modest defeat on O'Higgins. Further conflict was postponed by news that the royalists had decided to ignore the recent treaty, and were threatening Concepción under the leadership of General Mariano Osorio. Carrera and O'Higgins decided to reunite the army and face the common threat.[16] Carrera's plan was to draw the Spaniards to the Angostura del Paine, while O'Higgins preferred the town of Rancagua. They decided to make a stand at the Angostura de Paine, a gorge that formed an easily defended bottleneck. At the last hour, however, O'Higgins instead garrisoned the nationalist forces at the main square of Rancagua. Carrera did not arrive with reinforcements, and O'Higgins and his forces were promptly surrounded in October. After an entire day of fighting at the battle of Rancagua, the Spanish commander, Mariano Osorio, was victorious—but O'Higgins managed to break out with a few of his men, issuing the command:
Those who can ride, ride! We will break through the enemy![17]
Like Carrera and other nationalists, O'Higgins retreated to Argentina with the survivors, and remained there for three years while the royalists were in control. Mackenna, still a key supporter, was killed by Luis Carrera in a duel in 1814, deepening the feud.[18]
O'Higgins as Supreme Director
While in exile, O'Higgins met the Argentine General José de San Martín, a fellow member of the Lautaro Lodge, and together the men returned to Chile in 1817 to defeat the royalists. Initially the campaign went well, with the two commanders achieving a victory at the battle of Chacabuco. San Martín sent his troops down the mountain starting at midnight of 11 February to prepare for an attack at dawn. As the attack commenced, his troops were much closer to the Spanish than anticipated, and they fought hard and heroically. Argentine General Miguel Estanislao Soler's troops had to go down a tiny path that proved long and arduous, and took longer than expected. General O'Higgins—supposedly seeing his homeland and overcome with passion—defied the plan of attack and charged along with his 1,500 troops. What happened during this theater of the battle is fiercely debated. O'Higgins claimed that the Spanish stopped their retreat and started advancing towards his troops. He said that, if he were to lead his men back up the narrow path and retreat, they would have been massacred one by one. San Martín saw O'Higgins' early advancement, and ordered Soler to charge the Spanish flank, which took the pressure off O'Higgins and allowed his troops to stand their ground. [citation needed]
The ensuing firefight continued into the afternoon, and the tides turned for the Patriots as Soler captured a key Spanish artillery point. At this point, the Spanish set up a defensive square around the Chacabuco Ranch. O'Higgins charged the center of the Spanish position, and Soler got into place behind the Spanish forces, effectively cutting off any chance of retreat. O'Higgins and his men overwhelmed the Spanish troops, who attempted to retreat, but Soler's men cut off their retreat and pushed towards the ranch. Hand-to-hand combat ensued in and around the ranch, until every Spanish soldier was dead or taken captive. Five hundred Spanish soldiers were killed, and 600 were taken captive. The Patriot forces lost 12 men in the battle, but an additional 120 died of their wounds.[20]
The
Throughout the war with the royalists, O'Higgins had engaged in an ongoing feud with José Miguel Carrera. After their retreat in 1814, O'Higgins had fared much better than Carrera, who found little support forthcoming from San Martín, O'Higgins' political ally. Carrera was imprisoned to prevent his involvement in Chilean affairs; after his escape, he ended up taking the winning side in the Argentine Federalist war, helping to defeat the directorate in 1820. [citation needed]
Marching south to attack O'Higgins, now ruler of Chile, Carrera was arrested by supporters of O'Higgins and executed under questionable circumstances in 1821; his two brothers had already been killed by royalist forces in the preceding years, bringing the long-running feud to an end. The argument as to the relative contribution of these two great Chilean independence leaders, however, has continued up to the modern day, and O'Higgins' decision not to intervene to prevent the execution coloured many Chileans' views of his reign.[16]
For six years, O'Higgins was a largely successful leader, and his government initially functioned well. Within Chile, O'Higgins established markets, courts, colleges, libraries, hospitals, and cemeteries,
In time, however, O'Higgins began to alienate important political groupings within the still-fragile Chilean nation. O'Higgins' proposed radical and liberal reforms, such as the establishment of democracy[
In 1822, O'Higgins established a new "controversial"
O'Higgins was deposed by a conservative coup on 28 January 1823. Chile's new dictator, Ramón Freire, formerly O'Higgins' "closest ally",[16] had slowly turned against O'Higgins in the preceding years. Freire had fought under O'Higgins at the Battle of Maipú, was promoted to colonel for his services to the independence, and finally named Intendant of Concepción. His friendship with O'Higgins started to crack by degrees, however, until in 1822 he resigned his position in disagreement. His name became a rallying point for those discontented with O'Higgins, but the two of them never came to an armed conflict. O'Higgins' abdication was typically dramatic: baring his chest, he offered up his life should his accusers demand it of him. In return, the junta declared they held nothing against O'Higgins, and saluted him.[23] O'Higgins was made governor of Concepción, an appointment which did not last long: it was time for him to leave Chile.[2]
Peruvian independence and O'Higgins' final years
After being
O'Higgins traveled to join Bolívar's army in its final liberation of Peru, but upon arrival, he found that Bolívar did not intend to give him a command—instead appointing him a general of Gran Colombia and making him a special court-martial judge for Chilean volunteers.[26] Making his way back to Lima, O'Higgins heard of Sucre's victory at the Battle of Ayacucho. He returned to Bolívar for the victory celebrations, but as a civilian. "Señor", he toasted, addressing Bolívar, "America is free. From now on General O'Higgins does not exist; I am only Bernardo O'Higgins, a private citizen. After Ayacucho, my American mission is over."[27]
When
From exile O'Higgins argued for the establishment of a Chilean settlement in the Strait of Magellan in his correspondence with the Minister of State. No action was taken on O'Higgins arguments, but in 1842 Chile began to organise
In 1842, the National Congress of Chile finally voted to allow O'Higgins to return to Chile. After travelling to Callao to embark for Chile, however, O'Higgins began to succumb to cardiac problems and was too weak to travel. His doctor ordered him to return to Lima, where on 24 October 1842, aged 64, O'Higgins died.[2]
Legacy
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2023) |
After his death, his remains were first buried in Peru, before being repatriated to Chile in 1869. O'Higgins had wished to be buried in the city of
O'Higgins is widely commemorated today, both in Chile and beyond. One of the administrative
There is a bust of O'Higgins in O'Higgins Square by the bridge in Richmond, south-west London. Each year the borough's mayor is joined by members of the Chilean Embassy for a ceremony, and a wreath is placed there. A blue plaque was erected in his honor at Clarence House in Richmond, where he lived while studying in London.[30]
A 1992 bronze sculpture of O'Higgins was executed by Julian Martinez, the same sculptor responsible for the nearby statue of Benito Juárez.[31] Previously, the bust was installed at Hermann Park's International Sculpture Garden. It rests on a granite pedestal and was acquired by the City of Houston through FAMAE/Arcomet in 1992.[32][33]
There is also a bust in his honor in
In 1949, American composer Henry Cowell composed an opera on the life of O'Higgins titled O'Higgins of Chile. The libretto was written by Elizabeth Harald, but the work was never orchestrated nor staged.[36]
In 1955, the football team O'Higgins F.C. was founded, named after him.[citation needed]
The Order of Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile's highest award for foreign citizens, is named in honour of O'Higgins.[citation needed]
The Chilean Navy has named several vessels in his honour. They include a frigate (1816), a corvette (1866), an armored cruiser (1897–1933), a light cruiser (1951–1992), and a submarine (2003–present).
The SS Bernardo O'Higgins, one of the standard Liberty ships (#2168), was laid down on 23 September 1943 and launched on 13 October 1943. It was scrapped in 1959.[citation needed]
The Chilean Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme research station in Antarctica is named in his honor. It is located on the northernmost part of the continent.
On 28 October 2010, An Post (the Irish Post Office) and CorreosChile (the Chilean Post Office) issued 82c and $500 se-tenant stamps to commemorate the bicentenary of the beginning of the struggle for Chilean Independence. The stamps honor two men with Irish backgrounds, who played a crucial role in the quest for Chile's liberation, Bernardo O'Higgins and John MacKenna.[37][38]
See also
- Bust of Bernardo O'Higgins (Houston)
- Bust of Bernardo O'Higgins (Washington, D.C.)
- Francisco de Miranda
- History of Chile
- Irish Chileans
- Irish military diaspora
- Irish regiments
- José de San Martín
- José Miguel Carrera
- Juan Albano Pereira Márquez
- Juan de la Cruz y Bernardotte
- Juan Mackenna
- List of famous alumni of UNMSM.
- O'Higgins Pioche
- Simón Bolívar
- Talca Foundation
References
- ^ Julia Ortiz Griffin and William D. Griffin, Spain and Portugal: A Reference Guide from the Renaissance to the Present, p. 288 [ISBN missing]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "O'Higgins, Bernardo". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Retrieved 13 October 2008.
- ^ a b "Biography of Bernardo O'Higgins of Chile". gosouthamerica.about.com. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ Stephen Clissold, Bernardo O'Higgins and the Independence of Chile (1969).
- ^ Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. .
- ^ Vicuña Mackenna, pp. 46–53.
- ^ a b c d e Hamre, Bonnie. "Bernardo O'Higgins" (2008) at About.com Archived 7 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine; accessed 20 October 2008.
- ^ Archivo de don Bernardo O'Higgins, vol. I, pp. 114–19.
- ^ a b "Sepulveda, Alfredo > "Bernardo O'Higgins: The Rebel Son of a Viceroy"". irlandeses.org. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ General Francisco de Miranda Father of Revolutionary Masonry in Latin America Archived 23 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine by Carlos Antonio Martinez, Northern California Research Lodge
- ^ San Martín, José de: Liberator of Argentina Archived 13 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine by Jason A. Vandiver
- ^ Murray, Edmundo. "Juan Mackenna". Dictionary of Irish Latin American Biography. Retrieved 15 October 2008.
- ^ Amunátegui, p. 93.
- ^ Barros Arana, tomo IX, pp. 46–50.
- ^ Barros Arana, tomo IX, p. 188.
- ^ a b c d e Sepúlveda, Alfredo. Bernardo O'Higgins: The Rebel Son of a Victory, 1 October 2006. Society for Irish Latin American Studies (2006); accessed 24 October 2008.
- ^ Archivo de Don Bernardo O'Higgins, vol. II, pp. 420–27.
- ^ Rui z, p. 228.
- ^ Bernardo O'Higgins erroneously appears in this recreation, as he was actually in Talca on that day.
- ^ Harvey 2000, pp. 346–349.
- ^ "Acta de Independencia de Chile – Archivo Nacional de Chile, Servicio Nacional del Patrimonio Cultural". archivonacional.gob.cl/. 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- ^ Intercolonial Intimacies: Relinking Latin/o America to the Philippines. 1898–1964 By Paula C. Park (Introduction: Residual Intercolonial Intimacies across the "Hispanic" Pacific)
- ^ Amunátegui, p. 448.
- ^ See letter from Bolívar, Valencia, p. 420.
- ^ Pamela Pequeño, La hija de O'Higgins (2001)
- ^ "Sepulveda, Alfredo > "Bernardo O'Higgins: The Rebel Son of a Viceroy"". irlandeses.org. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ Valencia, p. 430.
- ISBN 0-8138-0305-5.
- ^ "Bernardo o'Higgins National Park". bluegreenadventures.com. Archived from the original on 20 August 2017. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
- ^ "Clarence House, Richmond". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 30 January 2013.
- ^ "Houston Municipal Arts Commission Collection RG.A.0033". Texas Archival Resources Online. Houston Public Library. Archived from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 20 September 2020.
- ^ "Points of Interest: Bernardo O'Higgins". Hermann Park Conservancy. Archived from the original on 15 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
- ^ "Bernardo O' Higgins". City of Houston. Archived from the original on 14 October 2015. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
- ^ "Bernardo O'Higgins: Rebel son of an Irish viceroy". 6 March 2013.
- ^ "Chile, three days later". Boston.com.
- ^ "Henry Cowell Web Site".
- ^ "Media centre | An Post".
- ^ "CorreosChile: Rol Irlandés en la Independencia de Chile" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
Further reading
- "Ambrose Bernard O'Higgins". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.
- Ávila, A. "The Latin American revolutions seen from the XXI century". Journal of Ibero-American History Vol. 1, No. 1, (2008) pp. 9–39
- Clissold, Stephen. "The O'Higgins of Chile" History Today (June 1957) 7#6 pp. 396–403; father and son.
- Crow, John A. The Epic of Latin America (Fourth Edition); University of California Press, 1992.
- Cruz, J.L. "The Army of the Andes: Chilean and Rioplatense Politics in an Age of Military Organisation, 1814–1817." Journal of Latin American Studies. 2014 Feb 1:29–58.
- Lynch J. "Spanish American Independence in Recent Historiography". In: McFarlane A. – Posada Carbó E. (eds.) Independence and Revolution in Spanish America (London: Institute of Latin American Studies, 1999)
- Ossa, Juan Luis Armies, politics and revolution. Chile, 1808–1826 (Liverpool University Press, 2014).
- Ossa-Santa-Cruz, Juan Luis. "Bernardo O'Higgins' government through the eyes of five North American agents, 1817–1823." Co-herencia 13, no. 25 (2016): 139–166. online
- "O'Higgins, Bernardo", Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online; accessed 13 October 2008. online[dead link]
- Harvey, Robert (2000). Liberators: Latin America's Struggle for Independence. New York: The Overlook Press. ISBN 1-58567-284-X.
In Spanish
- Archivo de don Bernardo O'Higgins Santiago: Nascimento, 1946–, 36 v.
- Arana, Diego Barros Historia General de Chile 16 vol. Santiago: Imprenta Cervantes.
- Ruiz Moreno, Isidoro, Campañas militares argentinas. La política y la guerra (Buenos Aires: Emecé, 2005) ISBN 978-9500426756
- Valencia, Avaria Luis, O'Higgins, el buen genio de América (Santiago de Chile: Universitaria, 1980) OCLC 644508548