Ramón Castilla
Ramón Castilla y Marquesado | |
---|---|
9th, 11th and 13th President of Peru | |
In office 17 February 1844 – 10 August 1844 | |
Preceded by | Domingo Nieto |
Succeeded by | Domingo Elías |
In office 20 April 1845 – 20 April 1851 | |
Preceded by | Manuel Menéndez |
Succeeded by | José Rufino Echenique |
In office 5 January 1855 – 24 October 1862 | |
Vice President | Juan Manuel del Mar |
Preceded by | José Rufino Echenique |
Succeeded by | Miguel de San Román |
Interim President of Peru (Revolution Self-proclaimed President) | |
In office 3 April 1863 – 9 April 1863 | |
Preceded by | Miguel de San Román |
Succeeded by | Pedro Diez Canseco |
Personal details | |
Born | Tarapacá, Viceroyalty of Peru (Now Chile) | 31 August 1797
Died | 30 May 1867 Tiliviche, Peru (Now Chile) | (aged 69)
Nationality | Peruvian |
Spouse | Francisca Diez Canseco |
Profession | Soldier (Field marshal) |
Ramón Castilla y Marquesado (Spanish pronunciation:
He assumed the presidency for the first time after general Domingo Nieto's death for a short period in 1844, then in 1845 until 1851, again from 1855 to 1862 and, finally, during a brief period in 1863.
First years
Castilla was born in Tarapacá[1] (then part of the Viceroyalty of Peru), the second son of Pedro Castilla, of Spanish-Argentine origin, and Juana Marquezado de Romero, who was of part Aymara descent.[2] In 1807 he traveled to Lima at the age of 10 to study with his brother and later continued his education in Concepción, Chile, also helping his brother with his business. In 1817 he enrolled in the Spanish colonial army during the Peruvian War of Independence, fighting against the independence forces sent by Argentine general José de San Martín.
Castilla became a prisoner of war, but managed to escape and returned to Peru in 1821, deserting the Spanish Army and offering his services to José de San Martín, who enrolled him in the Patriot Army with the rank of lieutenant (a rank he had held with the Spanish Army). When San Martin resigned as "Protector of Peru", Castilla sided with José de la Riva Agüero, who in turn shortly became president in 1823.
In 1824, when the Peruvian Congress named
Anarchy: Castilla and Nieto
In 1839 Castilla beside the Chilean general
Soon after, Castilla, along with Domingo Nieto, overthrew Manuel Ignacio de Vivanco during the Battle of Carmen Alto. Nieto assumed the presidency but died a few months later. Castilla assumed the position on 17 February 1844 until 11 December of that year. After defeating the other caudillos around the country, Castilla reinstated Menéndez as president, in order to achieve a constitutional transition to democracy.
President of the Republic
In 1845, Castilla won the Peruvian presidential elections and was sworn in in April of that year. During this time, the guano export boom was rapidly expanding, largely due to treaties signed with the British company Antony Gibbs, which had commercialized the guano trade in Europe. Important urban projects began during this period, too, such as the first railroad from Lima to Callao, which helped in the transportation of guano from the production centers ready to be shipped abroad.
After six years in power, Castilla was succeeded by José Rufino Echenique. In 1854, however, another rebellion was led in Peru's second-largest city, Arequipa, by Castilla himself, who was largely urged by other Peruvian liberals to help in the suppression of slavery in the country.
On 3 December 1854, in the city of Huancayo, an abolition of slavery law was passed. As this law was being applied, Castilla confronted and defeated Echenique in the Battle of La Palma on 5 January 1855.
In 1859, Peru had a confrontation with neighboring Ecuador over disputed territory bordering the Amazon. Though Peru was considered successful, Castilla failed to secure a definitive agreement with Ecuador and the issue would haunt both countries until the end of the 20th century, when the 1997 Peace and Border Treaty of Itamaraty was signed by Peru and Ecuador in Brazil. In December 1860, a new constitution was enacted during Castilla's presidency and became Peru's supreme law until 1920. Castilla's second presidency, therefore, was marked by the liberation of slaves and indigenous Peruvians, as well as a new postal system and a new constitution.
In 1862, he was succeeded by
In 1864, Castilla condemned the international policies of Pezet, only to be jailed and exiled to Gibraltar. During his absence, the historic Battle of Callao took place, which became Spain's final and unsuccessful move to reconquer independent Peru.
After he returned to Peru, he was again deported to Chile on the orders of then president Mariano Ignacio Prado. In a last effort to regain power for a fifth time, Castilla – now nearly seventy – and a group of followers landed in Pisagua and proceeded towards the Tiviliche desert. This last try, however, proved fatal, and Castilla died at Tiviliche, in his final attempt to pass through southern Peru on 30 May 1867.
See also
- Bust of Ramón Castilla, Houston, Texas
- Politics of Peru
- List of presidents of Peru
Notes
- ^ Kuss, pg 147
- ^ Searle & Rivington, pg 35
- ^ "Ministerio de Economía y Finanzas - Histórico - Relación de Ministros". www.mef.gob.pe.
- ^ "RAMÓN CASTILLA Y MARQUESADO". www.congreso.gob.pe. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
References
- Clements Robert Markham (1883). The War Between Peru and Chile, 1879-1882. S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington.
- Malena Kuss (2004). Music in Latin America and the Caribbean: An Encyclopedic History. ISBN 0-292-70298-1.