Francisco Javier Venegas

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Francisco Javier Venegas

Francisco Javier Venegas de Saavedra (born December 2, 1754 in Zafra , Extremadura region , Spain , † February 18, 1838 in Madrid , Spain) was a Spanish officer and colonial administrator who served as Viceroy of New Spain.

Life

Origin and military career

Venegas initially began his studies with the aim of becoming active in the humanities, but then joined the Royal Spanish Army as a cadet. As early as 1772 he was deployed in Oran and took part in the Algerian campaign of 1775. Further stations in his military career were the siege of Gibraltar (1779–1783) and the capture of Menorca in 1781. In the coalition war of the European powers against revolutionary France, he fought for Spain and rose over time to colonel.

Thanks to an inheritance, he became financially independent and resigned. In 1808, when Napoleonic troops attacked Spain to enforce Joseph Bonaparte as Spanish king, Venegas reported back and fought against the French for the rights of the exiled King Ferdinand VII. At the Battle of Bailén in July 1808, he commanded a division and rose in the Follow up to Brigadier General and Field Marshal. In November 1808 his council helped to contain the defeat of the Spaniards at the Battle of Tudela . In 1809 he was promoted to lieutenant general.

The French military leader Horace-François Sébastiani invited him and other Spanish military personnel to join the French side, but Venegas and other signatories replied in an open letter that he either wanted to save his fatherland or go under with it. In early 1810, the Junta Suprema Central appointed him governor of Cádiz , just as the French began to siege the fortress.

Appointment as Viceroy of New Granada

On February 20, 1810, Francisco Venegas was appointed Viceroy of New Granada, succeeding Antonio Amar y Borbón , who had to give way to Cartagena before the advancing independence movement . Before he could take office, however, the governing council of the Cortes of Cadiz had redirected him to Mexico and appointed him Viceroy of New Spain. He landed in Veracruz on August 25, 1810 .

Tenure as Viceroy of New Spain

Riot of Hidalgo

On September 14, 1810, he took over the office of viceroy. Two days later, Miguel Hidalgo started the uprising that led to the Mexican War of Independence with the Grito de Dolores (German: Scream of Dolores). Important cities soon fell into the hands of the insurgents. On September 18, Viceroy Venegas called together a group of dignitaries and officers and called on all inhabitants of Mexico ("New Spain") to maintain unity and loyalty to the authorities; at the same time he set head bonuses of 10,000 pesos each on the capture of Hidalgo, Ignacio Allende and Juan Aldama , the leaders of the independence movement.

After initial surprise successes, the rebels stopped and at the beginning of November 1810 hesitated to take the poorly defended capital Mexico City . In return, the royalists took the initiative and, under the orders of Félix María Calleja del Rey , pushed the rebels back to the north by March 1811. The main leaders of the revolution were captured and executed.

After the death of Hidalgo and the other leading figures, Ignacio López Rayón and José María Liceaga took the lead in the uprising in the north. They formed a Suprema Junta Nacional Americana and continued to pose a threat to the royalists.

For his services, Venegas was awarded the Grand Cross by the Order of Charles III. excellent.

Rising of Morelos

At the end of 1811 a second trouble spot developed in the south of the country. Insurgents, led by José María Morelos , marched north. Resistance simmered in Mexico City itself. Viceroy Venegas issued edicts and proclamations in which the distribution of subversive writings and even political discussions were prohibited.

On January 2, 1812, the royalists took Zitácuaro and completely burned the fortress. They besieged Cuautla by May 1, 1812 , but Morelos was able to escape into the interior.

Constitution of Cadiz

When the Cortes of Cádiz had passed a Spanish constitution in 1812, Venegas, who as a staunch absolutist rejected any restriction on royal rule, refused to take note of it or even to publish it (as requested by Spain) for as long as possible. It was not until September 28, 1812 that the constitution came into force in New Spain. It was intended to introduce freedom of the press and elections.

Suddenly the climate in the city changed. The until then rigorously suppressed public freedom of expression paved the way. Newspapers, leaflets, and pamphlets circulated in great numbers.

resignation

On December 5, Venegas put an end to liberal action. He revoked all constitutional rights. On December 29th, he transferred the military power in Mexico City to General Calleja and the presidency on January 7th, 1813 to a military junta.

Meanwhile, General Calleja had learned that on September 16, 1812, the reign of Cádiz had appointed him successor in the office of viceroy. The long transit times for messages between Spain and Mexico and within the civil war-torn colony meant that both Venegas and Calleja learned of the appointment late. It was February 1813 before Calleja arrived in Mexico City. At the end of February there was a meeting between Venegas and Calleja, and on March 4, 1813, Calleja took office.

Return to Spain

Venegas immediately returned to Spain. He brought the plague with him , as he was exempt from the quarantine regulations as an important dignitary. He survived the disease and was appointed marqués de la Reunión y de Nueva España . In 1815 he was accepted into the Asamblea Suprema . In the same year the court appointed him Viceroy of Peru; but he could not accept this office because of his poor health.

He published his memories of the War of Independence and held several public honorary posts. In 1818 he was appointed captain general of Galicia .

Role in the Trienio Liberal

In 1820 the victorious liberal constitutionalists deposed him as a moderate absolutist royalist. After the Liberals came to power ( Trienio Liberal ), he was first arrested in Gibraltar , but there - with the tacit approval of the British - liberated. In 1820 the Liberals made him a member of the Junta de Indias and President of the War Council and the General Commission.

During the liberal era, Venegas lived in Cordoba as a confidante of Pedro Girón de Ahumada , who also played a moderate role in the struggle between constitutional advocates and absolutists.

Late years

With Ferdinand VII's return to absolutism, Venegas took over military posts of honor. From 1834 to 1836 he was a member of the Spanish House of Lords ( Estamento de Próceres ). He died in 1838.

Web links

• Biography (spanish)
• Short biography (Spanish)

Commons : Francisco Javier Venegas  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

predecessor	Office	successor
Antonio Amar y Borbon	Viceroy of New Granada appointed without holding office in 1810	Benito Pérez Brito
Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont	Viceroy of New Spain 1810–1813	Félix María Calleja del Rey