Juan Contreras

Juan Contreras y San Román (born June 23, 1807 in Pisa , † July 5, 1881 ) was a Spanish general .

He earned his first military degrees in the ranks of the Christinos during the War of Succession 1833–1842. General since 1845, he always took the most active part in the conspiracies against Isabella II , especially in June 1866, August 1867, September 1868.

After Isabella was overthrown, Contreras was appointed captain general of Catalonia by Prim in 1868. He later lost this position, received it again in February 1873, but maintained such poor discipline among the troops of federalist Barcelona that he had to be recalled in March.

From then on his federation-republican sentiment became more and more prominent, and when the principles of the federation were proclaimed by the government and the Cortes , the country threatened to break up into a confederation and Murcia and other provinces declared themselves independent states, Contreras went to Cartagena , which had fallen into the hands of the federalists with the warships located there, and was appointed president of the revolutionary government installed there.

Contreras fought lucklessly against the central government both on land (Battle of Chinchilla) and at sea ( Battle of Cartagena ). When he was no longer able to hold himself in Cartagena, Contreras left the port of Cartagena on the frigate Numancia on January 11, 1874 , broke the blockade of the five Spanish ships, landed on January 13 at Mers el Kebir in Algeria and surrendered to the French Authorities.

personal data
SURNAME	Contreras, Juan
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Contreras y San Román, Juan (full name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION	Spanish general
DATE OF BIRTH	June 23, 1807
PLACE OF BIRTH	Pisa
DATE OF DEATH	July 5, 1881