Death of General José de San Martín (Argentina)
General José de San Martín, a key figure in South America's struggle for independence, passed away on August 17, 1850, in Boulogne, France. Revered as the liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru, San Martín's legacy is celebrated annually in Argentina, where his contributions to the nation's independence are honored with a public holiday. Born on February 25, 1778, in Yapeyú, Argentina, he was raised in Spain, joining the Spanish army and fighting against French forces during the Napoleonic Wars. His commitment to Argentine independence led him to return to Buenos Aires in 1812, where he rose to command and played a pivotal role in defeating Spanish forces, culminating in Argentina's declaration of independence on July 9, 1816. Beyond Argentina, he also led successful military campaigns in Chile and Peru. After experiencing personal loss and growing concerns over civil unrest in Argentina, San Martín relocated to France in 1824, where he lived until his death. His life and legacy continue to inspire discussions about national identity and independence across Latin America.
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Death of General José de San Martín (Argentina)
Death of General José de San Martín (Argentina)
General José de San Martín, popularly known in South America as the liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru, died on August 17, 1850, in Boulogne, France. The date of his death is an annual public holiday in Argentina, where he is held in particularly high esteem because he served as a general in the Argentine army.
Argentina is a large South American country with a current population of more than 37 million. Its capital and largest city is Buenos Aires, with approximately 3 million inhabitants. The territory which comprises modern-day Argentina was originally part of the vast Spanish Empire in the Western Hemisphere, conquered by Spain after Christopher Columbus discovered the New World in 1492. By the 19th century, the large and increasingly urbanized populations of the Spanish colonies in South America were beginning to demand independence. A major figure in the process of securing this independence was San Martín, born on February 25, 1778, in Yapeyu, located in that region of Argentina which was then under the control of the Spanish Viceroy of the Río de la Plata.
While he was a youth, San Martín's family relocated to Spain, where he was raised and eventually entered the Spanish army. He fought against the French when their forces invaded Spain during the Napoleonic Wars and served in campaigns such as the Battle of Baylen in 1808. The French won that battle and deposed King Ferdinand VII in favor of Napoléon Bonaparte's brother Joseph as the new ruler. The Argentines rebelled at this usurpation, and on May 25, 1810, overthrew their colonial government in the name of Ferdinand VII, not yet daring to proclaim national independence.
San Martín was already sympathetic to the cause of Argentinian independence, so he decided to join their cause and left Spain, arriving in Buenos Aires on March 9, 1812. He received a position in the new Argentine army and eventually rose to command the northern army in 1814, inflicting severe defeats on Spanish forces determined to reconquer the land for Spain after Napoléon's fall. Thanks in no small measure to his efforts, Argentina was able to declare independence on July 9, 1816.
Afterward, in 1817 San Martín organized a military force to attack the Spanish occupying troops in what is now the neighboring nation of Chile. He defeated them in battles at Chacabuco and Maipu, taking the capital city of Santiago and establishing an independent government under the leadership of a Chilean general. Then, in 1820 San Martín led another force into Peru, where he defeated the Spanish at Pisco and took the capital city of Lima, declaring that country to be independent as well. However, some military reverses forced him to seek the assistance of another South American revolutionary leader, the famous Simón Bolívar. San Martín and Bolívar could not resolve various issues that arose between them, so in 1822 San Martín chose to leave the revolutionary struggle, surrender its leadership to Bolívar, and return to Argentina.
San Martín remained just a few years in Argentina. His wife died on August 3, 1823, and he also became increasingly disturbed about the growing civil unrest in the newly independent nation. Therefore, in 1824 he and his daughter Mercedes left Argentina for France, where he spent the rest of his life until he died on August 17, 1850.