Francisco Narciso de Laprida
Encyclopedia
Francisco Narciso de Laprida (October 28, 1786 in San Juan – September 22, 1829) was an Argentine
lawyer and politician. He was a representative for San Juan
at the Congress of Tucumán
, and its president on July 9, 1816, when the Declaration of Independence of Argentina was declared.
Laprida started his studies at the Real Colegio de San Carlos in Buenos Aires
, after which he moved to Santiago
de Chile
to study Law at the Universidad de San Felipe
, where he graduated in 1810. He participated in the Cabildo
Abierto in Chile, one of the first steps towards the independence of that country.
In 1812 he returned to San Juan, where he was named trustee of the Cabildo government house.
As such, Laprida collaborated with José de San Martín
in the organization of the Ejército de los Andes
. Because of his education in law and as an important local figure, he was sent to the Tucumán Congress in 1815 as provincial deputy, together with Fray Justo Santa María de Oro. As the congress had a rotating presidency, Laprida was selected for the presidency on July 1, and was still its president 8 days later, when the independence of the country was declared.
He returned to San Juan at the end of the deliberations, were he served as acting governor replacing José Ignacio de la Roza. As interim governor he took a determined and tough line against the dissidents. At the end of his internship he represented his province again in 1824 at the General Constituent Congress, being its president for some months.
As a member of the Unitarian Party
, the execution of Manuel Dorrego
by Juan Lavalle
was a hard blow, after which Laprida returned to San Juan. He later had to flee again towards Mendoza Province
, to escape Manuel Oribe
and Facundo Quiroga's forces. On September 22, 1829, the men of José Félix Aldao, shortly after defeating the unitarian commander Juan Agustín Moyano, reached Laprida's coach and slit his throat; his body was never found.
He is also the great-great-great uncle of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
lawyer and politician. He was a representative for San Juan
San Juan, Argentina
San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the ....
at the Congress of Tucumán
Congress of Tucumán
The Congress of Tucumán was the representative assembly, initially meeting in Tucumán, that declared the independence of the United Provinces of South America on July 9, 1816, from the Spanish Empire....
, and its president on July 9, 1816, when the Declaration of Independence of Argentina was declared.
Laprida started his studies at the Real Colegio de San Carlos in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, after which he moved to Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
de Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
to study Law at the Universidad de San Felipe
Universidad de Chile (university)
The University of Chile is the largest and oldest institution of higher education in Chile and one of the oldest in the Americas. Founded in 1842 as the replacement and continuation of the former colonial Royal University of San Felipe , the university is often called Casa de Bello in honor of...
, where he graduated in 1810. He participated in the Cabildo
Cabildo (council)
For a discussion of the contemporary Spanish and Latin American cabildo, see Ayuntamiento.A cabildo or ayuntamiento was a former Spanish, colonial administrative council that governed a municipality. Cabildos were sometimes appointed, sometimes elected, but were considered to be representative of...
Abierto in Chile, one of the first steps towards the independence of that country.
In 1812 he returned to San Juan, where he was named trustee of the Cabildo government house.
As such, Laprida collaborated with José de San Martín
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín, known simply as Don José de San Martín , was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.Born in Yapeyú, Corrientes , he left his mother country at the...
in the organization of the Ejército de los Andes
Army of the Andes
The Army of the Andes was a military force created by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and mustered by general José de San Martín in his campaign to free Chile from the Spanish Empire...
. Because of his education in law and as an important local figure, he was sent to the Tucumán Congress in 1815 as provincial deputy, together with Fray Justo Santa María de Oro. As the congress had a rotating presidency, Laprida was selected for the presidency on July 1, and was still its president 8 days later, when the independence of the country was declared.
He returned to San Juan at the end of the deliberations, were he served as acting governor replacing José Ignacio de la Roza. As interim governor he took a determined and tough line against the dissidents. At the end of his internship he represented his province again in 1824 at the General Constituent Congress, being its president for some months.
As a member of the Unitarian Party
Unitarian Party
Unitarianists or Unitarians were the proponents of the concept of a Unitary state in Buenos Aires during the civil wars which shortly followed the Declaration of Independence of Argentina in 1816. They were opposed to the Argentine Federalists, who wanted a federation of independent provinces...
, the execution of Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego
Manuel Dorrego was an Argentine statesman and soldier. He was governor of Buenos Aires in 1820, and then again from 1827 to 1828....
by Juan Lavalle
Juan Lavalle
Juan Galo de Lavalle was an Argentine military and political figure.-Biography:Lavalle was born in Buenos Aires to María Mercedes González Bordallo and Manuel José de La Vallée y Cortés, general accountant of rents and tobacco for the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata.In 1799, the family moved to...
was a hard blow, after which Laprida returned to San Juan. He later had to flee again towards Mendoza Province
Mendoza Province
The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is...
, to escape Manuel Oribe
Manuel Oribe
Manuel Ceferino Oribe y Viana was the fourth president of Uruguay.-Biography:Manuel Oribe was the son of Captain Francisco Oribe and María Francisca Viana, a descendant of the first governor of Montevideo, José Joaquín de Viana...
and Facundo Quiroga's forces. On September 22, 1829, the men of José Félix Aldao, shortly after defeating the unitarian commander Juan Agustín Moyano, reached Laprida's coach and slit his throat; his body was never found.
He is also the great-great-great uncle of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Luis Borges
Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo , known as Jorge Luis Borges , was an Argentine writer, essayist, poet and translator born in Buenos Aires. In 1914 his family moved to Switzerland where he attended school, receiving his baccalauréat from the Collège de Genève in 1918. The family...