Francisco Ramón Vicuña
Encyclopedia
Francisco Ramón de Vicuña Larraín (September 9, 1775 - January 13, 1849) was a Chile
an political figure. He served twice as acting President of Chile
in 1829. Francisco Vicuña was of Basque
descent.
, and had 11 children with her.
In 1810, Vicuña participated in Chile's war for independence
and organized the first firearm
s production in the country. In 1811, he represented Osorno
in the congress, which was to give Chile a constitution, in 1814, he moved to the Senate of Chile
. Then, he was arrested for conspiracy
against the Spanish
crown and banished into exile. Only after Chile's victory at the battle of Chacabuco
in 1817, was he able to return to his home land. Bernardo O'Higgins
appointed him as a government representative to the northern provinces.
and then as a delegate to the constitutional convention that year. He was one of the main defenders of the Federalist position championed by José Miguel Infante
. In 1825 the Supreme Director of Chile Ramón Freire appointed him to be his deputy as well as foreign and interior minister and at times acting war, naval, and finance minister.
In 1829, when Francisco Antonio Pinto
was elected President of Chile
, the runner-ups where Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
, a liberal federalist, and José Joaquín Prieto
, a conservative centralist, who both received the same amount of votes. Nonetheless, congress, the majority of which was liberal, declared Joaquín Vicuña
, a distant third and brother of Francisco Ramón (who was president of the senate) Vice-President. The centralists outraged decided for armed resistance and the Chilean Civil War of 1829 broke out.
In the ensuing civil war
between the conservative centralists and the liberal federalists, Pinto was forced twice to leave the post of president to Vicuña. First, from July 14 to October 19, when Vicuña assumed as President Delegate, and then finally when he resigned on November 2 and Vicuña assumed power. On December 7, 1829 the conservative troops under José Joaquín Prieto
approached Santiago from the South. The government under Vicuña fled northward to Coquimbo
, where they were, however, imprisoned by the victorious conservative troops. Then, Chile was without a leader for a few weeks (from December 7 to 24, 1829) until a Government Junta
was organized and took control under José Tomás Ovalle
.
Under the centralist governments of José Joaquín Prieto
and Manuel Bulnes
, the liberal Vicuña could not hold any governmental positions. He died in Santiago on January 13, 1849.
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...
an political figure. He served twice as acting President of Chile
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
in 1829. Francisco Vicuña was of Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
descent.
Early life
He was born in Santiago on 1775, the son of Francisco de Vicuña Hidalgo y Zavala and of María del Carmen Larraín Salas y Vicuña. He married Mariana de AguirreMariana de Aguirre
Mariana de Aguirre y Boza was First Lady of Chile as wife of Chile's late-1829 President Francisco Ramón Vicuña with whom she had six children....
, and had 11 children with her.
In 1810, Vicuña participated in Chile's war for independence
Chilean Independence
Chilean War of Independence was an armed conflict between pro-Independence criollos who sought political and economic independence from Spain and royalist criollos, who supported the continued allegiance to and permanence within the Spanish Empire of the Kingdom of Chile...
and organized the first firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
s production in the country. In 1811, he represented Osorno
Osorno, Chile
Osorno is a city and commune in southern Chile and capital of Osorno Province in the Los Lagos Region. It had a population of 145,475, as of the 2002 census...
in the congress, which was to give Chile a constitution, in 1814, he moved to the Senate of Chile
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
. Then, he was arrested for conspiracy
Conspiracy (political)
In a political sense, conspiracy refers to a group of persons united in the goal of usurping or overthrowing an established political power. Typically, the final goal is to gain power through a revolutionary coup d'état or through assassination....
against the Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
crown and banished into exile. Only after Chile's victory at the battle of Chacabuco
Battle of Chacabuco
The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata led by General Captain José de San Martín defeated the Spanish force led by Rafael Maroto...
in 1817, was he able to return to his home land. Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
appointed him as a government representative to the northern provinces.
Political life
In 1823 he became the head of the administration of SantiagoSantiago, 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...
and then as a delegate to the constitutional convention that year. He was one of the main defenders of the Federalist position championed by José Miguel Infante
José Miguel Infante
José Miguel Infante y Rojas was a Chilean statesman and political figure. He served several times as deputy and minister, and was the force behind the Federalist movement in that country.-Early life:...
. In 1825 the Supreme Director of Chile Ramón Freire appointed him to be his deputy as well as foreign and interior minister and at times acting war, naval, and finance minister.
In 1829, when Francisco Antonio Pinto
Francisco Antonio Pinto
Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente was a Chilean political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1827 and 1829.-Early life:He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes Díaz de la Puente...
was elected President of Chile
President of Chile
The President of the Republic of Chile is both the head of state and the head of government of the Republic of Chile. The President is responsible of the government and state administration...
, the runner-ups where Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Francisco Antonio Pascual de la Ascensión Ruiz de Tagle y Portales was a Chilean political figure. In 1830, he was briefly president of the country. Provisional President of Republic of Chile elected by Congress.-Biography:...
, a liberal federalist, and José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
, a conservative centralist, who both received the same amount of votes. Nonetheless, congress, the majority of which was liberal, declared Joaquín Vicuña
Joaquín Vicuña
José Joaquín Vicuña Larraín was a Chilean politician whose selection as vice president by Congress precipitated the Chilean Civil War of 1829. He was of Basque descent....
, a distant third and brother of Francisco Ramón (who was president of the senate) Vice-President. The centralists outraged decided for armed resistance and the Chilean Civil War of 1829 broke out.
In the ensuing civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
between the conservative centralists and the liberal federalists, Pinto was forced twice to leave the post of president to Vicuña. First, from July 14 to October 19, when Vicuña assumed as President Delegate, and then finally when he resigned on November 2 and Vicuña assumed power. On December 7, 1829 the conservative troops under José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
approached Santiago from the South. The government under Vicuña fled northward to Coquimbo
Coquimbo
Coquimbo is a port city, commune and capital of the Elqui Province, located on the Pan-American Highway, in the Coquimbo Region of Chile. Coquimbo lies in a valley south of La Serena, with which it forms Greater La Serena with more than 400,000 inhabitants. The commune spans an area around the...
, where they were, however, imprisoned by the victorious conservative troops. Then, Chile was without a leader for a few weeks (from December 7 to 24, 1829) until a Government Junta
Government Junta of Chile (1829)
Government Junta of Chile , was the political structure established to rule Chile following the defeat of the Liberal army at the Battle of Ochagavía...
was organized and took control under José Tomás Ovalle
José Tomás Ovalle
José Tomás Ovalle y Bezanilla was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as provisional president of Chile.-Early life:...
.
Under the centralist governments of José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
and Manuel Bulnes
Manuel Bulnes
-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
, the liberal Vicuña could not hold any governmental positions. He died in Santiago on January 13, 1849.