Juan Bautista Topete
Encyclopedia
Juan Bautista Topete y Carballo (May 24, 1821 – October 29, 1885), Spanish naval commander and politician, was born in San Andrés Tuxtla
, Mexico
.
His father and grandfather were also Spanish admirals. He entered the navy at the age of seventeen, cut out a Carlist
vessel in 1839, and became a midshipman at twenty-two, obtaining the cross of naval merit for saving the life of a sailor in 1841 and became a lieutenant in 1845. He served on the West Indian station for three years, and was engaged in repressing the slave trade before he was promoted frigate captain in 1857. He was promoted chief of staff to the fleet during the Moroccan War
, 1859, after which he received the crosses of San Fernando and San Hermenegild.
Having been appointed chief of the Carrara arsenal at Cádiz
, he was elected a deputy and joined the Union Liberal of O'Donnell
and Serrano
. He was sent out to the Pacific in command of the frigate "Blanca," and was present at the bombardment of Valparaíso
and Callao
, where he was badly wounded, and in other engagements of the war between Chile and Peru.
On his return to Spain, Topete was made port captain at Cádiz, which enabled him to take the lead of the conspiracy in the fleet against the Bourbon monarchy
. He sent the steamer "Buenaventura" to the Canary Isle for Serrano and the other exiles; and when Prim
and Sagasta
arrived from Gibraltar
, the whole fleet under the influence of Topete took such an attitude that the people, garrison and authorities of Cádiz followed suit.
Topete took part in all the posts of the revolutionary government, accepted the post of marine minister, was elected a member of the Cortes
in 1869, and supported the pretensions of Antoine, Duke of Montpensier
. He initially opposed the election of Amadeus, but latter sat on several cabinets seats of that king's reign. He was prosecuted by the federal republic of 1873 and again took charge of the marine under Serrano in 1874. After the Restoration, he was held aloof for many years, but finally accepted the presidency of a naval board in 1877. Later, he sat in the Senate as a life peer until his death in Madrid.
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San Andrés Tuxtla
The municipio of San Andrés Tuxtla is located in the south-central portion of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its municipal seat is also called San Andrés Tuxtla, located 150 km from the city of Veracruz along Federal Highway 180 in the Sierra de Los Tuxtlas region.The municipality which...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
His father and grandfather were also Spanish admirals. He entered the navy at the age of seventeen, cut out a Carlist
Carlist Wars
The Carlist Wars in Spain were the last major European civil wars in which contenders fought to establish their claim to a throne. Several times during the period from 1833 to 1876 the Carlists — followers of Infante Carlos and his descendants — rallied to the cry of "God, Country, and King" and...
vessel in 1839, and became a midshipman at twenty-two, obtaining the cross of naval merit for saving the life of a sailor in 1841 and became a lieutenant in 1845. He served on the West Indian station for three years, and was engaged in repressing the slave trade before he was promoted frigate captain in 1857. He was promoted chief of staff to the fleet during the Moroccan War
Spanish-Moroccan War (1859)
The Hispano-Moroccan War, also known as the Spanish–Moroccan War, the First Moroccan War, the Tetuán War, or, in Spain, as the African War , was fought from Spain's declaration of war on Morocco on 22 October 1859 until the Treaty of Wad-Ras on 26 April 1860...
, 1859, after which he received the crosses of San Fernando and San Hermenegild.
Having been appointed chief of the Carrara arsenal at Cádiz
Cádiz
Cadiz is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the homonymous province, one of eight which make up the autonomous community of Andalusia....
, he was elected a deputy and joined the Union Liberal of O'Donnell
Leopoldo O'Donnell, 1st Duke of Tetuan
Don Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuan, 1st Count of Lucena, 1st Viscount of Aliaga, Grandee of Spain, , was a Spanish general and statesman...
and Serrano
Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, Duke de la Torre
Don Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, 1st Duke of la Torre Grandee of Spain, Count of San Antonio was a Spanish marshal and statesman...
. He was sent out to the Pacific in command of the frigate "Blanca," and was present at the bombardment of Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
and Callao
Callao
Callao is the largest and most important port in Peru. The city is coterminous with the Constitutional Province of Callao, the only province of the Callao Region. Callao is located west of Lima, the country's capital, and is part of the Lima Metropolitan Area, a large metropolis that holds almost...
, where he was badly wounded, and in other engagements of the war between Chile and Peru.
On his return to Spain, Topete was made port captain at Cádiz, which enabled him to take the lead of the conspiracy in the fleet against the Bourbon monarchy
House of Bourbon
The House of Bourbon is a European royal house, a branch of the Capetian dynasty . Bourbon kings first ruled Navarre and France in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Bourbon dynasty also held thrones in Spain, Naples, Sicily, and Parma...
. He sent the steamer "Buenaventura" to the Canary Isle for Serrano and the other exiles; and when Prim
Juan Prim
Don Juan or Joan Prim, Marquis of los Castillejos, Grandee of Spain, Count of Reus, Viscount of the Bruch was a Spanish general and statesman.-Life:...
and Sagasta
Práxedes Mateo Sagasta
Práxedes Mariano Mateo Sagasta y Escolar was a Spanish politician who served as Prime Minister on eight occasions between 1870 and 1902—always in charge of the Liberal Party—as part of the turno pacifico, alternating with the Liberal-Conservative leader Antonio Cánovas...
arrived from Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, the whole fleet under the influence of Topete took such an attitude that the people, garrison and authorities of Cádiz followed suit.
Topete took part in all the posts of the revolutionary government, accepted the post of marine minister, was elected a member of the Cortes
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
in 1869, and supported the pretensions of Antoine, Duke of Montpensier
Antoine, Duke of Montpensier
- Titles and styles:/*13 July 182421 September 1824: His Serene Highness Prince Antoine d'Orléans*21 September 18249 August 1830: His Royal Highness Prince Antoine d'Orléans...
. He initially opposed the election of Amadeus, but latter sat on several cabinets seats of that king's reign. He was prosecuted by the federal republic of 1873 and again took charge of the marine under Serrano in 1874. After the Restoration, he was held aloof for many years, but finally accepted the presidency of a naval board in 1877. Later, he sat in the Senate as a life peer until his death in Madrid.
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