Ramón Freire
Encyclopedia
Ramón Freire Serrano was a Chile
an political figure. He was head of state on several occasions, and enjoyed a numerous following until the War of the Confederation
. Ramón Freire was one of the principal leaders of the liberal Piopiolo
movement and has been praised by historian Gabriel Salazar
as the most democratic leader of the early republican period in Chile.
on November 29, 1787, the son of Francisco Antonio Freire y Paz and Gertrudis Serrano y Arrechea. An orphan from early age, he was raised in a hacienda by his maternal uncles near the town of Colina
. He became an orphan again at age 16, and moved to the city of Concepción
where he worked as a clerk in a store, and later as an apprentice in a merchant ship.
. In 1811, he became a cadet of the Dragones de la Frontera, and participated in the battles of Huilquilemu, Talcahuano, El Roble
and El Quilo
during the Chilean War of Independence.
By the time of the Rancagua
disaster and the end of the Patria Vieja
, he was already a captain. With many others he crossed the Andes
and went into exile to Buenos Aires
. In 1816 he joined the Army of the Andes
, and returned to Chile as a battalion commander through the Planchón Pass (in southern Chile), occupying the city of Talca
on February 11, 1817.
He fought at the battle of Maipú
, was promoted to colonel for his services to the independence, and named Intendant of Concepción under the O'Higgins
administration. His friendship with O'Higgins started to crack by degrees, until in 1822 he resigned his position in disagreement. His name became a rallying point for the discontents with O'Higgins, but the two of them never came to an armed conflict.
During his administration he promoted some initiatives of enormous impact, such as the abolition
of slavery
, the reorganization of the defense system of the port of Valparaíso
and the opening of the Chilean markets to world commerce. He also highlighted the freedom of the press and ordered all convents and monasteries to open free schools.
On December 29, 1823 he promulgated a new Constitution
, based on the project presented by Juan Egaña. Considered a highly moralistic document, it reflected the idea that the very essence of the people can be changed by its laws. It tried to regulate both the public and private conducts of the citizens. Such approach very soon proved impracticable, and the Constitution was abandoned after only 6 months.
Since the Chilean treasury was exhausted by the independence wars, and heavily mortgaged by the first foreign loan, contracted with British banks, Freire created a government monopoly (estanco) over tobacco, alcohols, cards and tax paper, same that was assigned to Portales, Cea and Co. and turned in a huge fiasco. This affair marked the first involvement in public government of the future universal minister, Diego Portales
.
He also completed the independence of the whole territory when he captured Chiloé Island
, that still was on Spanish
hands. After a failed military campaigns in 1824 that ended in deafeat at Mocopulli
, and the 1826 battles of Pudeto and Bellavista
, he signed the treaty of Tantauco, in which Spain renounced definitively to that area.
Juan Muzi arrived in Chile. The object of the mission was to fix the relations between Chile and the Holy See
. A conflict soon developed because Chile felt it had inherited the rights of patronage held by the Spanish Kings, and the Holy See felt differently. In the interim, the government had adopted several measures asserting its control over the church, such as the reformation of the monastic orders, the seizure of church property, and the exile of one of the Bishops, who had actively opposed independence. Monsignor Muzi was adamant in its refusal, and asked for his passports, severing relations between the two states.
In the domestic arena, conflicts, especially with the supporters of O'Higgins, worsened to such a point that Freire was dismissed during a campaign in 1825, being reinstated upon his return. Nonetheless, the multiple conflicts forced Freire to resign on July 9, 1826, handing over the power to admiral
Manuel Blanco Encalada
, who assumed with the new title of "President of the Republic".
During his period there was the attempt, headed by José Miguel Infante
, to establish a federal system of government. In fact, the Chilean Congress dictated a number of laws to that effect. The idea was to formulate a federative republic based on the example of the United States
. Many conflicts erupted among the new States-Provinces that made the new system collapse very quickly.
Originally he retired himself to the Cucha-cucha Hacienda, but shortly afterwards returned to the political fighting in the 1829 Civil War. His final defeat came on the battle of Lircay
. He was the imprisoned and later sent into exile to Peru
. In Peru, and with the help of Marshal
Andrés de Santa Cruz
, he fitted a small expedition and tried to capture the island of Chiloé. After failing in his purpose, he was imprisoned in the port of Valparaíso
, court-martialled, and exiled first to the island of Juan Fernández
, and afterwards to Tahiti
and in 1837 temporarily settled in Australia
.
He was allowed to return to Chile in 1842, where he lived peacefully until his death on December 9, 1851.
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 was head of state on several occasions, and enjoyed a numerous following until the War of the Confederation
War of the Confederation
The War of the Confederation , was a conflict between the Peru-Bolivian Confederation on one side and Chile, Peruvian dissidents and Argentina, on the other, fought mostly in the actual territory of Peru and which ended with a Confederate defeat and the dissolution of the...
. Ramón Freire was one of the principal leaders of the liberal Piopiolo
Pipiolos
thumb|180px|[[Ramón Freire]], hero of the [[Chilean War of Independence]] and head of state between 1823 and 1826 and again in 1827, was an icon of the Pipiolo movementPipiolos was the name used to refer to Chilean upper class liberals in early 19th century...
movement and has been praised by historian Gabriel Salazar
Gabriel Salazar
Gabriel Salazar Vergara, is a Chilean historian.-Awards:*2006 - Chilean National History Award 2006...
as the most democratic leader of the early republican period in Chile.
Early life
He was born in 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...
on November 29, 1787, the son of Francisco Antonio Freire y Paz and Gertrudis Serrano y Arrechea. An orphan from early age, he was raised in a hacienda by his maternal uncles near the town of Colina
Colina, Chile
Colina is a Chilean city and commune, capital of the Chacabuco Province, in the northern part of the Santiago Metropolitan Region.-Demographics:...
. He became an orphan again at age 16, and moved to the city of Concepción
Concepción, Chile
Concepción is a city in Chile, capital of Concepción Province and of the Biobío Region or Region VIII. Greater Concepción is the second-largest conurbation in the country, with 889,725 inhabitants...
where he worked as a clerk in a store, and later as an apprentice in a merchant ship.
War of Independence
At the beginning of the independence struggle in 1810, he became actively involved in the public meetings that accompanied the establishment of the first JuntaGovernment Junta of Chile (1810)
Government Junta of the Kingdom of Chile , also known as the First Government Junta, was the organ established to rule Chile following the deposition and imprisonment of King Ferdinand VII by Napoleon Bonaparte...
. In 1811, he became a cadet of the Dragones de la Frontera, and participated in the battles of Huilquilemu, Talcahuano, El Roble
Battle of El Roble
The Battle of El Roble was fought on the Itata river, 17 October 1813, between the Chilean patriot general José Miguel Carrera and Spanish royalist forces under the command ofClemente Lantaño and de Luis Urrejola...
and El Quilo
Battle of El Quilo
The battle of el Quilo, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, occurred at el Quilo, on the southern side of the Itata river, on 19 March, 1814.-Background:...
during the Chilean War of Independence.
By the time of the Rancagua
Rancagua
Rancagua is a city and commune in central Chile, part of the Rancagua conurbation. It is the capital of the Cachapoal Province and of the O'Higgins Region, located south of the national capital of Santiago. It had a 2002 population of 214,344...
disaster and the end of the Patria Vieja
Patria Vieja
Patria Vieja refers to a time period in the History of Chile occurring between the First Junta of the Government and the Disaster of Rancagua . This period was characterized by the transformation from a movement of temporary autonomy to one of total independence...
, he was already a captain. With many others he crossed the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
and went into exile to 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...
. In 1816 he joined the Army of the 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...
, and returned to Chile as a battalion commander through the Planchón Pass (in southern Chile), occupying the city of Talca
Talca
Talca is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region . As of the 2002 census, the city had a population of 193,755....
on February 11, 1817.
He fought at the battle of Maipú
Battle of Maipú
The Battle of Maipú was a battle fought near Santiago, Chile on April 5, 1818 between South American rebels and Spanish royalists, during the Chilean War of Independence...
, was promoted to colonel for his services to the independence, and named Intendant of Concepción under the 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...
administration. His friendship with O'Higgins started to crack by degrees, until in 1822 he resigned his position in disagreement. His name became a rallying point for the discontents with O'Higgins, but the two of them never came to an armed conflict.
As Supreme Director
After the resignation of O'Higgins, he became the new Supreme Director, position that he detented from April 4, 1823 (when he was named by the Junta de Representantes that replaced O'Higgins) until July 9, 1826. After a brief interlude, he re-assumed on January 25, 1827. His new resignation on February 5, 1827 was not accepted, and he was elected President on February 15 of the same year. He resigned again on the following May 5, 1827.During his administration he promoted some initiatives of enormous impact, such as the abolition
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
of slavery
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
, the reorganization of the defense system of the port 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 the opening of the Chilean markets to world commerce. He also highlighted the freedom of the press and ordered all convents and monasteries to open free schools.
On December 29, 1823 he promulgated a new Constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
, based on the project presented by Juan Egaña. Considered a highly moralistic document, it reflected the idea that the very essence of the people can be changed by its laws. It tried to regulate both the public and private conducts of the citizens. Such approach very soon proved impracticable, and the Constitution was abandoned after only 6 months.
Since the Chilean treasury was exhausted by the independence wars, and heavily mortgaged by the first foreign loan, contracted with British banks, Freire created a government monopoly (estanco) over tobacco, alcohols, cards and tax paper, same that was assigned to Portales, Cea and Co. and turned in a huge fiasco. This affair marked the first involvement in public government of the future universal minister, Diego Portales
Diego Portales
Diego José Pedro Víctor Portales Palazuelos was a Chilean statesman and entrepreneur. As a minister of president José Joaquín Prieto Diego Portales played a pivotal role in shaping the state and government politics in the 19th century, delivering with the Constitution of 1833 the framework of the...
.
He also completed the independence of the whole territory when he captured Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island
Chiloé Island , also known as Greater Island of Chiloé , is the largest island of the Chiloé Archipelago off the coast of Chile, in the Pacific Ocean...
, that still was on 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...
hands. After a failed military campaigns in 1824 that ended in deafeat at Mocopulli
Battle of Mocopulli
The Battle of Mocopulli was fought on April 1 of 1824 as the culmination of a Chilean patriots invasion plan against royalist Chiloé...
, and the 1826 battles of Pudeto and Bellavista
Bellavista
Bellavista is Spanish for "Beautiful view". It is the name of the following places:* Chile** Barrio Bellavista, an area of Santiago de Chile* Colombia** alternative name of Bojayá, a town in Colombia* Italy...
, he signed the treaty of Tantauco, in which Spain renounced definitively to that area.
Muzi mission
At about the same time, an apostolic mission, sent by the Pope, and headed by monsignorMonsignor
Monsignor, pl. monsignori, is the form of address for those members of the clergy of the Catholic Church holding certain ecclesiastical honorific titles. Monsignor is the apocopic form of the Italian monsignore, from the French mon seigneur, meaning "my lord"...
Juan Muzi arrived in Chile. The object of the mission was to fix the relations between Chile and the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
. A conflict soon developed because Chile felt it had inherited the rights of patronage held by the Spanish Kings, and the Holy See felt differently. In the interim, the government had adopted several measures asserting its control over the church, such as the reformation of the monastic orders, the seizure of church property, and the exile of one of the Bishops, who had actively opposed independence. Monsignor Muzi was adamant in its refusal, and asked for his passports, severing relations between the two states.
In the domestic arena, conflicts, especially with the supporters of O'Higgins, worsened to such a point that Freire was dismissed during a campaign in 1825, being reinstated upon his return. Nonetheless, the multiple conflicts forced Freire to resign on July 9, 1826, handing over the power to admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel José Blanco y Calvo de Encalada was a Vice-Admiral in the Chilean Navy, a political figure, and Chile's first President .-Biography:...
, who assumed with the new title of "President of the Republic".
As President
A new revolution brought him back to power on January 25, 1827 as Provisional Presidente. After order was restored, he resigned again on February 5, but his resignation was rejected by Congress, who proceeded to confirm him as President on February 15. He finally resigned on May 5, 1827.During his period there was the attempt, headed 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:...
, to establish a federal system of government. In fact, the Chilean Congress dictated a number of laws to that effect. The idea was to formulate a federative republic based on the example of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Many conflicts erupted among the new States-Provinces that made the new system collapse very quickly.
Later life
Lircay
-Places:*Lircay, Capital city of the Angaraes province of Peru*Lircay River, a small river near the city of Talca, in the Maule Region of Chile.-Historical events:*Treaty of Lircay - Cease fire treaty signed during the Chilean War of Independence...
. He was the imprisoned and later sent into exile to Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. In Peru, and with the help of Marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
Andrés de Santa Cruz
Andrés de Santa Cruz
Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana was President of Peru and Bolivia...
, he fitted a small expedition and tried to capture the island of Chiloé. After failing in his purpose, he was imprisoned in the port 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...
, court-martialled, and exiled first to the island of Juan Fernández
Juan Fernández Islands
The Juan Fernández Islands are a sparsely inhabited island group reliant on tourism and fishing in the South Pacific Ocean, situated about off the coast of Chile, and is composed of three main volcanic islands; Robinson Crusoe Island, Alejandro Selkirk Island and Santa Clara Island, the first...
, and afterwards to Tahiti
Tahiti
Tahiti is the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia, located in the archipelago of the Society Islands in the southern Pacific Ocean. It is the economic, cultural and political centre of French Polynesia. The island was formed from volcanic activity and is high and mountainous...
and in 1837 temporarily settled in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
He was allowed to return to Chile in 1842, where he lived peacefully until his death on December 9, 1851.