Ignacio de Arteaga y Bazán (17 February 1731 – 1783) was an officer of the
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...
.
Biography
He was born in
Aracena
Aracena () is a town and municipality located in the province of Huelva, south-western Spain. , the city has a population of 7,814 inhabitants.
The town derived its name from the Sierra de Aracena, which is part of the Sierra Morena system.
Arac ...
,
Andalusia
Andalusia (, ; es, Andalucía ) is the southernmost Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community in Peninsular Spain. It is the most populous and the second-largest autonomous community in the country. It is officially recognised as a ...
. His paternal
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
family 'Arteaga' made it possible for Arteaga to join the naval academy at Cádiz. He was accepted as a ''guardiamarina'' (
midshipman
A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...
) in 1747 and upon graduation in 1754 was given the rank of ''alférez de fragata'' (ensign). After serving on various ships and in various places he was transferred to Havana in 1766 and given his first command, the sloop ''Vibora''. In 1767 he was promoted to ''teniente de navío'' (
lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
).
In 1771 Arteaga returned to Spain and tried to marry without certain required royal and