José Agustín de Lecubarri y Gorostiza, KB (25 June 1802 – 6 January 1874), was a Spanish diplomat and naval officer. His significant diplomatic achievements during the First Carlist War earned him the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic, as well as the Order of Charles III.

Early years

Lecubarri was born in London into an old Spanish hidalgo

lineage Lineage may refer to: Science * Lineage (anthropology), a group that can demonstrate its common descent from an apical ancestor or a direct line of descent from an ancestor * Lineage (evolution), a temporal sequence of individuals, populati ...

, son of

Hussar A hussar ( , ; hu, huszár, pl, husarz, sh, husar / ) was a member of a class of light cavalry, originating in Central Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries. The title and distinctive dress of these horsemen were subsequently widely ...

cavalry officer Manuel de Lecubarri y Uraga and Manuela Gorostiza y Egusqueaguirre. He returned to Spain briefly following his birth to be baptised through the Catholic Church 2 August 1802, at the Church of Saint Vincent near Bilbao. His military career began on 4 September 1824 as

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 ...

, rising to Frigate Ensign in June 1825 aboard the frigate ''Aretusa'', thereafter promoted to captain of said frigate in January 1828. Such actions as captain earned him the Cross to Naval Merit.

Diplomatic career

In 1833, he left the Navy to devote himself to diplomacy. Back in London he joins as Consul General of Spain to the United Kingdom, being the youngest in history to hold such office. Lecubarri and the ambassador, Juan Nepomuceno Vial, managed to consolidate an exceptional relationship with mutually supportive policies, which would serve as a breeding ground for the sending of troops by the British Government in the First Carlist War. The

British Auxiliary Legion The British Auxiliary Legion, also called the British Legion (''La Legión Británica'') or Westminster Legion, existed from 1835 to 1837. It was a British military force sent to Spain to support the Liberals and Queen Isabella II of Spain against ...

became a determining factor in the course of the war. On 30 July 1835 the first battalion of the British Auxiliary Legion arrived in

Santander Santander may refer to: Places * Santander, Spain, a port city and capital of the autonomous community of Cantabria, Spain * Santander Department, a department of Colombia * Santander State, former state of Colombia * Santander de Quilichao, a m ...

, with the rest of the troops arriving throughout the summer. 1000 soldiers received shelter in the city, while another 4000 settled in the Monastery of Monte Corbán At the end of the summer of 1836, a number close to 10,000 men of the unit were concentrated in the outskirts of

San Sebastián San Sebastian, officially known as Donostia–San Sebastián (names in both local languages: ''Donostia'' () and ''San Sebastián'' ()) is a city and Municipalities of Spain, municipality located in the Basque Country (autonomous community), B ...

led by George De Lacy Evans who in turn was under the command of the General

Luis Fernández de Córdova Luis Fernández de Córdova (or Córdoba) (August 2, 1798 in San Fernando, Cádiz – April 22, 1840 in Lisbon) was a Spanish military general, diplomat and first Marquis of Mendigorria. He was the son of José de Córdoba y Rojas and elder bro ...

. His services to the crown during the beginning of the First Carlist War earned him the cross of the Order of Charles III. Subsequently, and as a reward for his encouragement of favourable relations and cooperation between Spain and his country of birth, the queen Isabela II imposed him the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic in 1847. Despite his allegiance to Queen Isabella, José Agustín de Lecubarri confessed his inclination towards the old order several times, praising the war achievements of the Infante

Carlos María Isidro Carlos may refer to: Places ;Canada * Carlos, Alberta, a locality ;United States * Carlos, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Carlos, Maryland, a place in Allegany County * Carlos, Minnesota, a small city * Carlos, West Virginia ;Elsewhere ...

on numerous occasions.Letter to his Excellency the

Duke of Osuna Duke of Osuna is a Spanish noble title that was first awarded in 1562 by King Philip II of Spain to Pedro Girón de la Cueva, (Osuna, Seville, 29 July 1537 – 1590). Pedro was also Viceroy of Naples, (1582–1586), Ambassador in Portugal and ...

, January 1846. Letters of J.A de Lecubarri He died on 6 January 1874 in Bilbao, Spain.

Honours

National

House of Bourbon The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spanis ...

: Knight Cross of the Order of Charles III (1834) *

: White Cross of Naval Merit (1829)

Foreign

* House of Hanover: Knight Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (1836)

References