José Bernardo de Tagle y Portocarrero, 4th Marquis of Torre Tagle (21 March 1779,

Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded as Ciudad de Los Reyes (City of The Kings) is the capital and the largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rivers, in the desert zone of t ...

– 26 September 1825

El Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists of the whole Call ...

), was a Peruvian soldier and politician who served as the Interim President of Peru in 1823 as well as the second

President of Peru The president of Peru ( es, link=no, presidente del Perú), officially called the president of the Republic of Peru ( es, link=no, presidente de la República del Perú), is the head of state and head of government of Peru. The president is th ...

from 1823 to 1824.

Biography

He was born on 21 March 1779, in

Peru , image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg , image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg , other_symbol = Great Seal of the State , other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal , national_motto = "Fi ...

, into an

aristocratic family Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The characteris ...

. His father was José Manuel de Tagle e Isásaga,

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

of the Regiment of Dragoons of Lima and heir of the Marquis of Torre Tagle. His mother was Josefa Portocarrero y Zamudio, a

granddaughter Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideall ...

of the Count of Monclova and a great-granddaughter of Melchor Portocarrero, Viceroy of Peru. When his grandfather died in 1794, his father succeeded him as the 3rd Marquis of Torre Tagle. Tagle received a private education. He initiated his military career as

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

of the Regiment of Dragoons of Lima in 1790. In 1800, he married Juana García de la Plata, daughter of an ''

oidor An ''oidor'' () was a judge of the Royal ''Audiencias'' and ''Chancillerías'', originally courts of Kingdom of Castile, which became the highest organs of justice within the Spanish Empire. The term comes from the verb ''oír'', "to hear," referr ...

'' of the

Real Audiencia of Lima The Real Audiencia and Chancery of Lima ( es, Audiencia y Cancillería Real de Lima, links=no) was a superior court in the New World empire of Spain, located in the city of Lima, capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. It was created on November 20, 154 ...

. Next year, he succeeded his father as Marquis of Torre Tagle (although he only received a provisional confirmation by the king in 1810) and inherited the post of Comissar of War and Navy of the Fortress of Callao. In 1811, Viceroy Abascal promoted him to

sergeant-major Sergeant major is a senior non-commissioned rank or appointment in many militaries around the world. History In 16th century Spain, the ("sergeant major") was a general officer. He commanded an army's infantry, and ranked about third in the ...

. Next year, Tagle was successively appointed lieutenant colonel and

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...

of the newly created Regiment of Distinguished Volunteers of the Spanish Concord, a unit which he initially largely funded personally. Simultaneously, he was elected as

Mayor of Lima The following is a list of Lima's mayors through the 20th and 21st centuries. '' Alcaldes ordinarios'' of the first and the second vote Mayors of Lima See also * Timeline of Lima {{Peru lists Lima Lima ( ; ), originally founded ...

for the 1811–12 term. During this time, Tagle entered into contact with some of the liberal nobles of Lima who advocated for reforms and then became conspirators against the viceregal administration like

José de la Riva Agüero José Mariano de la Cruz de la Riva Agüero y Sánchez Boquete, Marquess of Montealegre de Aulestia (3 May 1783 – 21 May 1858) was a soldier, politician, and historian who served as the 1st President of Peru and 2nd President of North P ...

or the Count de la Vega del Ren. As a consequence, Viceroy Abascal managed his election as Deputy for Lima to the

Cortes of Cadiz Cortes, Cortés, Cortês, Corts, or Cortès may refer to: People * Cortes (surname), including a list of people with the name ** Hernán Cortés (1485–1547), a Spanish conquistador Places * Cortes, Navarre, a village in the South border of N ...

in March 1813 and Tagle was sent to Spain. In Cadiz, he ardently defended the independence of America. During this time, Tagle sent a petition to the king requiring his appointment as Intendant of Tarma or Trujillo, but he only obtained a similar post to La Paz, which is why he remained in Spain some years. In 1815, he was created a knight of the Order of Santiago and was promoted to the rank of brigadier in the Army. On his return to Peru in 1819, Viceroy La Pezuela prevented him from exercising his position as Intendant of La Paz. In return, the viceroy first appointed him his aide-de-camp and then interim Intendant of Lima. Tagle remarried Mariana Echevarría y Santiago de Ulloa. In 1820, he was appointed Intendant of Trujillo and when José de San Martín entered into Peru, he was the first Peruvian officer to hoist the national flag in the north of Peru, and on 24 December 1820, proclaimed Trujillo independent. After the independence was proclaimed by San Martín in July 1821, Tagle was appointed General Inspector of the Civic Guard and Commander-in-Chief of the Peruvian Legion. One of the closest allies of San Martín, he was designated a member of the Council of State and created a Founder of the Order of the Sun, of whose Grand Council he was vice president. On 26 July 1822, he was appointed provisional president by San Martin when the latter went to meet

Simón Bolivar Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genu ...

Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...

. After the departure of San Martin for Chile, on 20 September, Torre Tagle was elected member of the triumvirate under

José de La Mar José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced differently in each language: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , is an old vernacul ...

. In January 1823, the congress appointed him president, but a military mutiny deposed him and proclaimed

president on 28 February. After the deposition of Riva Agüero and his retreat to Trujillo, Torre Tagle was appointed president by

Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá (; 3 February 1795 – 4 June 1830), known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" ( en, "Grand Marshal of Ayacucho"), was a Venezuelan independence leader who served as the president of Peru and as the second pr ...

on 20 July, and elected by the congress on 16 August, and Bolivar, who on his arrival 1 September had been proclaimed dictator, left him in charge of the government. During his tenure, the

Peruvian flag The flag of Peru was adopted by the government of Peru in 1824, and modified in 1950. According to the article 49 of the Constitution of Peru, it is a vertical triband with red outer bands and a single white middle band. Depending on its use, ...

, which had been established by

José de San Martín José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (25 February 177817 August 1850), known simply as José de San Martín () or '' the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru'', was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and cent ...

, was changed due to its complex elaboration. The new flag model proposed by Torre Tagle was composed of a vertical triband with red outer bands and a single white middle band with a sun in the center. When the garrison of Callao revolted 5 February 1824, for arrears of pay, Torre Tagle failed to provide the necessary means to remunerate them, and the garrison declared loyalty to Spain. Bolivar sent General

Mariano Necochea Mariano Necochea (7 September 1790, in Buenos Aires – 1849 in Miraflores, near Lima) was an Argentine-Peruvian soldier. Biography In 1802, he was sent to Spain for his education, but he was obliged to return to Argentina in 1811 on account ...

to arrest Torre Tagle, and the congress deposed him on 10 February. Fearing to be shot by order of a court martial, Torre Tagle fled to Callao, where the rebels kept him a prisoner, and on the reoccupation of Lima by the Spaniards, he was offered the place as governor of the capital, but declined, preferring to remain a prisoner of war. After the beginning of the

Second siege of Callao The second siege of Callao was the longest lasting siege that occurred on the Pacific coast during the Spanish American wars of independence. The siege was carried out by the combined Gran Colombian and Peruvian independence forces against the ro ...

, he tried several times to be admitted on board the blockading Chilean fleet, but Admiral

Manuel Blanco Encalada Manuel José Blanco y Calvo de Encalada (; April 21, 1790 – September 5, 1876) was a vice-admiral in the Chilean Navy, a political figure, and Chile's first President (Provisional) (1826). Biography Born in Buenos Aires which was the capital ...

refused to receive him except as a prisoner, and he perished with his whole family by the disease that was caused by the famine due to the protracted siege. Although he was not a traitor to his country, as charged by his enemies, he caused great misfortunes by his want of energy and vacillating policy.

Biography

References

Further reading