José De La Riva Agüero
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José Mariano de la Cruz de la Riva Agüero y Sánchez Boquete (3 May 1783 – 21 May 1858) was a Peruvian soldier and politician who was the first
president of Peru The president of Peru (), officially the constitutional president of the Republic of Peru (), is the head of state and head of government of Peru. The president is the head of the executive branch and is the supreme head of the Peruvian Armed ...
and the second president of North Peru, a constituent country of the
Peru–Bolivian Confederation The Peru–Bolivian Confederation () was a short-lived state that existed in South America between 1836 and 1839. The country was a loose confederation made up of three states: North Peru and South Peru—states that arose from the division of th ...
. A leading figure of the
Peruvian War of Independence The Peruvian War of Independence () was a series of military conflicts in Peru from 1809 to 1826 that resulted in the country's independence from the Spanish Empire. Part of the broader Spanish American wars of independence, it led to the dis ...
, he was
president of Peru The president of Peru (), officially the constitutional president of the Republic of Peru (), is the head of state and head of government of Peru. The president is the head of the executive branch and is the supreme head of the Peruvian Armed ...
in 1823, being the first head of state to serve as ''President of the Republic'' and to wear the two-color
presidential sash A sash is a large and usually colorful ribbon or band of material worn around the human body, either draping from one shoulder to the opposing hip and back up, or else encircling the waist. The sash around the waist may be worn in daily attire, ...
as a symbol of the power he exercised. Although this power was ''de facto'', that is, born from a coup d'état and not by popular will expressed in elections, since it was imposed by the
Peruvian Army The Peruvian Army (, abbreviated EP) is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with safeguarding the independence, sovereignty and integrity of national territory on land through military force. Additional missions include assistance in s ...
through the so-called
Balconcillo mutiny The Balconcillo mutiny () or La Victoria uprising () was the first ''coup d'état'' in the history of Peru The history of Peru spans 15 millennia, extending back through several stages of cultural development along the country's desert coastli ...
, which ordered
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
to dismiss the Supreme Governing Junta headed by
José de La Mar José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced , ...
. He governed for four months before being replaced by the Marquis of Torre Tagle. Born to an aristocratic family from
Lima Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
he was a determined supporter of the independence movement from very early on. He was in Spain at the time of the Napoleonic invasion, joining the
Masonic lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...
s that at that time were working towards the independence of America. In 1810 he returned to
Peru Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
and, from then until the arrival of
José de San Martín José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (; 25 February 177817 August 1850), nicknamed "the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru", was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and central parts of South America's succe ...
, he was the main figure of the anticolonial conspiracies in Lima, directing the Lodge of the Copetudos. He collaborated with San Martín before and after his arrival in Peru. Once the
Protectorate of Peru A protectorate, in the context of international relations, is a state that is under protection by another state for defence against aggression and other violations of law. It is a dependent territory that enjoys autonomy over most of its int ...
was established, he was named president (prefect) of the
department of Lima The Department of Lima (), known as the Department of the Capital () until 1823, is a department and region located in the central coast of Peru; the seat of the regional government is Huacho. Lima Province, which contains the city of Lima, ...
. He was named president after the
Balconcillo mutiny The Balconcillo mutiny () or La Victoria uprising () was the first ''coup d'état'' in the history of Peru The history of Peru spans 15 millennia, extending back through several stages of cultural development along the country's desert coastli ...
, the first coup d'état in the country's republican history. Riva-Agüero sought to conclude the
independence of Peru The Peruvian War of Independence () was a series of military conflicts in Peru from 1809 to 1826 that resulted in the country's independence from the Spanish Empire. Part of the broader Spanish American wars of independence, it led to the dis ...
initiated by separate uprisings a decade before. Thus, without the use of foreign troops, he managed to organize an army and a fleet for the Second Intermedios campaign. The company led by
Andrés de Santa Cruz Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana (; 30 November 1792 – 25 September 1865) was a Bolivian general and politician who served as interim president of Peru in 1827, the interim president of Peru from 1836 to 1838 and the sixth president of ...
failed in its attempt to stop the royalist advance and the expedition was defeated. Disagreements with
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
and the arrival of
Simón Bolívar Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
determined the end of his brief government and his deportation to
Guayaquil Guayaquil (), officially Santiago de Guayaquil, is the largest city in Ecuador and also the nation's economic capital and main port. The city is the capital (political), capital of Guayas Province and the seat of Guayaquil Canton. The city is ...
, first, and later to Europe, where he resided until 1828, then returning to America. He went first to
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
, then returned to Peru in 1833 and was elected deputy for Lima to the National Convention of 1833, which reincorporated him into the Army with the title of Grand Marshal. A supporter of President Luis José de Orbegoso, he was plenipotentiary minister in Chile and under the
Peru–Bolivian Confederation The Peru–Bolivian Confederation () was a short-lived state that existed in South America between 1836 and 1839. The country was a loose confederation made up of three states: North Peru and South Peru—states that arose from the division of th ...
he was president of North Peru. After the Confederation's dissolution, he went to
Ecuador Ecuador, officially the Republic of Ecuador, is a country in northwestern South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and the Pacific Ocean on the west. It also includes the Galápagos Province which contain ...
again. When he returned in 1843, he retired to private life.


Early life and political career

Riva Agüero was born in Lima in 1783. His father was José de la Riva Agüero y Basso della Rovere, a Spanish aristocrat of Italian origin and a matrilineal descendant of the
Della Rovere The House of Della Rovere (; literally "of the oak tree") was a powerful Italian noble family. It had humble origins in Savona, in Liguria, and acquired power and influence through nepotism and ambitious marriages arranged by two Della Rovere p ...
family. His mother was María Josefa Sánchez Boquete y Román de Aulestia, a member of the ancient Spaniard nobility established in Lima and a sister of the Marquis de Montealegre de Aulestia. Although the first representatives of the de la Riva Agüero family were established in Peru since the 17th century, his father just settled down himself in the last quarter of the 18th century. He was part of the tribunal which accompanied ''visitador'' José Antonio de Areche to Peru in 1777 and was then appointed Superintendent of the Royal Mint of Peru (''Real Casa de Moneda''), a post he occupied until his death. Riva Agüero spent his childhood in Lima, where he received his early education and a commission as lieutenant of the Regiment of the Nobility Corps in 1796 when he was thirteen years old. He was sent to Spain to complete his military education under the supervision of influential paternal relatives (one of his uncles was Minister of the Consejo de Indias and another one lieutenant general of the Army), however he decided to abandon his career as well as his subsequent legal studies to travel to France. In 1805, he was appointed Knight of the
Order of Charles III The Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, originally Royal and Much Distinguished Order of Charles III (, originally ; Abbreviation, Abbr.: OC3) is a knighthood and one of the three preeminent Order of merit, orders of merit bes ...
and confirmed in 1807. Returned to
Madrid Madrid ( ; ) is the capital and List of largest cities in Spain, most populous municipality of Spain. It has almost 3.5 million inhabitants and a Madrid metropolitan area, metropolitan area population of approximately 7 million. It i ...
, Riva Agüero participated in the wars against the
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
ic invasion. Moved by the nationalist ardor caused by the Napoleonic invasion in 1808, he was involved in some early actions against the French in Guipuzcoa and Burgos and then joined the forces of General Echevarri in Cordoba participating in the
Battle of Alcolea Bridge The Battle of Alcolea Bridge was a minor battle that took place on 7 June 1808, during the Peninsular War, at Alcolea (Córdoba), Alcolea, a small village 10 km from Córdoba, Andalusia, Córdoba, the city that would be invaded by French ...
. In 1809, aware of the fact that his military career in the Spanish Army was limited due in part to the legal restriction that prevented American Spaniards to accede to high offices, he decided to initiate a career in the colonial administration. He was appointed Minister Judge of the Royal Mint of Peru, accountant of the Court of Auditors (''Tribunal Mayor de Cuentas'') and Judge of the Royal Lottery of Lima (''Real Ramo de Suertes''). That same year, his father died and Riva Agüero decided to return to Lima. By that time, he was already known for his adhesion to separatist ideals, so the Spanish authorities in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, Montevideo and Mendoza tried to prevent him entering Peru. In Lima, Riva Agüero participated actively in various conspiracies for the Peruvian independence, the reason for which he was placed under strict surveillance by order of Viceroy Abascal. In 1813, his first work on the state of the Court of Auditors of Lima was destroyed by the Viceroy and Riva Agüero tried and placed under house arrest. Next year, he participated in the failed conspiracy of Quiroz and Pardo de Zela to take the government of Lima, in the conspiracy of Gómez and in the conspiracy of 1819.
José de San Martín José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (; 25 February 177817 August 1850), nicknamed "the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru", was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and central parts of South America's succe ...
named him prefect of Lima in 1822. Upon the departure of San Martín and the ensuing social instability in the country,
Andrés de Santa Cruz Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana (; 30 November 1792 – 25 September 1865) was a Bolivian general and politician who served as interim president of Peru in 1827, the interim president of Peru from 1836 to 1838 and the sixth president of ...
revolted against the Peruvian Congress on 26 February 1823 and forced it to elect Riva Agüero as President. Riva Agüero proclaimed himself "President of Peru", the first to use such title. During his short government, he suffered the entry of Spanish troops into the capital and the departure of the government towards a new installation at the port of
Callao Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, 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 ...
. Under this situation, Riva Agüero lost all support of the Peruvian Congress, which awaited anxiously the arrival of
Simón Bolívar Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
. He was later deposed by
Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá (; 3 February 1795 – 4 June 1830), known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" (), was a Venezuelan general and politician who served as the president of Bolivia from 1825 to 1828. A close friend and associate ...
. Sucre was succeeded by José Bernardo de Torre Tagle until the arrival of Simón Bolívar. Congress had been waiting for the Venezuelan "Liberator" to come to Peru and help to consolidate the Independence of the country, and was more than willing to grant him all necessary powers. Fearing the loss of leadership, Riva Agüero sought to conciliate with the
viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...
to prevent the arrival of Bolívar, only to be arrested and accused of high treason. He was subsequently exiled to Chile. There he wrote the ''Memorias y documentos para la Historia de la Independencia del Perú y causas del mal éxito que ha tenido ésta'' (Memories and documents for the history of the independence of Peru and causes for its failure so far), one of the most important sources for the period. During the short-lived Peru-Bolivian Confederation Riva Agüero supported Mariscal
Andrés de Santa Cruz Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana (; 30 November 1792 – 25 September 1865) was a Bolivian general and politician who served as interim president of Peru in 1827, the interim president of Peru from 1836 to 1838 and the sixth president of ...
, and became president of the Republic of North Peru in 1838. After its collapse, he retired from public life until his death in 1858. He had five children with Princess Caroline-Arnoldine de Looz-Corswarem. His eldest son was José de la Riva-Agüero y Looz-Corswarem.


Conspiracy in Lima

During his time in Spain he joined an American lodge that worked for the independence of America. He came back to Peru after he was appointed as accountant and conservative judge in the area of luck and lotteries in the Tribunal Mayor de Cuentas de Lima (1810), returned to Peru, via
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, decided to support the independence movement. During his trip, he avoided harassment from the authorities: he was briefly arrested in
Montevideo Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
but; in Buenos Aires, he had to flee furtively after realizing that they were going to return him to Spain. Something similar happened in the city of Mendoza. Already established in Lima, he was associated with various groups of patriots and maintained active correspondence with those of Chile and Buenos Aires, which had already been installed Governing Boards. He ran Lima's Lodge from home, located at Santa Teresa (now fifth block of
Jirón Puno Jirón Puno is a major street in the Damero de Pizarro, located in the historic centre of Lima, Peru. It starts in the Jirón de la Unión and continues until it reaches Jirón Lorenzo de Vidaurre in Barrios Altos. It is continued by Jirón Moqueg ...
) or the house of the Count of Vega del Ren, in the street of Botica San Pedro (now fourth block of Jirón Miró Quesada). He was involved in almost all Lima conspiracies, which were closely monitored by the authorities and eventually persecuted. However, the intervention of powerful friends and relatives saved him. In 1816 he wrote a ''Manifestación histórica y política de la revolución de América'', published anonymously in Buenos Aires in 1818 in which he exposed 20 causes justifying the insurgency against the colonial regime.


Contact with San Martín

Riva Agüero was then in intensive contacts with José de San Martín, who after securing the independence of Chile planned to go to Peru. He sent valuable data on the situation of the royalist forces and helped define the plan of operations of the Army of the Andes to attack the central coast of Peru to penetrate the Upper Peru. For all these reasons, the figure of Riva Agüero was instrumental in achieving the emancipation of Spanish America. At that time, a messenger of San Martin was captured with correspondence that was addressed to Riva Agüero and other Lima patriots in April 1819. The Viceroy Joaquín de la Pezuela then ordered the confinement of Riva Agüero in
Tarma Santa Ana de la Ribera de Tarma, known as Tarma, is the capital city of Tarma Province in Junín Region, Peru. The city has a population of 43,042 as of the 2017 census. History Pre-Hispanic era Recent archaeological excavations show that pri ...
(central highlands of Peru) while preparing a boat to take him to Spain, but the legal appeal and the disruption caused by the arrival of San Martin during his Freedom Expedition led such a severe measure to be abandoned. Even in such conflict Riva Agüero continued laboring for the cause of independence, convincing many officers to desert the royal troops. Indeed, he was one of those who influenced over Numancia Battalion's celebrated change to the patriot ranks. Similarly, he promoted the guerrilla organization to sever accesses in Lima. He also helped to produce the schism and disagreement among the Spanish generals themselves and help to infiltrate the royal army with double agents.


Personal life

In
1826 Events January–March * January 15 – The French newspaper ''Le Figaro'' begins publication in Paris, initially as a satirical weekly. * January 17 – The Ballantyne printing business in Edinburgh (Scotland) crashes, ruining noveli ...
Riva-Aguero married Princess Caroline-Arnoldine-Irénée de Looz-Corswarem at Wolvendael Castel, near
Brussels Brussels, officially the Brussels-Capital Region, (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) is a Communities, regions and language areas of Belgium#Regions, region of Belgium comprising #Municipalit ...
. Princess Caroline was a daughter of Charles, Duke of Looz-Corswarem, a member of the former reigning house of the Principality of Rheina-Wolbeck which was later integrated into the Belgian nobility. The couple had five children: #
José José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese form of the given name Joseph. While spelled alike, this name is pronounced very differently in each of the two languages: Spanish ; Portuguese (or ). In French, the name ''José'', pronounced ...
(1827-1881), Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru and grandfather of José de la Riva Aguero y Osma, Marquis de Montealegre. # Carolina (1829-1889), unmarried. # Carlos (1831-), unmarried. # Alphonse (1834-1904), member of the
Noble Guard The Noble Guard () was one of the household guard units serving the Pope, and formed part of the military in Vatican City. It was formed by Pope Pius VII in 1801 as a regiment of heavy cavalry, and abolished in 1970 by Pope Paul VI following Vat ...
of
Pius IX Pope Pius IX (; born Giovanni Maria Battista Pietro Pellegrino Isidoro Mastai-Ferretti; 13 May 1792 – 7 February 1878) was head of the Catholic Church from 1846 to 1878. His reign of nearly 32 years is the longest verified of any pope in hist ...
and official of the
Belgian Army The Land Component (, ), historically and commonly still referred to as the Belgian Army (, ), is the Land warfare, land branch of the Belgian Armed Forces. The King of the Belgians is the commander in chief. The current chief of staff of the Land ...
. Married Gabrielle van de Velve. # André (1837-1905), ''camérier secret'' of Pius IX and ''prémier chambellan'' of Charles III of Monaco. Married Joséphine, Countess Hemptinne. Their only child was the painter Caroline Stiénon du Pré, wife of Ludovic, baron Stiénon du Pré. Personal and economic difficulties caused the separation of the couple. After Riva Aguero's death, Princess Caroline permanently settled down in Belgium living in the Chateau of Niel, her
ancestral home An ancestral home is the place of origin of one's extended family, particularly the home owned and preserved by the same family for several generations. The term can refer to an individual house or estate, or to a broader geographic area such as a ...
. His young children accompanied their mother and pursued carreers in European courts and the Belgian army obtaining later the Belgian nationality. Only his eldest son remained in Peru where he pursued a political carreer. His descendant was the historian and politician José de la Riva Aguero y Osma, Marquis of Montealegre and of Casa-Dávila, one of the most important Peruvian intellectuals of the 20th Century.


See also

*
Peru–Bolivian Confederation The Peru–Bolivian Confederation () was a short-lived state that existed in South America between 1836 and 1839. The country was a loose confederation made up of three states: North Peru and South Peru—states that arose from the division of th ...


References


Further reading

* Higgins, J., ed. (2014). ''The Emancipation of Peru: British Eyewitness Accounts''.


External links


Riva-Aguero, José de la, 1783–1858 at Library of Congress
{{DEFAULTSORT:Riva Agüero, Jose Writers from Lima 1783 births 1858 deaths 19th-century Peruvian historians Peruvian male writers Peruvian people of Spanish descent Peruvian people of Italian descent Peruvian Army officers Presidents of Peru People of the War of the Confederation Marshals of Peru Historians of Peru Riva Agüero family Della Rovere family