General José Ignacio de Gorriti (1770 – 9 November 1835) was an
Argentine
Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
statesman, soldier and lawyer. He was a representative to the
Congress of Tucumán which on 9 July 1816
declared the Independence of Argentina.
Gorriti was born in
Jujuy to Feliciana Coeto and Ignacio de Gorriti Navarro, members of the local gentry. He and his brother,
Juan Ignacio de Gorriti (later a prominent priest and lawmaker), studied at the
Montserrat School in
Córdoba. In 1788 he entered the
University of Chuquisaca
The Royal and Pontifical Higher University of San Francisco Xavier of Chuquisaca ( es, Universidad Mayor, Real y Pontificia de San Francisco Xavier de Chuquisaca; USFX) is a public university in Sucre, Bolivia. It is one of the oldest universitie ...
, graduating in canonical and civil law. He was forced to return to Jujuy on the death of his father to look after the family and their interests. In 1802 he married Facunda Zuviría.
In 1810, following the
May Revolution, Gorriti became an active and vocal supporter of the revolutionary cause. He campaigned with the Army of the North and alongside General
Martín Güemes Martin may refer to:
Places
* Martin City (disambiguation)
* Martin County (disambiguation)
* Martin Township (disambiguation)
Antarctica
* Martin Peninsula, Marie Byrd Land
* Port Martin, Adelie Land
* Point Martin, South Orkney Islands
Austral ...
, and was subsequently elected by a grateful
Salta
Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Argentine province of the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the 7th most-populous city in Argentina. The city serves as the cultural and economic ce ...
to the
Tucumán Congress, serving in 1816 for the declaration. When the Congress moved to
Buenos Aires in 1817, he resigned to continue to work in Salta with Güemes. He had a distinguished role in the campaign, organising the
gaucho cavalry and in 1820 won a key battle against the royalists.
Gorriti was made governor of
Salta Province
Salta () is a province of Argentina, located in the northwest of the country. Neighboring provinces are from the east clockwise Formosa, Chaco, Santiago del Estero, Tucumán and Catamarca. It also surrounds Jujuy. To the north it borders Boliv ...
in 1822 and served with distinction, having a second term between 1827 and 1829. He had several further military successes both against
Spanish forces and against the
Federals under
Juan Facundo Quiroga. Quiroga's later success, however, obliged him to go in exile to
Bolivia
, image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg
, flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center
, flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
, where he died penniless with many children.
Gorriti's daughter was
Juana Manuela Gorriti, the writer, who married future Bolivian President,
Manuel Isidro Belzu
Manuel Isidoro Belzu Humérez (4 April 1808 – 27 March 1865) was a Bolivian military officer and statesman who served as the 11th president of Bolivia from 1848 to 1855. Under his presidency, the current national anthem of Bolivia and flag ...
.
1770 births
1835 deaths
People from Jujuy Province
Argentine people of Basque descent
Argentine people of Italian descent
19th-century Argentine lawyers
Members of the Congress of Tucumán
Argentine military personnel
Governors of Salta Province
People of the Argentine War of Independence
University of Charcas alumni
18th-century Argentine lawyers
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