Juan Domingo de Monteverde y Rivas (born Juan Domingo de Monteverde; 2 April 1773 15 September 1832), commonly known as Domingo de Monteverde, was a Spanish soldier, governor and
Captain General
Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title.
History
The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Command ...
of
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
from June 1812 to 8 August 1813. Monteverde was the leader of Spanish forces in the
Venezuelan War of Independence
The Venezuelan War of Independence ( es, Guerra de Independencia de Venezuela, links=no, 1810–1823) was one of the Spanish American wars of independence of the early nineteenth century, when independence movements in Latin America fought agai ...
from 1812 to 1813. Monteverde led the military campaign that culminated in the fall of the
First Republic of Venezuela
The First Republic of Venezuela ( es, Primera República de Venezuela) was the first independent government of Venezuela, lasting from 5 July 1811, to 25 July 1812. The period of the First Republic began with the overthrow of the Spanish colonial ...
in 1812. One year later in 1813, Monteverde was defeated by Simón Bolívar during the
Admirable Campaign
The Admirable Campaign () was a military action led by Simón Bolívar in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the Patriots.Arana, M., 2013, Bolivar, New York: Simon & Schuster, Its objective was to fr ...
.
Early life and campaigns in Venezuela
Monteverde was born in the
Canarian
Canary Islanders, or Canarians ( es, canarios), are a Romance people and ethnic group. They reside on the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain near the coast of northwest Africa, and descend from a mixture of European settlers and abor ...
town of
San Cristóbal de La Laguna
San Cristóbal de La Laguna (commonly known as La Laguna, ) is a city and municipality in the northern part of the island of Tenerife in the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on the Canary Islands, Spain. The city is the third-most populous ci ...
on 2 April 1773. With well won prestige and the rank of Frigate Captain, he was sent to Venezuela from
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
. He arrived at
Coro in early March 1812 along with other
Spanish marines
The Spanish Naval Infantry ( es, Infantería de Marina) is the naval infantry unit of the Spanish Navy () responsible for conducting amphibious warfare by utilizing naval platforms and resources. The Marine Corps is fully integrated into the A ...
. Monteverde was ordered by the governor of Coro, with a small force of 1550 men with soldiers and officers, to aid the small town of Siquisique, which had sent Fr. Andrés Torellas with news that it intended to defect from the Republic. As a nineteenth-century historian described, "with Spaniards and residents of Coro, a priest named Torellas, a surgeon, ten thousand cartridges, a howitzer, and ten hundredweights of food." Monteverde's military force was not prepared to begin a successful military campaign.
[Juan Vicente González: Biografía de José Félix Ribas] The scarcity of resources is understandable, considering how Spain found itself fighting the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...
against the Napoleonic forces in order to regain control over its own territory, and had spent the previous decade fighting mostly as an ally of France. There were no resources to send to the New World, in fact, Spain had been asking for donations and increased revenues from America.
However, there was one crucial factor which aided Monteverde and the royalist cause: the social dissatisfaction of the people with the new rulers. (This lack of support for the republican leadership would later instigate Bolívar to begin a "
Social War" during his
Admirable Campaign
The Admirable Campaign () was a military action led by Simón Bolívar in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the Patriots.Arana, M., 2013, Bolivar, New York: Simon & Schuster, Its objective was to fr ...
.) After a seven-day march, he occupied the town on 17 March, and Monteverde found it easy to recruit new soldiers from the local population. With a growing force, he decided to continue marching into republican territory, despite having no authorization to do so. His successful advance was helped by the social support offered it by the lower classes, which viewed the ''mantuano'' (aristocratic) republican rulers as their enemies. He created an integrated military force of ''
pardos'', ''
zambo
Zambo ( or ) or Sambu is a racial term historically used in the Spanish Empire to refer to people of mixed Indigenous and African ancestry. Occasionally in the 21st century, the term is used in the Americas to refer to persons who are of mixe ...
s'',
Canary Islanders
Canary Islanders, or Canarians ( es, canarios), are a Romance people and ethnic group. They reside on the Canary Islands, an autonomous community of Spain near the coast of northwest Africa, and descend from a mixture of European settlers and abor ...
, and other lower-class peoples. Middling and upper-class people also joined his cause.
Many city leaders opened their cities to his informal army, and several ''mantuanos'' (among them the ''Marqués'' of Casa Leon) became his collaborators. This movement was reinforced by the
earthquake
An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity, from ...
on 26 March 1812 and the loss on 30 June of
Puerto Cabello
Puerto Cabello () is a city on the north coast of Venezuela. It is located in Carabobo State, about 210 km west of Caracas. As of 2011, the city had a population of around 182,400. The city is home to the largest and busiest port in the coun ...
under the then-Colonel
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24 July 1783 – 17 December 1830) was a Venezuelan military and political leader who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama and B ...
to royalist prisoners who managed to take over
San Felipe Fort. Monteverde's vanguard under Francisco Marmól entered
Barquisimeto
Barquisimeto (; guc, Watkisimeeta) is a city in Venezuela. It is the capital of the state of Lara and head of Iribarren Municipality. It is an important urban, industrial, commercial and transportation center of the country, recognized as the fou ...
on 2 April after the city defected to the royalist side on 31 March. Eventually he had an army large enough to march on
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
, the site of a royalist uprising the previous year. After winning a battle against republican troops defending the city on 3 May, he was welcomed by the city. His next goal was
Caracas
Caracas (, ), officially Santiago de León de Caracas, abbreviated as CCS, is the capital and largest city of Venezuela, and the center of the Metropolitan Region of Caracas (or Greater Caracas). Caracas is located along the Guaire River in the ...
. In June, Monteverde arrived in the proximity of
La Victoria and
San Mateo and was repulsed in the 1812 Battle of San Mateo, Generalissimo
Francisco de Miranda
Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez de Espinoza (28 March 1750 – 14 July 1816), commonly known as Francisco de Miranda (), was a Venezuelan military leader and revolutionary. Although his own plans for the independence of the Spani ...
was forced to retreat after he got the news of the capture of Puerto Cabello and a rebellion in Caracas against the republican government, Monteverde's advance culminated in a
capitulation agreed between Miranda and Monteverde on 25 July 1812 after the
Battle of San Mateo. (Miranda never signed the final version, but it had been approved by his representatives in the negotiations.)
After the fall of the first republic, Miranda was imprisoned and sent to
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
and later
Cádiz
Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia.
Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...
. The majority of the patriot officials chose to go into exile, which was an option offered to them under the capitulation. In 1813,
Santiago Mariño
Santiago Mariño Carige Fitzgerald (25 July 1788 in Valle Espíritu Santo, Margarita – 4 September 1854 in La Victoria, Aragua), was a nineteenth-century Venezuelan revolutionary leader and hero in the Venezuelan War of Independence (1811–1 ...
decided to invade
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
from the east, successfully capturing the port of
Güiria
Güiria is the capital city of Valdez Municipality in the Venezuelan state of Sucre. Güiria was the place where the military campaign for South American independence set out to Upper Peru and also a starting point of the 1901 Venezuelan Civil W ...
, which was protected by a very small loyalist force, and later the plaza of
Maturín
Maturín () is a city in Venezuela, the capital of the Venezuelan state of Monagas and a centre for instrumental exploration and development of the petroleum industry in Venezuela. The metropolitan area of Maturín has a population of 401,384 inha ...
, which Monteverde attempted, but failed to retake. Bolívar began his
Admirable Campaign
The Admirable Campaign () was a military action led by Simón Bolívar in which the provinces of Mérida, Barinas, Trujillo and Caracas were conquered by the Patriots.Arana, M., 2013, Bolivar, New York: Simon & Schuster, Its objective was to fr ...
, entering through the
Andes
The Andes, Andes Mountains or Andean Mountains (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long, wide (widest between 18°S – 20°S ...
. Worried about Bolívar's presence near the
Llanos
The Llanos (Spanish ''Los Llanos'', "The Plains"; ) is a vast tropical grassland plain situated to the east of the Andes in Colombia and Venezuela, in northwestern South America. It is an ecoregion of the tropical and subtropical grasslands, sav ...
, Monteverde established the main branch for his forces in
Valencia
Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...
, a location in the plains at which the paths of
Barinas, the Andes, and
Maracaibo
)
, motto = "''Muy noble y leal''"(English: "Very noble and loyal")
, anthem =
, image_map =
, mapsize =
, map_alt = ...
merge. His right flank was fortressed in the castle of Puerto Cabello and his rear was supported in
Maracay
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption =Top:Maracay Municipal Garden and Las Delicias area, Second:Sindoni Tower, Los Tamarindo residential area and overview to Maracay, Third:Maestranza Cesar Giron Bullring Stadium, Girardot Square and Maracay ...
and
La Victoria. The positioning of Monteverde's military forces were comparable to those of Miranda in 1812. Nevertheless, Monteverde lost a large part of the popular support that he had managed to build the previous year: the people who had taken him from Coro to the capital abandoned him in the face of Mariño in Maturín and Bolívar in Valencia because Monteverde did not meet, or allow the completion of, popular goals and expectations in 1813.
Monteverde was wounded in action at
Las Trincheras
Las Trincheras, also known as Las Trincheras de Aguas Calientes, is a locality near Valencia, Venezuela. It is noted for its hot springs, which feed into the Aguas Calientes River.
The name Trincheras (Spanish for "trenches") is said to derive f ...
on 3 October 1813, and near the end of the same year, he was deposed by his own officers in Puerto Cabello.
Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army and as such few persons are appointed to it. It is considered as ...
Juan Manuel Cajigal
Juan Manuel Cajigal y Niño () (sometimes, Juan Manuel Cagigal y Niño in the orthography of the period) was a Spanish Captain General, born in Cádiz, in 1754.
Biography
With more than two decades of service, Cajigal arrived in Venezuela in ...
, nominally chief of
José Tomás Boves
José Tomás Boves (Oviedo, Asturias, September 18, 1782 – Urica, Venezuela, December 5, 1814), was a royalist caudillo of the Llanos during the Venezuelan War of Independence, particularly remembered for his use of brutality and atrociti ...
, assumed the Captaincy General of Venezuela. Monteverde moved to
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
and in 1816 returned to Spain. Monteverde died in
San Fernando, Cádiz
San Fernando (, "Saint Ferdinand") is a town in the province of Cádiz, Spain. It is home to more than 97,500 inhabitants. The city also uses the name "''La Isla''" (The Island). The people from San Fernando are locally known as "''Cañaíllas''" ...
, on 15 September 1832 with the rank of
Brigadier
Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. In ...
.
Major battles in Venezuela
*
Siege of Puerto Cabello (July 1812) (Victory)
*
Battle of San Mateo (25 July 1812) (Defeat)
*
Battle of Alto de los Godos
The Battle of Alto de los Godos was a battle that took place on 25 May 1813 in Maturín, Venezuela, in the Spanish colonial Viceroyalty of New Granada. It resulted in a patriot victory against the forces of Spanish general Domingo de Monteverde. ...
(25 May 1813) (Defeat)
*
Battle of Araure
The Battle of Araure was a battle fought during the short-lived Second Republic of Venezuela on December 5, 1813, in the city of Araure in Portuguesa State, Venezuela. Simon Bolivar's force defeated General Domingo de Monteverde to whom he had bee ...
(5 December 1813) (Defeat)
See also
*
Royalist (Spanish American Revolution)
The royalists were the people of Hispanic America (mostly from native and indigenous peoples) and European that fought to preserve the integrity of the Spanish monarchy during the Spanish American wars of independence.
In the early years of th ...
References
*Much of the content of this article comes from the equivalent Spanish-language Wikipedia article. Retrieved on 6 January 2008. The following references are cited by that Spanish-language article:
Dictionary of Venezuelan History: Domingo de Monteverde
External links
Alto de los Godos
*
Battle of San Mateo Short Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Monteverde, Juan Domingo De
People of the Venezuelan War of Independence
Spanish generals
Captains General of Venezuela
People from San Cristóbal de La Laguna
1773 births
1832 deaths
Royalists in the Hispanic American Revolution