MartÃn Zurbano Baras (February 29, 1788 – January 21, 1845) was a Spanish military figure. A guerrilla leader, he is considered a "martyr to Spanish liberty".
Born in
Varea,
La Rioja
La Rioja () is an autonomous community and province in Spain, in the north of the Iberian Peninsula. Its capital is Logroño. Other cities and towns in the province include Calahorra, Arnedo, Alfaro, Haro, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, an ...
, the youngest of four siblings, he fought in the
War of Spanish Independence
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, ...
as a
guerrilla. With future generals like
Francisco Espoz y Mina
Francisco Espoz Ilundáin (17 June 1781 – 24 December 1836), being better known as Francisco Espoz y Mina, was a Spanish guerrilla leader and general.
Biography
He was born in Idocin in Navarre. His father, Juan Esteban Espoz y Mina, and hi ...
, he defended the
Constitution of 1812
The Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy ( es, link=no, Constitución PolÃtica de la MonarquÃa Española), also known as the Constitution of Cádiz ( es, link=no, Constitución de Cádiz) and as ''La Pepa'', was the first Constituti ...
, and helped create the
province of Logroño.
He then fought in
First Carlist War
The First Carlist War was a civil war in Spain from 1833 to 1840, the first of three Carlist Wars. It was fought between two factions over the succession to the throne and the nature of the Spanish monarchy: the conservative and devolutionist ...
on the Liberal (Isabeline) side and rose to the rank of field marshal. A British article written in 1840 describes his role in this war: "In time of peace a ''contrabandista'', or smuggler, he soon after the commencement of the war sought and obtained permission to raise a body of men to act in conjunction with the queen’s troops against the
Carlists. His standard, once displayed, was resorted to by smugglers, robbers, and outcasts of all descriptions, attracted by the prospect of plunder and adventure. These were increased by deserters..."
["A Night Excursion with Martin Zurbano," ''Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine'', Vol. 48, July–December 1840 (T. Cadell and W. Davis, 1840), 740.]
Zurbano commanded the force known as the ''CompañÃa de Tiradores de
Alava'' (founded 1833), which had been joined with the ''Partida de Contra aduaneros'' (Anti-
aduanero Party), and was known as the ''Partida de la Muerte'' (Party of Death). By 1836, the force was known as ''Batallón de Voluntarios de la Rioja Alavesa'' and was disbanded in 1840.
He was an ardent follower of
Baldomero Espartero, who named him military governor of
Girona
Girona (officially and in Catalan , Spanish: ''Gerona'' ) is a city in northern Catalonia, Spain, at the confluence of the Ter, Onyar, Galligants, and Güell rivers. The city had an official population of 103,369 in 2020. Girona is the capital ...
and commander general of
Biscay
Biscay (; eu, Bizkaia ; es, Vizcaya ) is a province of Spain and a historical territory of the Basque Country, heir of the ancient Lordship of Biscay, lying on the south shore of the eponymous bay. The capital and largest city is Bilbao.
B ...
in 1840. Zurbano participated in the bombardment of Barcelona in 1843.
Zurbano suppressed the ''moderado'' faction in Biscay in 1841, and fought against
Juan Prim
Juan Prim y Prats, 1st Count of Reus, 1st Marquis of los Castillejos, 1st Viscount of Bruch (; ca, Joan Prim i Prats ; 6 December 1814 – 30 December 1870) was a Spanish general and statesman who was briefly Prime Minister of Spain until h ...
in
Catalonia
Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a '' nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy.
Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the nort ...
(1843).
He fled to
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
after the fall of Espartero, but
Isabel II granted him a pardon. In 1844, he led a revolt with 80 men who advocated the adoption of the
Constitution of 1837 (''Grito de Nájera'') and the return of Espartero. It included the support of key generals, including Juan Prim. Zurbano was imprisoned by
Ramón MarÃa Narváez
Ramón MarÃa Narváez y Campos, 1st Duke of Valencia (5 August 180023 April 1868) was a Spanish general and statesman who served as Prime Minister on several occasions during the reign of Isabella II. He was also known in Spain as ''El Espadà ...
.
He was arrested and executed by
firing squad
Execution by firing squad, in the past sometimes called fusillading (from the French ''fusil'', rifle), is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in the military and in times of war. Some reasons for its use are that firearms are ...
, along with his sons Benito and Feliciano, by order of Narváez.
Image:Martin Zurbano.jpg, Zurbano
Image:Portada_Toro_-_Zurbano.jpg, Cover of a 19th-century book about Zurbano
Image:Casa natal de Zurbano.jpg, Birthplace of Zurbano
References
External links
MartÃn ZurbanoWikirioja article
{{DEFAULTSORT:Zurbano, Martin
1788 births
1845 deaths
People from La Rioja
Military personnel of the First Carlist War
Executed Spanish people
People executed by Spain by firing squad
Spanish military personnel of the Napoleonic Wars