Jacinto Caamaño
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Jacinto Caamaño Moraleja (1759–September 8, 1829 Guayaquil) was the leader of the last great
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
exploration of
Alaska Alaska ( ; russian: Аляска, Alyaska; ale, Alax̂sxax̂; ; ems, Alas'kaaq; Yup'ik: ''Alaskaq''; tli, Anáaski) is a state located in the Western United States on the northwest extremity of North America. A semi-exclave of the U.S., ...
(then
Russian America Russian America (russian: Русская Америка, Russkaya Amerika) was the name for the Russian Empire's colonial possessions in North America from 1799 to 1867. It consisted mostly of present-day Alaska in the United States, but a ...
) and the
Coast of British Columbia , settlement_type = Region of British Columbia , image_skyline = , nickname = "The Coast" , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Canada , subdivision_type1 = Province , subdivision_name1 = British ...
. He was a Knight of the Military Order of Calatrava.


Early life

Born in
Madrid Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
, he came from an aristocratic Galician family, whose homestead was near
Santiago de Compostela Santiago de Compostela is the capital of the autonomous community of Galicia, in northwestern Spain. The city has its origin in the shrine of Saint James the Great, now the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, as the destination of the Way of St ...
. His father was Juan Fernández de Caamaño, and his mother, Mariana Moraleja Alocen. He entered the
Spanish Navy The Spanish Navy or officially, the Armada, is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces and one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Spanish Navy was responsible for a number of major historic achievements in navigation, ...
(Armada) at the age of 18, and two years later he was an Ensign (Alférez de Navio).


Explorations

A few years later he formed part of a politico-commercial expedition to
Constantinople la, Constantinopolis ota, قسطنطينيه , alternate_name = Byzantion (earlier Greek name), Nova Roma ("New Rome"), Miklagard/Miklagarth (Old Norse), Tsargrad ( Slavic), Qustantiniya (Arabic), Basileuousa ("Queen of Cities"), Megalopolis (" ...
to establish business relations with
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...
,
Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
, and
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
. After a quick trip to
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
in 1787, he was chosen by
Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra (22 May 1743 – 26 March 1794) was a Spanish Criollo naval officer operating in the Americas. Assigned to the Pacific coast Spanish Naval Department base at San Blas, in Viceroyalty of New Spain (present ...
to go to the Pacific Coast of
Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and the naval base of San Blas, the headquarters for the exploration of the
Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...
. He was a Frigate Lieutenant (Teniente de Fragata) at the time. Alongside went his brother-in-law,
Francisco de Eliza Francisco de Eliza y Reventa (1759 – February 19, 1825) was a Spanish naval officer, navigator, and explorer. He is remembered mainly for his work in the Pacific Northwest. He was the commandant of the Spanish post in Nootka Sound on Vancouve ...
, who would distinguish himself as Governor of
Fort San Miguel Fort San Miguel was a Spanish fortification at Yuquot (formerly Friendly Cove) on Nootka Island, just west of north-central Vancouver Island. It protected the Spanish settlement, called Santa Cruz de Nuca, the first colony in British Columbia. ...
on Vancouver Island's
Nootka Sound , image = Morning on Nootka Sound.jpg , image_size = 250px , alt = , caption = Clouds over Nootka Sound , image_bathymetry = , alt_bathymetry = , caption_bathymetry = Map of Nootka So ...
. On their ship to Mexico was the recently named Viceroy of
New Spain New Spain, officially the Viceroyalty of New Spain ( es, Virreinato de Nueva España, ), or Kingdom of New Spain, was an integral territorial entity of the Spanish Empire, established by Habsburg Spain during the Spanish colonization of the Am ...
, Don
Juan Vicente de Güemes Padilla Horcasitas y Aguayo, 2nd Count of Revillagigedo ''Juan'' is a given name, the Spanish and Manx versions of ''John''. It is very common in Spain and in other Spanish-speaking communities around the world and in the Philippines, and also (pronounced differently) in the Isle of Man. In Spanish, ...
. On February 3, 1790, Caamaño took part on an expedition to the Pacific Northwest. He was commanding the '' Nuestra Señora del Rosario'' (also known as the '' La Princesa''), a 189-ton frigate built in San Blas for the exploration of the North. He did not go beyond Nootka on this voyage, but on his next one, in 1792, came as far as
Bucareli Bay Bucareli Bay is a bay in the Alexander Archipelago, in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located off the western coast of Prince of Wales Island, between Baker Island and Suemez Island. To the east it connects to various wat ...
commanding the frigate '' Aránzazu'', a
corvette A corvette is a small warship. It is traditionally the smallest class of vessel considered to be a proper (or " rated") warship. The warship class above the corvette is that of the frigate, while the class below was historically that of the slo ...
built at
Cavite Cavite, officially the Province of Cavite ( tl, Lalawigan ng Kabite; Chavacano: ''Provincia de Cavite''), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Located on the southern shores of Manila Bay and southwest ...
in the
Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...
. By this time he had been promoted to Ship Lieutenant (Teniente de Navío). This expedition did a thorough study of the coast from Bucareli to Nootka, marking the map of Alaska and
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
with many names which are there today. Sailing from Nootka on June 13, 1792, Caamaño explored Bucareli Bay, off Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, and anchored in
Dixon Entrance The Dixon Entrance (french: Entrée Dixon) is a strait about long and wide in the Pacific Ocean at the Canada–United States border, between the U.S. state of Alaska and the province of British Columbia in Canada. The Dixon Entrance is part of t ...
on July 20. Then he explored southward, passing through Principe Channel, Nepean Sound, Whale Sound, near the Estevan Group archipelago, then into Caamaño Sound and south through Laredo Channel, between
Aristazabal Island Aristazabal Island (french: île Aristizabal) is an island situated south west of Princess Royal Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has an area of . The island was named on August 30, 1792, by Lieutenant Commander Jacinto Caamaño Jacinto Caama ...
and
Princess Royal Island Princess Royal Island is the largest island on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. It is located amongst the isolated inlets and islands east of Hecate Strait on the British Columbia Coast. At , it is the fourth largest island in British ...
, returning to Nootka on September 7, 1792. He named
Principe Channel Principe Channel is a strait on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada, located between Banks Island (W) and Pitt Island (E). "Principe" means "prince" in Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a na ...
, Laredo Channel,
Campania Island Campania Island is an island on the coast of the Canadian province of British Columbia. It is located south of Prince Rupert, east across Hecate Strait from Haida Gwaii. To the west of Campania Island, across Estevan Sound, is the Estevan Group a ...
, Campania Sound,
Aristazabal Island Aristazabal Island (french: île Aristizabal) is an island situated south west of Princess Royal Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has an area of . The island was named on August 30, 1792, by Lieutenant Commander Jacinto Caamaño Jacinto Caama ...
, Gil Island and
Gravina Island Gravina Island is an island in the Gravina Islands of the Alexander Archipelago in southeastern Alaska. It is long and about wide, with a land area of . The island had a population of 50 people at the 2000 census. The Spanish explorer Jacint ...
after
Federico Gravina Federico Carlos Gravina y Nápoli, born Federico Carlo Gravina Cruyllas (12 August 1756 – 9 May 1806) was a Sicilian admiral in the service of the Spanish Empire, during the American Revolution and Napoleonic Wars. He died of wounds sustained d ...
).
George Vancouver Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791–1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of what a ...
adopted these names for his chart.


Later career and family

Having successfully completed his trip to Alaska, Caamaño was sent, after a brief stay in San Blas, across the Pacific Ocean to the Philippines. From 1794 to 1807 he served at various posts between Mexico and Peru, having married on one of those trips the Ecuadorian, Francisca de Arteta Santistevan, who gave him eight children. In 1820 he was still living in
Guayaquil , motto = Por Guayaquil Independiente en, For Independent Guayaquil , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Ecuador#South America , pushpin_re ...
, the birthplace of his youngest daughter, but nothing is known of the date and place of his death. Some of his descendants, the Caamaño family, have been historically prominent in Ecuador, most notably his grandson,
José Plácido Caamaño José María Plácido Caamaño y Gómez-Cornejo (5 October 1837 – 31 December 1900) was President of Ecuador 23 November 1883 to 1 July 1888. Caamaño was born in Guayaquil. He was the grandson of Spanish explorer Jacinto Caamaño. He studi ...
, who became president of the Republic. Also noted is his great-grandson,
Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño Jacinto Jijón y Caamaño (11 December 1890 – 17 August 1950) was an Ecuadorian historian, archeologist, and politician. He was the mayor of the city of Quito (the capital of Ecuador) from 1946 to 1948. He was a member of the Ecuadorian parlia ...
, a noted aristocrat, historian and politician; as well as another great-grandson, the poet
Ernesto Noboa y Caamaño Ernesto Noboa y Caamaño (August 2, 1889 – December 7, 1927) was an Ecuadorian poet and a member of the " Generación decapitada" (The Decapitated Generation). Noboa y Caamaño came from a wealthy family in Guayaquil, and was always plagued b ...
, among others.


Legacy

Camano Island Camano Island is a large island in Possession Sound, a section of Puget Sound. It is part of Island County, Washington, and is located between Whidbey Island and the mainland (Snohomish County) by the Saratoga Passage to the west and Port Susan ...
, an island in
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ) is a sound of the Pacific Northwest, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and part of the Salish Sea. It is located along the northwestern coast of the U.S. state of Washington. It is a complex estuarine system of interconnected ma ...
, was named to honor Jacinto Caamaño, as was Caamaño Sound,
British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...
, on the northern limit of which there is also Jacinto Island. Other Spanish names in the immediate vicinity of Caamaño Sound are Campania Sound,
Estevan Point Estevan Point is a lighthouse located on the headland of the same name on the Hesquiat Peninsula on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada. During World War II, in 1942, the Estevan Point lighthouse was fired upon by the Japanese submarine ...
(named by
Juan José Pérez Hernández Juan José Pérez Hernández (born Joan Perés c. 1725 – November 3, 1775), often simply Juan Pérez, was an 18th-century Spanish explorer. He was the first known European to sight, examine, name, and record the islands near present-day Bri ...
) and
Aristazabal Island Aristazabal Island (french: île Aristizabal) is an island situated south west of Princess Royal Island in British Columbia, Canada. It has an area of . The island was named on August 30, 1792, by Lieutenant Commander Jacinto Caamaño Jacinto Caama ...
. Also named for him is
Caamaño Passage Caamaño Passage (french: passage Caamaño) is a strait on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada, located between Dundas and Zayas Islands on the west side of Chatham Sound near Prince Rupert. It was named for Jacinto Caamaño Jacinto C ...
northwest of
Prince Rupert Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland, (17 December 1619 (O.S.) / 27 December (N.S.) – 29 November 1682 (O.S.)) was an English army officer, admiral, scientist and colonial governor. He first came to prominence as a Royalist cavalr ...
(between
Dundas Dundas may refer to: Places Australia * Dundas, New South Wales * Dundas, Queensland, a locality in the Somerset Region * Dundas, Tasmania * Dundas, Western Australia * Fort Dundas, a settlement in the Northern Territory 1824–1828 * Shire of ...
and
Zayas Island Zayas Island (french: île Zayas) is an island on the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada, located in the east side of Dixon Entrance to the west of Dundas Island. Three parcels of land on the north, east and south shores of the island are res ...
s).


See also

*
List of ships in British Columbia The following is a list of vessels notable in the history of the Canadian province of British Columbia, including Spanish, Russian, American and other military vessels and all commercial vessels on inland waters as well as on saltwater routes up to ...


References

*Wagner, Henry R., ''"The Journal of Jacinto Caamaño"'' in the ''British Columbia Historical Quarterly''. 2(3), 189-222 & 2(4), 265-300. *Wagner, Henry R., ''Northwest Coast'', pp. 233–235. *Hayes, Derek, ''Historical Atlas of the Pacific Northwest'', p. 76. *Howgego, Raymond, ''Encyclopedia of Exploration'' I, C1, p. 167. *Kathleen E Dalzell, ''The Queen Charlotte Islands Vol. 2: Of Places and Names (Queen Charlotte Islands)''


Notes


Further reading

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Caamano, Jacinto 1759 births 1820s deaths People from Madrid Spanish explorers of North America Explorers of British Columbia Spanish history in the Pacific Northwest 18th-century explorers 18th-century Spanish people 19th-century Spanish people Explorers of Alaska