Juan de la Cruz Mourgeón y Achet (died April 1822, in

Quito Quito (; qu, Kitu), formally San Francisco de Quito, is the capital and largest city of Ecuador, with an estimated population of 2.8 million in its urban area. It is also the capital of the province of Pichincha. Quito is located in a valley o ...

) was a Spanish general and colonial administrator.

Biography

He fought in the Spanish War of Independence against the French, and in the Viceroyalty of New Granada against rebels supporting independence. From 1819 to 1821 he was viceroy of New Granada — the last Spanish viceroy of the colony. Cruz Mourgeón fought gallantly in 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 ...

(Spanish War of Independence). He participated in the battles of Baylen (1808) and

Bornos Bornos is a town and municipality located in the province of Cádiz, Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English ...

(1812). He was highly decorated for his services, becoming a knight of the military orders of

San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...

and San Hermenegildo, and Benemérito de la Patria (heroic grade), as well as receiving many medals. He became the last (titular) viceroy of New Granada in 1819, serving until 1821, but the colony was in widespread, open revolt. He was also governor of

Panama Panama ( , ; es, link=no, Panamá ), officially the Republic of Panama ( es, República de Panamá), is a transcontinental country spanning the southern part of North America and the northern part of South America. It is bordered by Cos ...

(August–October 1821). From there he organized an expedition to reconquer Quito, where he arrived in December. He proposed to free the slaves who would fight for the royalist forces. In early 1822 he wrote to Simon Bolívar, admitting the failure of Spain to reconquer its former colonies. He died in Quito in April 1822.

External links

Brief biography
Year of birth missing 1822 deaths Viceroys of New Granada Spanish generals Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand Spanish commanders of the Napoleonic Wars {{Spain-mil-bio-stub