Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (; 20 August 1778 – 24 October 1842) was a Chilean independence leader who freed
Chile
Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in western South America. It is the southernmost country in the world and the closest to Antarctica, stretching along a narrow strip of land between the Andes, Andes Mountains and the Paci ...
from Spanish rule in the
Chilean War of Independence. He was a wealthy
landowner of
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
-
Spanish and
Irish ancestry. Although he was the second
Supreme Director of Chile (1817–1823), he is considered one of Chile's
founding fathers, as he was the first holder of this title to head a fully independent Chilean state.
He was
Captain General of the
Chilean Army,
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 (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...
of the
United Provinces of the Río de la Plata
The United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (), earlier known as the United Provinces of South America (), was a name adopted in 1816 by the Congress of Tucumán for the region of South America that declared independence in 1816, with the Sove ...
,
General Officer
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry.
In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...
of
Gran Colombia
Gran Colombia (, "Great Colombia"), also known as Greater Colombia and officially the Republic of Colombia (Spanish language, Spanish: ''República de Colombia''), was a state that encompassed much of northern South America and parts of Central ...
and
Grand Marshal of Peru.
Early life
Bernardo O'Higgins, a member of the
O'Higgins family, was born in the Chilean city of
Chillán
Chillán () is the capital List of cities in Chile, city of Ñuble Region, Diguillín Province, Chile, located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the center of the country. It has been the capital of the new Ñuble Region since ...
in 1778, the
illegitimate son of
Ambrosio O'Higgins, 1st Marquis of Osorno,
a Spanish officer born in
County Sligo
County Sligo ( , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Northern and Western Region and is part of the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht. Sligo is the administrative capital and largest town in ...
, Ireland, who became governor of Chile and later
viceroy of Peru. His mother was
Isabel Riquelme, a prominent local;
the daughter of Don Simón Riquelme y Goycolea, a member of the Chillán ''
Cabildo'', or town council.
O'Higgins spent his early years with his mother's family in central-southern Chile and was never acknowledged by his father, and later he lived with the
Albano family, who were his father's commercial partners, in
Talca
Talca () is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region (7th Region of Chile). As of the 2012 census, the city had a population of 201,142.
The city is an important ...
. At age 15, O'Higgins was sent to
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
by his father. He had a distant relationship with Ambrosio, who supported him financially and was concerned with his education, but the two never met in person. At the time of his son's birth, Ambrosio was only a junior military officer. Two years later, Isabel married Don Félix Rodríguez, a friend of her father.
O'Higgins used his mother's surname until the death of his father in 1801.
Bernardo's father continued his professional rise and became
Viceroy of Peru; at seventeen Bernardo O'Higgins was sent to
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
to complete his studies. There, studying history and the arts, O'Higgins became acquainted with American ideas of independence and developed a sense of nationalist pride.
He met
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 who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the French R ...
, a
Venezuela
Venezuela, officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, islands and islets in the Caribbean Sea. It com ...
n idealist and believer in independence, and joined a
Masonic Lodge
A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry.
It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...
established by Miranda, dedicated to achieving the independence of Latin America.
In 1798 O'Higgins went to Spain from
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
, his return to the Americas delayed by the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars () were a series of sweeping military conflicts resulting from the French Revolution that lasted from 1792 until 1802. They pitted French First Republic, France against Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain, Habsb ...
. His father died in 1801, leaving O'Higgins a large piece of land, the ''Hacienda Las Canteras'', near the Chilean city of
Los Ángeles. O'Higgins returned to Chile in 1802, adopted his biological father's surname, and began life as a gentleman farmer.
[Hamre, Bonnie]
"Bernardo O'Higgins" (2008) at About.com
; accessed 20 October 2008. In 1806, he was appointed to the ''
cabildo'' as the representative of
Laja.
In 1808
Napoleon
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
took control of Spain, triggering a sequence of events in South America. In Chile, the commercial and political elite decided to form an autonomous government to rule in the name of the imprisoned king
Ferdinand VII
Ferdinand VII (; 14 October 1784 – 29 September 1833) was King of Spain during the early 19th century. He reigned briefly in 1808 and then again from 1813 to his death in 1833. Before 1813 he was known as ''el Deseado'' (the Desired), and af ...
; this was to be one of the first in a number of steps toward national independence, in which O'Higgins would play a leading role.
Role in Chilean independence movement
On 18 September 1810, O'Higgins joined the revolt against the now French-dominated Spanish government. The
criollo leaders in Chile did not support
Joseph Bonaparte
Joseph Bonaparte (born Giuseppe di Buonaparte, ; ; ; 7 January 176828 July 1844) was a French statesman, lawyer, diplomat and older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte. During the Napoleonic Wars, the latter made him King of Naples (1806–1808), an ...
's rule in Spain, and a limited self-government under the
Government ''Junta'' of Chile was created, with the aim of restoring the legitimate Spanish throne.
This date is now recognized as Chile's Independence Day.
O'Higgins was a close friend of
Juan Martínez de Rozas, an old friend of his father, and one of the more radical leaders. O'Higgins strongly recommended that a national congress be created, and was elected a deputy to the first
National Congress of Chile
The National Congress of Chile () is the legislative branch of the Republic of Chile. According to the current Constitution ( Chilean Constitution of 1980), it is a bicameral organ made up of a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate. Established by l ...
in 1811 as a representative of the
Laja district. Tensions between the
royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...
and increasingly pro-independence factions, to which O'Higgins remained attached as a junior member,
continued to grow.
The anti-Royalist camp in Chile was deeply split along lines of patronage and personality, political beliefs, and geography (between the rival regional groupings of
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
and
Concepción). The
Carrera family had already seized power several times in different coups, and supported a specifically Chilean nationalism, as opposed to the broader Latin American focus of the
Lautaro Lodge
The Lautaro Lodge () was a revolutionary secret lodge active in Latin American politics in the 19th century. It was initially known as the Lodge of Rational Knights (). Its initial purposes were to apply the goals of the Spanish Enlightenment, ...
grouping, which included O'Higgins and the Argentine
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (; 25 February 177817 August 1850), nicknamed "the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru", was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and central parts of South America's succe ...
.
José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera Verdugo (; October 15, 1785 – September 4, 1821) was a Chilean general, formerly Spanish military, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most impor ...
, the most prominent member of the Carrera family, enjoyed a power base in Santiago; that of de Rozas, and later O'Higgins, lay in
Concepción.
As a result, O'Higgins was to find himself increasingly in political and military competition with Carrera—although early on, O'Higgins was nowhere near as prominent as his later rival. De Rozas initially appointed O'Higgins to a minor military position in 1812, possibly because of his illegitimate origins, poor health, or lack of military training. Much of O'Higgins' early military knowledge stemmed from
Juan Mackenna, an immigrant of Irish descent and a former client of Ambrosio's, whose advice centred mainly on the use of cavalry.
In 1813, when the Spanish government made its first attempt to reconquer Chile—sending an expedition led by Brigadier
Antonio Pareja—Carrera, as a former national leader and now Commander in Chief of the Army, was by far the more prominent figure of the two, and a natural choice to lead the military resistance.
O'Higgins was back on his estates in
Laja, having retired from the Army the previous year due to poor health, when news came of the invasion. O'Higgins mobilised his local militia and marched to
Concepcion, before moving on to
Talca
Talca () is a city and commune in Chile located about south of Santiago, and is the capital of both Talca Province and Maule Region (7th Region of Chile). As of the 2012 census, the city had a population of 201,142.
The city is an important ...
, meeting up with Carrera, who was to take command of the new army. Carrera sent O'Higgins to cut the Spanish off at
Linares; O'Higgins' victory there resulted in his promotion to colonel. The unsuccessful
Siege of Chillan followed, where O'Higgins produced a brave but unspectacular performance; however, as commander, Carrera took most of the blame for the defeat, weakening his prestige with the ''Junta'' back in Santiago. O'Higgins continued to campaign against the royalists, fighting with a reckless courage that would make him famous. In October, fighting at the
Battle of El Roble under Carrera, O'Higgins took effective command at a crucial moment and gave one of his more famous orders:
Lads! Live with honor, or die with glory! He who is brave, follow me!
Despite being injured, O'Higgins went on to pursue the royalist forces from the field. The ''Junta'' in Santiago reassigned command of the army from Carrera, who had retreated during the battle, to O'Higgins, who then appointed
Juan Mackenna as commandant-general. Carrera was subsequently captured and imprisoned by the royalist forces; in his absence, in May 1814 O'Higgins supported the
Treaty of Lircay, which promised a halt to the fighting. Once released, however, Carrera violently opposed both O'Higgins' new role and the treaty, overthrowing the ''Junta'' in a coup in July 1814 and immediately exiling Mackenna.
O'Higgins turned to focus on Carrera, and their forces met at the
battle of Las Tres Acequias, where Carrera's brother
Luis inflicted a modest defeat on O'Higgins. Further conflict was postponed by the news that the royalists had decided to ignore the recent
treaty
A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between sovereign states and/or international organizations that is governed by international law. A treaty may also be known as an international agreement, protocol, covenant, convention ...
, and were threatening
Concepción under the leadership of General
Mariano Osorio. Carrera and O'Higgins decided to reunite the army and face the common threat.
[Sepúlveda, Alfredo]
''Bernardo O'Higgins: The Rebel Son of a Victory''
1 October 2006. Society for Irish Latin American Studies (2006); accessed 24 October 2008. Carrera's plan was to draw the Spaniards to the Angostura del Paine, while O'Higgins preferred the town of
Rancagua. They decided to make a stand at the Angostura de Paine, a gorge that formed an easily defended bottleneck. At the last hour, however, O'Higgins instead garrisoned the nationalist forces at the main square of
Rancagua. Carrera did not arrive with reinforcements, and O'Higgins and his forces were promptly surrounded in October. After an entire day of fighting at the
battle of Rancagua, the Spanish commander, Mariano Osorio, was victorious—but O'Higgins managed to break out with a few of his men, issuing the command:
Those who can ride, ride! We will break through the enemy!
Like Carrera and other nationalists, O'Higgins retreated to Argentina with the survivors and remained there for three years while the royalists were in control. Mackenna, still a key supporter, was killed by Luis Carrera in a duel in 1814, deepening the feud.
O'Higgins as Supreme Director
While in exile, O'Higgins met the Argentine General
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (; 25 February 177817 August 1850), nicknamed "the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru", was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and central parts of South America's succe ...
, a fellow member of the
Lautaro Lodge
The Lautaro Lodge () was a revolutionary secret lodge active in Latin American politics in the 19th century. It was initially known as the Lodge of Rational Knights (). Its initial purposes were to apply the goals of the Spanish Enlightenment, ...
, and together the men returned to Chile in 1817 to defeat the royalists. Initially, the campaign went well, with the two commanders achieving a victory at the
battle of Chacabuco
The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, took place on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes, from the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and led by Captain (land), Captain–General José de San Martín, ...
. San Martín sent his troops down the mountain starting at midnight on 11 February to prepare for an attack at dawn. As the attack commenced, his troops were much closer to the Spanish than anticipated, and they fought hard and heroically. Argentine General
Miguel Estanislao Soler's troops had to go down a tiny path that proved long and arduous and took longer than expected. General O'Higgins—supposedly seeing his homeland and overcome with passion—defied the plan of attack and charged along with his 1,500 troops. What happened during this theatre of the battle is fiercely debated. O'Higgins claimed that the Spanish stopped their retreat and started advancing towards his troops. He said that, if he were to lead his men back up the narrow path and retreat, they would have been massacred one by one. San Martín saw O'Higgins' early advancement and ordered Soler to charge the Spanish flank, which took the pressure off O'Higgins and allowed his troops to stand their ground.
The ensuing firefight continued into the afternoon, and the tides turned for the Patriots as Soler captured a key Spanish artillery point. At this point, the Spanish set up a defensive square around the Chacabuco Ranch. O'Higgins charged the centre of the Spanish position, and Soler got into place behind the Spanish forces, effectively cutting off any chance of retreat. O'Higgins and his men overwhelmed the Spanish troops, who attempted to retreat, but Soler's men cut off their retreat and pushed towards the ranch. Hand-to-hand combat ensued in and around the ranch, until every Spanish soldier was dead or taken captive. Five hundred Spanish soldiers were killed, and 600 were taken captive. The Patriot forces lost 12 men in the battle, but an additional 120 died of their wounds.
[.]
The
Second Battle of Cancha Rayada in 1818, however, was a victory for the Royalists, and it was not until the
Battle of Maipú that ultimate victory was assured. San Martín was initially offered the position of power in the newly free Chile, but he declined, in order to continue the fight for independence in the rest of South America. O'Higgins accepted the position instead and became the leader of an independent Chile. He was granted dictatorial powers as Supreme Director on 16 February 1817. On 12 February 1818, Chile
proclaimed itself an independent republic.
Throughout the war with the royalists, O'Higgins had engaged in an ongoing feud with José Miguel Carrera. After their retreat in 1814, O'Higgins had fared much better than Carrera, who found little support forthcoming from San Martín, O'Higgins' political ally. Carrera was imprisoned to prevent his involvement in Chilean affairs; after his escape, he ended up taking the winning side in the Argentine
Federalist
The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters call themselves ''Federalists''.
History Europe federation
In Europe, proponents of deep ...
war, helping to defeat the directorate in 1820.
Marching south to attack O'Higgins, now ruler of Chile, Carrera was arrested by supporters of O'Higgins and executed under questionable circumstances in 1821; his two brothers had already been killed by royalist forces in the preceding years, bringing the long-running feud to an end. The argument as to the relative contribution of these two great Chilean independence leaders, however, has continued up to the modern day, and O'Higgins' decision not to intervene to prevent the execution coloured many Chileans' views of his reign.
For six years, O'Higgins was a largely successful leader, and his government initially functioned well. Within Chile, O'Higgins established markets, courts, colleges, libraries, hospitals, and cemeteries,
and began important improvements in agriculture.
He undertook various military reforms. He founded the Chilean Military Academy in 1817, aiming to professionalise the officer corps. O'Higgins remained concerned about the threat of invasion, and had declared after the
battle of Chacabuco
The Battle of Chacabuco, fought during the Chilean War of Independence, took place on February 12, 1817. The Army of the Andes, from the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata and led by Captain (land), Captain–General José de San Martín, ...
that "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea". Alongside the Military Academy, he founded the modern
Chilean Navy
The Chilean Navy () is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense (Chile), Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso.
History
Ori ...
under the command of the Scottish officer
Lord Cochrane, establishing the
First Chilean Navy Squadron, the Academy for Young Midshipmen (the predecessor of the current Naval Academy), and the
Chilean Marine Corps
The Chilean Marine Corps () is an entity of the Chilean Navy special forces which specializes in amphibious assaults.
History
The Marine Corps was born with the establishment of the first armed forces of an independent Chile: the Corps was f ...
. O'Higgins continued in his desire to see independence across Latin America, utilising his new forces to support San Martín, sending the
Liberating expedition to Perú.
Bernardo O'Higgins once planned to expand Chile by liberating the Philippines from Spain and incorporating the islands. In this regard he tasked the Scottish naval officer, Lord Thomas Cochrane, in a letter dated 12 November 1821, expressing his plan to conquer Guayaquil, the Galapagos Islands, and the
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
. There were preparations, but the plan didn't push through because O'Higgins was exiled. Nevertheless, in the middle of the 19th century, there was another plan by Chilean officials to also assist in the
Philippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution ( or ; or ) was a war of independence waged by the revolutionary organization Katipunan against the Spanish Empire from 1896 to 1898. It was the culmination of the 333-year History of the Philippines (1565–1898), ...
and the
Philippine-American War by sending an armada across the Pacific. However, the plan also did not come to fruition.
In time, however, O'Higgins began to alienate important political groupings within the still-fragile Chilean nation. O'Higgins' proposed radical and liberal reforms, such as the establishment of democracy and the abolition of titles of
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...
, were resisted by the powerful large
landowners. He offended the church in Chile early on—in particular, the Bishop of Santiago, Jose Rodriguez Zorrilla. Having offended the aristocracy and the church, he also lost the support of the businesspeople, his last semi-powerful ally within the country. The government became bankrupt, forcing O'Higgins to send
Antonio José de Irisarri to the United Kingdom to negotiate a £1 million loan—
Chile's first foreign debt—whilst a
massive earthquake in central Chile added more difficulty for the ruler.
In 1822, O'Higgins established a new "controversial"
constitution, which many regarded as a desperate attempt to hang on to power. The deaths of his political enemies, including Carrera and
Manuel Rodríguez, returned to haunt him, with some accusing him of abusing state power. The provinces increasingly viewed him as centralising power to an excessive degree.
O'Higgins was deposed by a conservative coup on 28 January 1823. Chile's new dictator,
Ramón Freire
Ramón Saturnino Andrés Freire y Serrano (; November 29, 1787 – December 9, 1851) was a Chilean political figure. He was head of state on several occasions, and enjoyed a numerous following until the War of the Confederation. Ramón Fr ...
, formerly O'Higgins' "closest ally",
had slowly turned against O'Higgins in the preceding years. Freire had fought under O'Higgins at the Battle of Maipú, was promoted to colonel for his services to the independence, and was finally named Intendant of
Concepción. His friendship with O'Higgins started to crack by degrees, however, until in 1822 he resigned his position in disagreement. His name became a rallying point for those discontented with O'Higgins, but the two of them never came to an armed conflict. O'Higgins' abdication was typically dramatic: baring his chest, he offered up his life should his accusers demand it of him. In return, the ''junta'' declared they held nothing against O'Higgins, and saluted him. O'Higgins was made governor of Concepción, an appointment which did not last long: it was time for him to leave Chile.
Peruvian independence and O'Higgins' final years
After being
deposed, O'Higgins embarked from the port of
Valparaíso
Valparaíso () is a major city, Communes of Chile, commune, Port, seaport, and naval base facility in the Valparaíso Region of Chile. Valparaíso was originally named after Valparaíso de Arriba, in Castilla–La Mancha, Castile-La Mancha, Spain ...
in July 1823, in the British
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 sloo ...
''Fly'', never to see Chile again. Originally destined for
Ireland
Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
, while he was passing through Peru he was strongly encouraged by
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
to join the nationalist effort there. Bolívar's government granted O'Higgins the ''Hacienda de Cuiva'' and the ''Hacienda Montalván'' in
San Vicente de Cañete, near
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
. O'Higgins lived in exile for the rest of his life accompanied by his illegitimate son, Pedro Demetrio O'Higgins (1817–1868),
his mother, and his half-sister, Rosa Rodríguez Riquelme (1781–1850).
According to a 2001 documentary, O'Higgins also had a daughter, Petronila (born circa 1809) by Patricia Rodríguez.
O'Higgins travelled to join Bolívar's army in its final liberation of Peru, but upon arrival, he found that Bolívar did not intend to give him a command—instead appointing him a general of Gran Colombia and making him a special court-martial judge for Chilean volunteers.
Making his way back to
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
, O'Higgins heard of Sucre's victory at the
Battle of Ayacucho
The Battle of Ayacucho (, ) was a decisive military encounter during the Peruvian War of Independence. This battle secured the independence of Peru and ensured independence for the rest of belligerent South American states. In Peru it is conside ...
. He returned to Bolívar for the victory celebrations but as a civilian. "Señor", he toasted, addressing Bolívar, "America is free. From now on General O'Higgins does not exist; I am only Bernardo O'Higgins, a private citizen. After Ayacucho, my American mission is over."
When
Andrés de Santa Cruz
Andrés de Santa Cruz y Calahumana (; 30 November 1792 – 25 September 1865) was a Bolivian general and politician who served as interim president of Peru in 1827, the interim president of Peru from 1836 to 1838 and the sixth president of ...
became head of the
Peru-Bolivian Confederation in 1836, O'Higgins endorsed his integrationist policies, and wrote a letter of support to him the following year when the Confederation came under attack from the Chilean forces of
Diego Portales—ultimately offering to act as a mediator in the conflict. With the rise of
Agustín Gamarra, O'Higgins found himself out of favour in
Peru
Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered in the north by Ecuador and Colombia, in the east by Brazil, in the southeast by Bolivia, in the south by Chile, and in the south and west by the Pac ...
. Meanwhile, the Chilean government had begun to rehabilitate O'Higgins, reappointing him to his old rank of captain-general in the Chilean
Army.
From exile, O'Higgins argued for the establishment of a Chilean settlement in the Strait of Magellan in his correspondence with the Minister of State. No action was taken on O'Higgins' arguments, but in 1842 Chile began to organise
an expedition to settle the strait following a request by an American to be allowed to establish a
tug boat service in the area.
In 1842, the National Congress of Chile finally voted to allow O'Higgins to return to Chile. After travelling to
Callao
Callao () is a Peruvian seaside city and Regions of Peru, region on the Pacific Ocean in the Lima metropolitan area. Callao is Peru's chief seaport and home to its main airport, Jorge Chávez International Airport. Callao municipality consists ...
to embark for Chile, however, O'Higgins began to succumb to cardiac problems and was too weak to travel. His doctor ordered him to return to
Lima
Lima ( ; ), founded in 1535 as the Ciudad de los Reyes (, Spanish for "City of Biblical Magi, Kings"), is the capital and largest city of Peru. It is located in the valleys of the Chillón River, Chillón, Rímac River, Rímac and Lurín Rive ...
, where on 24 October 1842, aged 64, O'Higgins died.
Legacy
After his death, his remains were first buried in Peru, before being repatriated to Chile in 1869. O'Higgins had wished to be buried in the city of
Concepción, but this was never to be. For a long time, they remained in a marble coffin in the
Cementerio General de Santiago
The Santiago General Cemetery () in Santiago, Chile, is one of the largest cemeteries in Latin America with an estimated two million burials. The cemetery was established in 1821 after Chile's independence when Bernardo O'Higgins inaugurated the ...
, and in 1979 his remains were transferred by
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (25 November 1915 – 10 December 2006) was a Chilean military officer and politician who was the dictator of Military dictatorship of Chile, Chile from 1973 to 1990. From 1973 to 1981, he was the leader ...
to the
Altar de la Patria
Altar de la Patria, or Altar of the Homeland, is a white marble mausoleum in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic that houses the remains of the founding fathers of the Dominican Republic: Juan Pablo Duarte, Francisco del Rosario Sánchez, and Ram ...
, in front of the
Palacio de La Moneda
Palacio de La Moneda (, ''Palace of the Mint''), or simply La Moneda, is the seat of the president of the Republic of Chile. It also houses the offices of three cabinet ministers: Interior, General Secretariat of the Presidency, and General Se ...
. In 2004, his body was temporarily stored at the Chilean Military School during the building of the
Plaza de la Ciudadanía, before being finally laid to rest in the new underground Crypt of the Liberator.
O'Higgins is widely commemorated today, both in Chile and beyond. One of the administrative
regions of Chile
Chile is divided into 16 regions (in Spanish language, Spanish, ''regiones''; singular ), which are the country's first-level administrative division. Each region is headed by directly elected Regional Governor (Chile), regional governor (''gober ...
was named
Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins Region in his honour, as were other
placenames such as the village of
Villa O'Higgins. The main thoroughfare of the Chilean capital,
Santiago
Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
, is
Avenida Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins. There is also the
Bernardo O'Higgins National Park.
In the town of
San Vicente de Cañete, situated in the Lima Region of Peru, a park and street are named after him. A statue of O'Higgins is located in a park in Guatemala City, the capital of Guatemala
.
There is a bust of O'Higgins in O'Higgins Square by the
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
in
Richmond, south-west London. Each year the borough's mayor is joined by members of the Chilean Embassy for a ceremony, and a
wreath
A wreath () is an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or various materials that is constructed to form a ring shape.
In English-speaking countries, wreaths are used typically as household ornaments, most commonly as an Advent and C ...
is placed there. A
blue plaque
A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...
was erected in his honour at Clarence House in Richmond, where he lived while studying in London.
A 1992
bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for Casting (metalworking), cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply "a bronze". It can be used for statues, singly or in groups, reliefs, and small statuettes and figurines, as w ...
of O'Higgins was executed by Julian Martinez, the same sculptor responsible for the nearby statue of Benito Juárez. Previously, the bust was installed at Hermann Park's International Sculpture Garden. It rests on a granite pedestal and was acquired by the City of Houston through FAMAE/Arcomet in 1992.
There is also a bust in his honour in
Merrion Square
Merrion Square () is a Georgian architecture, Georgian garden square on the Southside Dublin, southside of Dublin city centre.
History
The square was laid out in 1762 to a plan by John Smyth and Jonathan Barker for the estate of Richard Fitz ...
in Dublin, Ireland and in the
Garavogue River Walkway in
Sligo
Sligo ( ; , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of 20,608 in 2022, it is the county's largest urban centre (constituting 2 ...
, Ireland, and a sculpture near Central Railway Station in Plaza Iberoamericana, near 58 Chalmers St, Sydney. In
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
, there is a large statue of him in the centre of the Plaza República de Chile, and several localities in Argentina are named after him. A plaque has also been erected in
Cádiz
Cádiz ( , , ) is a city in Spain and the capital of the Province of Cádiz in the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located in the southwest of the Iberian Peninsula off the Atlantic Ocean separated fr ...
, Spain, in the Plaza de Candelaria, where he resided for four years. In 2005, a bust was erected "To the Liberator of Chile" by the Chilean Embassy in the Parque Morazan in
San José, Costa Rica
San José (; meaning "Saint Joseph") is the capital city, capital and largest city of Costa Rica, and the capital of San José Province. It is in the center of the country, in the mid-west of the Costa Rican Central Valley, Central Valley, wi ...
. There is a bust of Bernardo O'Higgins on a marble plinth on the east side of
Avenida da Liberdade in downtown
Lisbon
Lisbon ( ; ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 567,131, as of 2023, within its administrative limits and 3,028,000 within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, metropolis, as of 2025. Lisbon is mainlan ...
, Portugal. A statue of Bernardo O'Higgins in the city of Concepción was destroyed during the
2010 earthquake in Chile.
In 1949, American composer
Henry Cowell composed an opera on the life of O'Higgins titled ''O'Higgins of Chile''. The libretto was written by Elizabeth Harald, but the work was never orchestrated nor staged.
In 1955, the
football
Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kick (football), kicking a football (ball), ball to score a goal (sports), goal. Unqualified, football (word), the word ''football'' generally means the form of football t ...
team
O'Higgins F.C. was founded, named after him.
The
Order of Bernardo O'Higgins
The Order of Bernardo O'Higgins () is an award issued by Chile. It is the highest civilian honor awarded to non-Chilean citizens. This award was established in 1965 and named after one of the founders of the Chilean state, the independentist gener ...
, Chile's highest award for foreign citizens, is named in honour of O'Higgins.
The
Chilean Navy
The Chilean Navy () is the naval warfare service branch of the Chilean Armed Forces. It is under the Ministry of National Defense (Chile), Ministry of National Defense. Its headquarters are at Edificio Armada de Chile, Valparaiso.
History
Ori ...
has named
several vessels in his honour. They include
a frigate (1816),
a corvette (1866),
an armoured cruiser (1897–1933),
a light cruiser (1951–1992), and
a submarine (2003–present).
The SS ''Bernardo O'Higgins'', one of the standard
Liberty ship
Liberty ships were a ship class, class of cargo ship built in the United States during World War II under the Emergency Shipbuilding Program. Although British in concept, the design was adopted by the United States for its simple, low-cost cons ...
s (#2168), was laid down on 23 September 1943 and launched on 13 October 1943. It was scrapped in 1959.
The Chilean
Base General Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme research station in Antarctica is named in his honour. It is located on the northernmost part of the continent.
On 28 October 2010,
An Post
(; literally 'The Post') is the state-owned provider of Mail, postal services in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. An Post provides a "universal postal service" to all parts of the country as a member of the Universal Postal Union. Services provide ...
(the Irish Post Office) and
CorreosChile (the Chilean Post Office) issued 82c and $500
se-tenant stamps to commemorate the bicentenary of the beginning of the struggle for Chilean Independence. The stamps honour two men with Irish backgrounds, who played a crucial role in the quest for Chile's liberation, Bernardo O'Higgins and John MacKenna.
See also
*
Bust of Bernardo O'Higgins (Houston)
*
Bust of Bernardo O'Higgins (Washington, D.C.)
*
Bernardo O'Higgins Monument
*
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 who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the French R ...
*
History of Chile
*
Irish Chileans
*
Irish military diaspora
The Irish military diaspora refers to the many people of either Irish birth or extraction (see Irish diaspora) who have served in overseas military forces, regardless of rank, duration of service, or success.
Many overseas military units were ...
*
Irish regiments
*
José de San Martín
José Francisco de San Martín y Matorras (; 25 February 177817 August 1850), nicknamed "the Liberator of Argentina, Chile and Peru", was an Argentine general and the primary leader of the southern and central parts of South America's succe ...
*
José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera Verdugo (; October 15, 1785 – September 4, 1821) was a Chilean general, formerly Spanish military, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most impor ...
*
Juan Albano Pereira Márquez
*
Juan de la Cruz y Bernardotte
*
Juan Mackenna
* List of famous alumni of
UNMSM.
*
O'Higgins Pioche
*
Simón Bolívar
Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
*
Talca Foundation
References
Further reading
* "Ambrose Bernard O'Higgins". ''Catholic Encyclopedia''. New York: Robert Appleton Company. 1913.
* Ávila, A. "The Latin American revolutions seen from the XXI century". ''Journal of Ibero-American History'' Vol. 1, No. 1, (2008) pp. 9–39
* Clissold, Stephen. "The O'Higgins of Chile" ''History Today'' (June 1957) 7#6 pp. 396–403; father and son.
* Crow, John A. ''The Epic of Latin America'' (Fourth Edition); University of California Press, 1992.
* Cruz, J.L. "The Army of the Andes: Chilean and Rioplatense Politics in an Age of Military Organisation, 1814–1817." ''Journal of Latin American Studies''. 2014 Feb 1:29–58.
* Lynch J. "Spanish American Independence in Recent Historiography". In: McFarlane A. – Posada Carbó E. (eds.) ''Independence and Revolution in Spanish America'' (London: Institute of Latin American Studies, 1999)
* Ossa, Juan Luis ''Armies, politics and revolution. Chile, 1808–1826'' (Liverpool University Press, 2014).
* Ossa-Santa-Cruz, Juan Luis. "Bernardo O'Higgins' government through the eyes of five North American agents, 1817–1823." ''Co-herencia'' 13, no. 25 (2016): 139–166
online"O'Higgins, Bernardo" Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopædia Britannica Online; accessed 13 October 2008
online*
In Spanish
* Archivo de don Bernardo O'Higgins Santiago: Nascimento, 1946–, 36 v.
*
Arana, Diego Barros ''Historia General de Chile'' 16 vol. Santiago: Imprenta Cervantes.
* Ruiz Moreno, Isidoro, ''Campañas militares argentinas. La política y la guerra'' (Buenos Aires: Emecé, 2005)
* Valencia, Avaria Luis, ''O'Higgins, el buen genio de América'' (Santiago de Chile: Universitaria, 1980)
External links
Web Blog of ''Respetable Lodge Bernardo O'Higgins # 392'' – ''Of Free and Acepted Masones of the Argentina,'' Argentine Freemasonery* Sepúlveda, Alfredo:
'
Bernardo O'Higgins website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohiggins, Bernardo
1778 births
1842 deaths
Argentine generals
Candidates for President of Chile
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Viceroyalty of Peru people
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Chilean people of Irish descent
Chilean revolutionaries
Heads of state of Chile
Marshals of Peru
National University of San Marcos alumni
People from Chillán
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