Jose gervasio artigas biography examples free

While such a title is somewhat misleading, certainly Artigas is unchallenged as the greatest hero of Uruguay. He was a gaucho, or cowboy, until , when he was attracted to a patriotic cause. A revolutionary junta in Buenos Aires desired to take the region of the viceroyalty of the Rio de la Plata out of the jurisdiction of Spanish control.

From to Artigas commanded Uruguayan patriots in this war of independence against the Spanish.

Uruguay independence

He conquered almost all of Uruguay except for the city of Montevideo. Then Artigas became the spokesman for those who were disenchanted with the leadership of Buenos Aires and wanted more autonomy for the provinces. In Artigas-supporting delegates to a constitutional assembly in Argentina were rejected by the Buenos Aires government, and a civil war between the Artigas faction and Buenos Aires began.

The differences between the two were fundamental and thus difficult to resolve. Artigas favored a limited federalist government that would leave a great deal of power to the local government. Buenos Aires essentially favored little provincial autonomy and a strong central government located in Buenos Aires. Militarily, Artigas and Buenos Aires were well matched.

José gervasio artigas quotes

He had the support of the region that would become Uruguay and, after , the support of four river provinces that made up the Liga Federal, a confederation of provinces. Buenos Aires, in addition to the population of the province and city, had the revenue of the port facilities and the allegiance of some interior provinces. Artigas participated in the successful siege of Montevideo, which the Spanish still held, and in entered Buenos Aires in triumph.

But in he faced ultimate defeat when the Portuguese, hoping to add the provinces around the Rio de la Plata to Brazil, invaded Uruguay. Buenos Aires refused to support him, and after a 4-year struggle Artigas's forces were defeated.