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Gabino Gaínza

Gabino Crispín Gaínza Fernández de Medrano (20 October 1753 – 1829) was a Spanish military officer, knight of the Order of St. John and prominent politician in Spain's American colonies. He supported and declared independence on 15 September 1821 in the Kingdom (Captaincy General) of Guatemala, becoming the first ruler or president "jefe político superior" of a united and independent Central America extending from Soconusco (in Chiapas) through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica; leader of the Consultive Junta of Guatemala until its dissolution on 21 February 1822. During the Latin American wars of independence, he initially fought on the royalist side in Chile, becoming Royal Governor (Captain General) of Chile. He then became the last Captain General in the Kingdom of Guatemala on behalf of the King of Spain. After independence and the annexation to Mexico, he became the 1st Captain General of Central America on behalf of the Emperor of Mexico.

Gabino Gaínza
1st Captain General of Central America
In office
5 January 1822 – 23 June 1822
MonarchAgustín I
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byVicente Filísola
1st Political Chief of Central America
In office
15 September 1821 – 5 January 1822
Preceded byPosition established
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Captain General of Guatemala
In office
9 March 1821 – 15 September 1821
Preceded byCarlos Luis de Urrutia
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Captain General of Chile
In office
19 July 1814 – 26 December 1814
Preceded byJuan Francisco Sánchez
Succeeded byMariano Osorio
Personal details
Born
Gabino Crispín Gaínza Fernández de Medrano

20 October 1753
Pamplona, Navarre
Died1829
Mexico
NationalitySpanish
Occupationmilitary and political
Military service
AllegianceArmy of Spain
RankMajor General, Brigadier of the Royal Armies, etc.

Birth and ancestry edit

Gabino Crispín Gaínza Fernández de Medrano[1] was born in Pamplona, the capital of Navarre, Spain, on 25 October 1753.[2] He is the second son of José Javier de Gaínza y Monzón, lord of the Gaínza Palace in the Arraíz valley, and Eulalia Fernández de Medrano y Jiménez de Tejada; daughter of Don Enrique Fernandez de Medrano y Vicuña and Maria Francisca Ximenez de Tejada y Mirafuentes. Through his mother Eulalia, Gabino Gaínza Fernández belongs to the powerful house of Medrano, one of the most ancient, prestigious and high noblility from the Kingdom of Navarre. His mother Eulalia Fernandez de Medrano was also the great-niece of Friar Francisco Jiménez de Tejada, 69th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta in the early 18th century.[3] His mother is also related to the 1st Marquises of Ximénez de Tejada, Pedro Gregorio Ximénez de Tejada y Eslava (1708-1794) and Joaquina de Argaiz y Velaz de Medrano (Peralta, b. 1711).[4][5]

Marriage edit

On 25 October 1799, at the age of 46, Gaínza married Gregoria Rocafuerte y Bejarano, only 20 years old, at the Matriz Church in Guayaquil. They settled in the port, and over time they had six children, at least 4 sons and 2 daughters. Gregoria Rocafuerte was the sister of the future Ecuadoran patriot and president Vicente Rocafuerte.[6] Doña Manuela Gregoria de Rocafuerte was born on 11 May 1779. She was baptized at the main parish of Guayaquil with the names María Manuela Gregoria on 17 May 1779. She was the daughter of Don Juan Antonio de Rocafuerte y Antolí, born in Morelia, Valencia, in the year 1740, and his wife Doña María Josefa Tecla Rodríguez de Bejarano y Lavayen, who was the sister of the aforementioned Knight of Santiago, Colonel Don Jacinto Bejarano. The father-in-law of the hero Gaínza was a resident of Guayaquil and a captain of artillery.[7]

Military career edit

 
Example of a Captain of the regiment "Soria" 1768. Gabino became captain in 1779.

His military career began when he was only sixteen years old, when he entered the Soria Infantry Regiment on 27 July 1769, founded in 1509 under the name of Tercio de Zamudio, thus being the oldest military unit in active service of the world. Gaínza participated in some of the main battles in the history of Spain, in theaters of operations as far away as Italy, Africa, Flanders, Florida or Peru. The first destinations in his unit were Pamplona itself in 1770, San Sebastián in 1774, Zaragoza from this year until 1777, and Cartagena until 1779. On 11 September 1777 Gaínza was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant,[8] and later to lieutenant and captain in 1779, being assigned to the North African plaza of Oran, Algeria. The following year he participated in the Great Siege of Gibraltar, his unit was stationed in Algeciras and Campo de Gibraltar, from its beginning until April 1780. Part of the troops of his regiment went in the eighties to garrisons or regiments for the defense of the Americas against the British threat and the American War of Independence, with a garrison in Havana, and later in Cuzco and Lima.[9]

Overseas, Gaínza embarked in the fleet of Lieutenant General Victorio de Navia, being detached from Havana to the Mobila garrison, now Mobile. According to his own words, "not having been able to enter this place due to mishaps at sea, in which I ran a great risk, I headed for the province of Louisiana by way of the Mississippi River". Gaínza later went to Florida, where he participated in the siege of Panzacola, present-day Pensacola. In the Panzacola expedition, in which he participated, according to his words, from beginning to end, we find him as a trench assistant and it is noted that he remained without supplies in one of the trenches for twelve consecutive days, until the surrender of the plaza.[10] Gaínza was later assigned to Havana, participated in various campaigns garrisoning the ships of the Barlovento Squadron, with actions in the Bahamas archipelago on the nao Paula, and made two trips to Guárico.

 
Túpac Amaru II

In 1782, he was in Havana, leading a military life for five years, mingling with the island's society and becoming friends with numerous noblewomen. He even secretly became engaged, and when he was about to request permission from King Carlos IV, his plans were discovered, and his superiors sent him away to Madrid. He arrived there in 1787 and resided at the court for several months. There, he received the appointment of Aide-de-Camp to Brigadier Carlos del Corral, who was appointed Military Chief of the Cusco District in Peru, to suppress the uprising of the Chief of Tungasuca, José Gabriel Condorcanqui, better known as Tupac Amaru II, who posed a constant threat to the authorities in those regions. After signing peace with Great Britain, Gaínza went with his regiment to the Kingdom of Peru. Corral and Gaínza departed from La Coruña, via Panama, Guayaquil, and Lima, and arrived in the Viceroyalty's capital in 1788, when Tupac Amaru had already been executed. He crossed the Isthmus of Panama, where, due to the rugged terrain and the insane nature of the country, according to his own words, he suffered a serious breakdown in his health. After recovering his health, Gaínza traveled throughout the district as an Advisor to Brigadier Corral, and after Corral's death, Gaínza was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Army and Secretary of the Military Sub-Inspectorate.

His military career continued without any setbacks. He was appointed in 1792 knight of the Order of St. John. He was a confidant of several Peruvian viceroys. That year, he was promoted to Commander General of Trujillo in Peru, with the obligation to fortify and defend the northern coasts from English attacks, once again at war with Spain. He had to clear the seas in that area to ensure uninterrupted trade between Lima, Túmbez, Guayaquil, and Panama. In 1799, he reinforced the military garrisons of the Santa Marta and Túmbez rivers, captured an English whaling frigate, destroyed a corsair schooner, and visited Guayaquil three times. In 1804, Gaínza pacified the rebellious Indigenous peoples of Lambayeque, then became the Military Chief of the Province of Trujillo, fortified the port of Paita, and captured several English schooners. In 1805, Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano became the Military Commander and Royal Judge of the Province of Chancay and Major General of the Royal Army.

With the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, he served in the Royal Lima when his superior, Manuel González, was sent to the Philippines. Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano took command of the Royal Lima unit, and after Pareja's death in Chile in 1810, he devised a comprehensive Plan of Military Operations to halt the Argentine army's march on Chile and Peru.[11] The plan was approved by Fernando VII. This leadership position allowed Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano to exert significant influence over military affairs in the region. In 1811, he launched operations against the insurgents and achieved victories in Gamero and Talca, restoring communications between Talcahuano and Lima, which had long been intercepted. For these triumphs, he received the title of Brigadier of the Royal Armies, becoming the highest-ranking military officer in the Viceroyalty of Peru.[12]

Captain General of Chile and Royalist Chief at war edit

 
Ensign used by Spanish troops for the Captaincy General of Chile

After the death of the previous Royal Governor (Captain General) of Chile, Antonio José Pareja y Serrano de León, brigadier of the Navy, in Chillán on 21 May 1813, Viceroy José Fernando de Abascal y Sousa, Marqués de la Concordia named Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano his successor; instructing him to disembark in Arauco,[13] improve their fortifications, spread the king's cause among the population and troops, warn of the promotions made by Pareja and study the possibility of a defensive war or take the offensive. He also entrusted Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano with convincing the insurgent army of Chile to lay down its arms and thus avoid bloodshed, under the promise of absolute pardon, and his oath of the monarch and of the new Constitution of Spain.[14]

Captain General of Chile edit

 
Map of the Captaincy General of Chile or Kingdom of Chile in 1775

As the new Royal Governor (Captain General) of Chile, Gabino Gainza Fernández de Medrano left the port of El Callao at the head of a force of 125 chosen men. This was augmented by the addition of 700 militiamen from Chiloé, after the arrival in Chile, with fifteen hundred spears, money, tobacco, sugar, 5 artillerymen, and 2 cannons from his regiment, in the corvette Sebastiana and the brig Potrillo. Gabino Gaínza Fernández de Medrano arrived in Chile on 31 January 1814. He arrived in Arauco without incident, crossed the Bio Bio River, and fortified Chillán.[15]

Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano meets the Mapuche's at the Parliament of Quilín edit

 
Ancient flag of the Mapuche in the Arauco War

The landing of Gaínza Fernández de Medrano in Arauco on 31 January 1814 could not be prevented by the troops of Bernardo O'Higgins, commander of the insurgents in this sector. On 3 February 1814 Gaínza Fernández de Medrano met with numerous Mapuches and obtained promises of their support and recognition of old treaties with the crown, as well as the promise of Toqui (War Chief) Mañil to supply 6,000 soldiers.

 
Illustration of the parliament of Quilín in Alonso de Ovalle's book Histórica Relación del Reyno de Chile.

After arriving at Arauco Bay on the following 31 January and finding a Chiloé battalion there, he entered into relations with the main Mapuche leaders, celebrating with them at Parliament of Quilín, to whom Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano gave batons, medals and other gifts. Since the first Spanish–Mapuche parliaments in the 17th century it became an almost mandatory tradition for each governor to arrange a parliament with the Mapuches.

Battles in Chile edit

One of his columns, commanded by Ildefonso de Elorriaga, took Talca on 3 March 1814. In this action a small, isolated unit of patriots was massacred. This incident, together with the heroic death of the commander of the insurgents, Colonel Carlos Spano, provoked a political crisis in Santiago. The Superior Governing Council presided over by Agustín Eyzaguirre had abandoned Talca only a few days before, moving towards the capital with nearly all the royalist forces of Talca as their escort. However, one result of this embarrassing situation in Talca was the fall of the Council. Francisco de la Lastra took control of the government as Supreme Director.

The following day (4 March), Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano received another stroke of luck from one of his militia units, commanded by Clemente Lataño. This unit took prisoner José Miguel Carrera and Luis Carrera, old chiefs of the patriot army. Clemente Lataño fought for Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano in the Battle of Membrillar and the Disaster of Rancagua, among other military actions. But the capture in 1814 of the Carrera brothers, José Miguel and Luis, was what made him famous within Gabino's army.

Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano was victorious at Cancha Rayada on the 29th of the same month; he also expanded the royalist territory with the squares of Concepción and Talcahuano. The successes of the royalist side had political repercussions among the insurgents. However, the outcome of the campaign became less certain with time. Neither side could achieve a decisive victory. Gabino Gaínza Fernández de Medrano and his officers were alternately victorious and defeated in the following actions:

At the conclusion of the last action, on 5 April 1814, both armies were exhausted and in terrible logistic conditions. After three months of operations under Gaínza's command, the royalists had increased the territory under their control, taking Talcahuano and Concepción, but the royalist force had been seriously weakened. Because of this, the arrival of English Commodore James Hillyar with instructions from Viceroy Abascal to negotiate with the rebels was considered opportune.

The Treaty of Lircay edit

After negotiations, Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano signed the Treaty of Lircay, committing himself to leave the Province of Concepción. In exchange, he obtained promises of loyalty to Ferdinand VII on the part of the patriot envoys, Bernardo O'Higgins and Juan Mackenna. The treaty was signed on the banks of the Lircay River, about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) outside the city of Talca by the commander of the Royal Armies in the province of Concepción, brigadier Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano, and the representatives of the Chilean Supreme Director Francisco de la Lastra, brigadiers Bernardo O'Higgins and Juan Mackenna.

Everything indicated that the treaty was nothing else except a way in which both sides could obtain a truce. Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano did not abandon his positions by the agreed date, nor did the rebels live up to the agreement.

Nevertheless, Viceroy Abascal was infuriated when he read the text of the Treaty of Lircay. He removed Gaínza from command, replacing him with Mariano Osorio. Not content with that, he had Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano court martialed in Lima, accused of exceeding his orders. Gaínza had to wait under guard for the conclusion of the court martial in Lima. In 1816, he was acquitted, but his reputation in the army was seriously damaged. Therefore, he moved to Quito, under the jurisdiction of the viceroy of New Granada.

Captain General of the Kingdom of Guatemala edit

 
Coat of Arms of the Captaincy General of the Kingdom of Guatemala

On 9 March 1821 Lieutenant General Carlos Luis de Urrutia, in order to restore his health, which according to his own words had been quite ailing since the previous August, temporarily delegated command of the province in all its aspects to Brigadier Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano, deputy general director of the troops, in accordance with the Royal Order on the matter, which he communicated to the First Secretary of State on 18 March. On the same date, Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano also reported on said delegation. In both files, the testimony by which the Captain General, Superior Political Chief, temporarily delegated command is preserved.

According to it, at five in the afternoon on 9 March, and on the advice of doctors Pedro Molina and Vicente Carranza, who considered that the absolute separation of the general for some time from command was urgently necessary, once informed of the Provincial Council and with its agreement and conformity, the political, military and financial command was delegated in Gaínza. Likewise, it was ordered that the ruling be communicated to the Most Excellent Provincial Directorate, to the Superior Court of the Territorial Court, to the Most Illustrious diocesan prelates and to the other bodies, chiefs and authorities of these provinces, notifying His Majesty of this.

After that, Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano took and signed a military oath, placed his right hand on the sacred four Gospels, swore to defend the mystery of the Immaculate Conception (patron saint of the Spanish infantry) and to uphold the Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy sanctioned by the General and Extraordinary Cortes of the nation. On 1 June he informed the inhabitants of the pardon that the Cortes had issued on 9 October the previous year, which had been communicated to him by Royal Decree of 20 October, in which a general pardon was granted in places where the inhabitants had recognized the Constitution, with the immediate release of all the prisoners and return to their homes of the exiles.[16] Gabino Gaínza Fernández de Medrano had officially been given the position of Captaincy General of Guatemala, with its territory in Soconusco (Chiapas) and five provinces: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. He assumed governmental power on 9 March 1821. The new viceroy of Peru, Joaquín de la Pezuela, protested against this appointment, arguing that Gabino was sympathetic to the independence movement.

Plan Pacífico (for the Independence of the Kingdom of Guatemala) edit

 
Act of Independence of Central America 1821 signed by Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano

Plan Pacífico (for the Independence of the Kingdom of Guatemala or Captaincy General of Guatemala) is an important document likely drafted by Mariano and Juan José de Aycinena, Pedro Molina, Mariano de Beltranena, and José Francisco Barrundia in late August 1821, at the Aycinena family's house. It served as the basis for organizing the independence on 15 September 1821. This was a plan for peaceful independence and to appoint Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano at the head of this newly formed independent government:

 
Signing of the act of independence on September 14, 1821. Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano sitting next to Jose Matias Delgado from the painting by Rafael Beltranena.

"In the name of the Supreme Being: Article 1. We do not have a leader for this endeavor. We hereby choose, of our own free will and general consent, El señor Don Gabino Gaínza, our current interim leader. If he accepts, he will become the leader in all the capacity and legitimacy conferred upon him by the people's choice. He will receive the honors and rewards due to his merit, our gratitude, and that of our posterity."[17]

 
José Matías Delgado At the time of signing the Central American act of independence, in a representation of the meeting of September 15, 1821 of the Chilean painter Luis Vergara Ahumada.

Article 2 states that the acceptance of the Leader (Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano) will have as its first effect the convocation of a General Assembly of residents (under the pretext of preventing disorder in case the people decide on independence), in which only those attending will be secretly proposed to vote for or against it. Once the vote is taken, two scrutineers will be appointed to count the votes and publish the results.

Article 4 states that this board will be appointed immediately and must consist of two individuals from each province, striving for them to be natives of those provinces. The named individuals will be called immediately, and they will be sworn in to faithfully fulfill their duties. The Board will be considered installed once this is done. Its initial task will be to extend the corresponding reports of this prior step toward independence to the higher and lower political leaders, and constitutional mayors of the towns with whom the Leader (Gaínza Fernández de Medrano) will form the government. In subsequent sessions, the Board will focus on preparing the elements that the National Congress must consist of, the way to convene it, etc.

The Plan Pacífico document is significant because it clearly states in Article 7 that nothing will be changed regarding the government, and there will be no discussion of removing any employee unless they are considered a danger to the immediate future system. It openly declares in article 8 that they will be natural allies of the Peninsula and confederates of the new American Governments, and in the subsequent articles, that European Spaniards will not only be persecuted but protected, they will obtain the same rights they currently have, and maintain privileges concerning trade with foreigners. This was their means to proclaim their independence and the equitable principles upon which it must be based, as well as the relationships they maintained with the Spaniards. It was then stated that if Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano accepts this position, he will proceed to the Cathedral to give thanks to the Most High, and the rest of the people will disperse throughout the city to make the corresponding demonstrations.

The Call for Independence in Central America 15 September 1821 edit

 
National Palace of Guatemala

Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano hastily called a meeting on the morning of 15 September 1821 at the National Palace of Guatemala. Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano had arrived in the country in March that year from the Kingdom of Chile and since then he has temporarily assumed command of the Kingdom of Guatemala. At the meeting called by Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano, the declaration of independence was signed, which was approved with 23 votes in favor and 7 against. There participated representatives of the government, municipality, Catholic Church, University of San Carlos, Trade Council, legal board among other groups.

 
Painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of Central America, Guatemala, 1821, declared and chaired by Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano (blue chair)

This act was an outright declaration of independence from the Empire of Spain. On 15 September a council meeting at which independence was finally declared and chaired by Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano, and the text of the Act itself was written by Honduran intellectual and politician José Cecilio del Valle and signed by representatives of the various Central American provinces, including José Matías Delgado, José Lorenzo de Romaña and José Domingo Diéguez. Gabino Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano was one of the most important signers of the Act of Independence of Central America. The city government decided that their act would have to be ratified by a national congress, to be inaugurated on 1 March 1822. Until that occurred, the royal officials, political, military and administrative, were to remain in their positions.

First ruler of an independent Central America 1821 edit

 
Coat of Arms of Guatemala "LIBERTY SEPTEMBER 15, 1821" written on their declaration of independence, and a quetzal rests on top, a symbol of liberty and national unity for the Indigenous Maya of Guatemala

After Gabino was appointed leader of the Consultive Junta of Guatemala, Gabino Gaínza Fernández de Medrano appeared on a balcony and shouted, "Long live independence!"

The Provisional Preparatory Junta was presented at the same location and Gabino introduced it to the people. In this way, Don Gabino Gaínza Fernández de Medrano became, de facto, the first ruler or head of state of the independent nation of Central America ("Jefe Politico Superior" in the words of the Act of Independence) extending from Soconusco (in Chiapas) through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica.

Independent Guatemala and the annexation to the Empire of Mexico edit

 
Coat of Arms of Agustín de Iturbide as Emperor of Mexico

There was one important point that the Act of Independence of 15 September did not address—the relation of the independent Kingdom of Guatemala to the recently created Mexican Empire. In August 1821, Mexico achieved its independence, under the rule of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide. The success of neighboring Mexico in its own war of independence led some in Central America to see it as the region's best chance of continued unity, while others wished for absolute independence.

Article 2 of the Act of Independence provided for the formation of a congress to "decide the point of absolute general independence and fix, in case of agreement, the form of government and the fundamental law of governance" for the new state. This constituent assembly was meant to meet the following March, but the opportunity never came.

Letters from the Emperor of Mexico edit

Instead, on 29 October 1821 the president of the provisional governing council of newly independent Mexico, Agustín de Iturbide, sent a letter to Gaínza Fernández de Medrano (now the president of Central America) and the council of delegates representing the provinces of Chiapas, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica with a proposal that Central America join the Mexican Empire under the terms of the Three Guarantees of the Treaty of Córdoba. Earlier the Emperor of Mexico had written to encourage the Central Americans to send delegates to the constituent congress scheduled to meet in Mexico City. But the new letter ended with the announcement of a more concrete political reality—a large Mexican army had been sent to the border with Guatemala.

Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano answered a month later, on 3 December 1821, that it was necessary to consult with various city governments in order to respond to the invitation. He concluded his answer with the words "I hope that Your Excellency will suspend your decisions and stop the advance of your army until the arrival of my answer, which I will send by mail on 3 January 1822."

Two days after that date, Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano was able to send his response, although it was not complete. 32 city governments accepted annexation; 104 accepted with conditions; 2 opposed the plan; and another 21 felt that the question could be decided only by the congress scheduled to meet in March.

This last group was correct; although Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano's plan to consult the city governments bought some time, it was a clear violation of Article 2 of the Act of Independence: "Congress must decide the point of absolute general independence and fixm, in case of agreement, the form of government and the fundamental law of governance."

In addition, suspicions arose about the count. The secretary of the consultative junta that advised Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano, Mariano Gálvez, was accused of having manipulated the results to favor annexation. But it was also true that many towns (Comayagua, Ciudad Real, Quetzaltenango, Sololá, the intendencias of Nicaragua) joined the Empire on their own initiative, jumping over the chain of command that included Guatemala City.

Annexation to the Empire of Mexico edit

There was much pressure to adopt this decision. Gaínza and the Consultative Provisional Junta thus declared the union of the Kingdom of Guatemala to the Mexican Empire in an act signed on 5 January 1822 in Guatemala City. when Iturbide fell in 1823 and Mexico was declared a republic, Central America (except for Chiapas) declared independence from Mexico.[18]

The consequences included:

  • On 11 January 1822, El Salvador denounced the annexation as illegitimate and declared itself in rebellion, and under the direction of José Matías Delgado and Manuel José Arce it prepared for armed resistance.
  • On 23 January 1822, Iturbide named Gaínza provisional captain general of Guatemala.
  • On 25 February 1822, Gaínza ordered an oath of adhesion to the Mexican Empire.
  • On 30 March 1822, Iturbide gave Gaínza the title of lieutenant general of the Kingdom and offered him the position of governor of a province of the Empire or of Nueva Galicia, as a reward for his services. He was appointed Knight of the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
  • Gaínza asked for the dispatch of the Mexican troops already at the border, as 600 men under the command of Vicente Filísola was sent to Central America.
  • On 12 June 1822 Filísola's troops arrived in Guatemala City.
  • On 23 June 1822, by order of Iturbide, Gaínza turned over power to Filísola and left the country for Mexico.

Death edit

As far as is known, Iturbide did not fulfill his promises to Gaínza Fernandez de Medrano. He did not receive the government of a single island. All that is known is that he died in dire poverty in Mexico City around the year 1829.[citation needed]

His widow returned to Guayaquil, with his numerous war decorations and an agreement of the city government of Guatemala City that granted her husband a military pension of 10,000 pesos for life annually from 1821, but there is no record that these payments were made.[citation needed]

References edit

  1. ^ Lizama, Carlos (27 January 2021). "Del Tratado de Lircay a la Independencia de Centroamérica o el extraño destino de Gabino Gaínza" (in Spanish). Retrieved 30 September 2023.
  2. ^ Borrego, Pedro Damián Cano (2021-06-01). "Gabino Gaínza: Jefe Político Superior de la Provincia de Guatemala". Anuario de Estudios Centroamericanos (in Spanish). 47: 1–21. doi:10.15517/aeca.v47i0.49270. ISSN 2215-4175.
  3. ^ Enrique Fernandez de Medrano y Vicuña https://www.geneaordonez.es/datos/getperson.php?personID=I96027&tree=MiArbol
  4. ^ Ministry of Justice, Government of Spain (2007). «Marquises». In Ministry of Justice, ed. Greatness and Titles of the kingdom. Official Guide . ISBN 978-84-7787-097-5
  5. ^ "Pagina nueva 1". www.euskalnet.net. Retrieved 2023-09-05.
  6. ^ Rubio, 1985, p. 16
  7. ^ Journal of the Guatemalan Academy of Genealogical, Heraldic, and Historical Studies. Issues 5-6 (years 1971-72).
  8. ^ Rubio, 1985, p. 13
  9. ^ Bragado, 2014, p. 163
  10. ^ Cartín, 1940, p.513
  11. ^ Rubio, 1985, p. 17.
  12. ^ Rodolfo Pérez Pimentel. "Gabino De Gaínza y Fernández de Medrano". Diccionario Biografico Ecuador (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 March 2016.
  13. ^ Campos, 1976, p. 89
  14. ^ Rubio, 1985, p. 19
  15. ^ Rubio, 1985, p. 18
  16. ^ Rubio, 1985, p. 52
  17. ^ Fernández, Rafael Salvador Montúfar. "Plan Pacífico (de la Independencia de la Capitanía General del Reyno de Guatemala)". www.historiagt.org. Retrieved 2023-11-08.
  18. ^ Foster, Lynn V. (2000). A Brief History of Central America. New York: Facts on File, Inc. pp. 135–136. ISBN 0-8160-3962-3
  • Gabino Gaínza This article is a free translation of the article in the Spanish Wikipedia.
  • Héctor Gaitán A., Los Presidentes de Guatemala. Artemis & Edinter, Guatemala 1992, ISBN 84-89452-25-3.

External links edit

Political offices
Preceded by
None
Captain General of
Central America

1821–1822
Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by
Juan Francisco Sánchez
Captain General of Chile
1814
Succeeded by

gabino, gaínza, this, spanish, name, first, paternal, surname, gaínza, second, maternal, family, name, fernández, medrano, gabino, crispín, gaínza, fernández, medrano, october, 1753, 1829, spanish, military, officer, knight, order, john, prominent, politician,. In this Spanish name the first or paternal surname is Gainza and the second or maternal family name is Fernandez de Medrano Gabino Crispin Gainza Fernandez de Medrano 20 October 1753 1829 was a Spanish military officer knight of the Order of St John and prominent politician in Spain s American colonies He supported and declared independence on 15 September 1821 in the Kingdom Captaincy General of Guatemala becoming the first ruler or president jefe politico superior of a united and independent Central America extending from Soconusco in Chiapas through Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua and Costa Rica leader of the Consultive Junta of Guatemala until its dissolution on 21 February 1822 During the Latin American wars of independence he initially fought on the royalist side in Chile becoming Royal Governor Captain General of Chile He then became the last Captain General in the Kingdom of Guatemala on behalf of the King of Spain After independence and the annexation to Mexico he became the 1st Captain General of Central America on behalf of the Emperor of Mexico Gabino Gainza1st Captain General of Central AmericaIn office 5 January 1822 23 June 1822MonarchAgustin IPreceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byVicente Filisola1st Political Chief of Central AmericaIn office 15 September 1821 5 January 1822Preceded byPosition establishedSucceeded byPosition abolishedCaptain General of GuatemalaIn office 9 March 1821 15 September 1821Preceded byCarlos Luis de UrrutiaSucceeded byPosition abolishedCaptain General of ChileIn office 19 July 1814 26 December 1814Preceded byJuan Francisco SanchezSucceeded byMariano OsorioPersonal detailsBornGabino Crispin Gainza Fernandez de Medrano20 October 1753Pamplona NavarreDied1829MexicoNationalitySpanishOccupationmilitary and politicalMilitary serviceAllegianceArmy of SpainRankMajor General Brigadier of the Royal Armies etc Contents 1 Birth and ancestry 2 Marriage 3 Military career 4 Captain General of Chile and Royalist Chief at war 4 1 Captain General of Chile 4 2 Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano meets the Mapuche s at the Parliament of Quilin 4 3 Battles in Chile 4 4 The Treaty of Lircay 5 Captain General of the Kingdom of Guatemala 6 Plan Pacifico for the Independence of the Kingdom of Guatemala 6 1 The Call for Independence in Central America 15 September 1821 6 2 First ruler of an independent Central America 1821 7 Independent Guatemala and the annexation to the Empire of Mexico 7 1 Letters from the Emperor of Mexico 7 2 Annexation to the Empire of Mexico 8 Death 9 References 10 External linksBirth and ancestry editGabino Crispin Gainza Fernandez de Medrano 1 was born in Pamplona the capital of Navarre Spain on 25 October 1753 2 He is the second son of Jose Javier de Gainza y Monzon lord of the Gainza Palace in the Arraiz valley and Eulalia Fernandez de Medrano y Jimenez de Tejada daughter of Don Enrique Fernandez de Medrano y Vicuna and Maria Francisca Ximenez de Tejada y Mirafuentes Through his mother Eulalia Gabino Gainza Fernandez belongs to the powerful house of Medrano one of the most ancient prestigious and high noblility from the Kingdom of Navarre His mother Eulalia Fernandez de Medrano was also the great niece of Friar Francisco Jimenez de Tejada 69th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta in the early 18th century 3 His mother is also related to the 1st Marquises of Ximenez de Tejada Pedro Gregorio Ximenez de Tejada y Eslava 1708 1794 and Joaquina de Argaiz y Velaz de Medrano Peralta b 1711 4 5 Marriage editOn 25 October 1799 at the age of 46 Gainza married Gregoria Rocafuerte y Bejarano only 20 years old at the Matriz Church in Guayaquil They settled in the port and over time they had six children at least 4 sons and 2 daughters Gregoria Rocafuerte was the sister of the future Ecuadoran patriot and president Vicente Rocafuerte 6 Dona Manuela Gregoria de Rocafuerte was born on 11 May 1779 She was baptized at the main parish of Guayaquil with the names Maria Manuela Gregoria on 17 May 1779 She was the daughter of Don Juan Antonio de Rocafuerte y Antoli born in Morelia Valencia in the year 1740 and his wife Dona Maria Josefa Tecla Rodriguez de Bejarano y Lavayen who was the sister of the aforementioned Knight of Santiago Colonel Don Jacinto Bejarano The father in law of the hero Gainza was a resident of Guayaquil and a captain of artillery 7 Military career edit nbsp Example of a Captain of the regiment Soria 1768 Gabino became captain in 1779 His military career began when he was only sixteen years old when he entered the Soria Infantry Regiment on 27 July 1769 founded in 1509 under the name of Tercio de Zamudio thus being the oldest military unit in active service of the world Gainza participated in some of the main battles in the history of Spain in theaters of operations as far away as Italy Africa Flanders Florida or Peru The first destinations in his unit were Pamplona itself in 1770 San Sebastian in 1774 Zaragoza from this year until 1777 and Cartagena until 1779 On 11 September 1777 Gainza was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant 8 and later to lieutenant and captain in 1779 being assigned to the North African plaza of Oran Algeria The following year he participated in the Great Siege of Gibraltar his unit was stationed in Algeciras and Campo de Gibraltar from its beginning until April 1780 Part of the troops of his regiment went in the eighties to garrisons or regiments for the defense of the Americas against the British threat and the American War of Independence with a garrison in Havana and later in Cuzco and Lima 9 Overseas Gainza embarked in the fleet of Lieutenant General Victorio de Navia being detached from Havana to the Mobila garrison now Mobile According to his own words not having been able to enter this place due to mishaps at sea in which I ran a great risk I headed for the province of Louisiana by way of the Mississippi River Gainza later went to Florida where he participated in the siege of Panzacola present day Pensacola In the Panzacola expedition in which he participated according to his words from beginning to end we find him as a trench assistant and it is noted that he remained without supplies in one of the trenches for twelve consecutive days until the surrender of the plaza 10 Gainza was later assigned to Havana participated in various campaigns garrisoning the ships of the Barlovento Squadron with actions in the Bahamas archipelago on the nao Paula and made two trips to Guarico nbsp Tupac Amaru IIIn 1782 he was in Havana leading a military life for five years mingling with the island s society and becoming friends with numerous noblewomen He even secretly became engaged and when he was about to request permission from King Carlos IV his plans were discovered and his superiors sent him away to Madrid He arrived there in 1787 and resided at the court for several months There he received the appointment of Aide de Camp to Brigadier Carlos del Corral who was appointed Military Chief of the Cusco District in Peru to suppress the uprising of the Chief of Tungasuca Jose Gabriel Condorcanqui better known as Tupac Amaru II who posed a constant threat to the authorities in those regions After signing peace with Great Britain Gainza went with his regiment to the Kingdom of Peru Corral and Gainza departed from La Coruna via Panama Guayaquil and Lima and arrived in the Viceroyalty s capital in 1788 when Tupac Amaru had already been executed He crossed the Isthmus of Panama where due to the rugged terrain and the insane nature of the country according to his own words he suffered a serious breakdown in his health After recovering his health Gainza traveled throughout the district as an Advisor to Brigadier Corral and after Corral s death Gainza was elected Lieutenant Colonel of the Army and Secretary of the Military Sub Inspectorate His military career continued without any setbacks He was appointed in 1792 knight of the Order of St John He was a confidant of several Peruvian viceroys That year he was promoted to Commander General of Trujillo in Peru with the obligation to fortify and defend the northern coasts from English attacks once again at war with Spain He had to clear the seas in that area to ensure uninterrupted trade between Lima Tumbez Guayaquil and Panama In 1799 he reinforced the military garrisons of the Santa Marta and Tumbez rivers captured an English whaling frigate destroyed a corsair schooner and visited Guayaquil three times In 1804 Gainza pacified the rebellious Indigenous peoples of Lambayeque then became the Military Chief of the Province of Trujillo fortified the port of Paita and captured several English schooners In 1805 Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano became the Military Commander and Royal Judge of the Province of Chancay and Major General of the Royal Army With the rank of Lieutenant Colonel he served in the Royal Lima when his superior Manuel Gonzalez was sent to the Philippines Gainza Fernandez de Medrano took command of the Royal Lima unit and after Pareja s death in Chile in 1810 he devised a comprehensive Plan of Military Operations to halt the Argentine army s march on Chile and Peru 11 The plan was approved by Fernando VII This leadership position allowed Gainza Fernandez de Medrano to exert significant influence over military affairs in the region In 1811 he launched operations against the insurgents and achieved victories in Gamero and Talca restoring communications between Talcahuano and Lima which had long been intercepted For these triumphs he received the title of Brigadier of the Royal Armies becoming the highest ranking military officer in the Viceroyalty of Peru 12 Captain General of Chile and Royalist Chief at war edit nbsp Ensign used by Spanish troops for the Captaincy General of ChileAfter the death of the previous Royal Governor Captain General of Chile Antonio Jose Pareja y Serrano de Leon brigadier of the Navy in Chillan on 21 May 1813 Viceroy Jose Fernando de Abascal y Sousa Marques de la Concordia named Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano his successor instructing him to disembark in Arauco 13 improve their fortifications spread the king s cause among the population and troops warn of the promotions made by Pareja and study the possibility of a defensive war or take the offensive He also entrusted Gainza Fernandez de Medrano with convincing the insurgent army of Chile to lay down its arms and thus avoid bloodshed under the promise of absolute pardon and his oath of the monarch and of the new Constitution of Spain 14 Captain General of Chile edit nbsp Map of the Captaincy General of Chile or Kingdom of Chile in 1775As the new Royal Governor Captain General of Chile Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano left the port of El Callao at the head of a force of 125 chosen men This was augmented by the addition of 700 militiamen from Chiloe after the arrival in Chile with fifteen hundred spears money tobacco sugar 5 artillerymen and 2 cannons from his regiment in the corvette Sebastiana and the brig Potrillo Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano arrived in Chile on 31 January 1814 He arrived in Arauco without incident crossed the Bio Bio River and fortified Chillan 15 Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano meets the Mapuche s at the Parliament of Quilin edit nbsp Ancient flag of the Mapuche in the Arauco WarThe landing of Gainza Fernandez de Medrano in Arauco on 31 January 1814 could not be prevented by the troops of Bernardo O Higgins commander of the insurgents in this sector On 3 February 1814 Gainza Fernandez de Medrano met with numerous Mapuches and obtained promises of their support and recognition of old treaties with the crown as well as the promise of Toqui War Chief Manil to supply 6 000 soldiers nbsp Illustration of the parliament of Quilin in Alonso de Ovalle s book Historica Relacion del Reyno de Chile After arriving at Arauco Bay on the following 31 January and finding a Chiloe battalion there he entered into relations with the main Mapuche leaders celebrating with them at Parliament of Quilin to whom Gainza Fernandez de Medrano gave batons medals and other gifts Since the first Spanish Mapuche parliaments in the 17th century it became an almost mandatory tradition for each governor to arrange a parliament with the Mapuches Battles in Chile edit One of his columns commanded by Ildefonso de Elorriaga took Talca on 3 March 1814 In this action a small isolated unit of patriots was massacred This incident together with the heroic death of the commander of the insurgents Colonel Carlos Spano provoked a political crisis in Santiago The Superior Governing Council presided over by Agustin Eyzaguirre had abandoned Talca only a few days before moving towards the capital with nearly all the royalist forces of Talca as their escort However one result of this embarrassing situation in Talca was the fall of the Council Francisco de la Lastra took control of the government as Supreme Director The following day 4 March Gainza Fernandez de Medrano received another stroke of luck from one of his militia units commanded by Clemente Latano This unit took prisoner Jose Miguel Carrera and Luis Carrera old chiefs of the patriot army Clemente Latano fought for Gainza Fernandez de Medrano in the Battle of Membrillar and the Disaster of Rancagua among other military actions But the capture in 1814 of the Carrera brothers Jose Miguel and Luis was what made him famous within Gabino s army Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano was victorious at Cancha Rayada on the 29th of the same month he also expanded the royalist territory with the squares of Concepcion and Talcahuano The successes of the royalist side had political repercussions among the insurgents However the outcome of the campaign became less certain with time Neither side could achieve a decisive victory Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano and his officers were alternately victorious and defeated in the following actions The Battle of Cucha Cucha The Battle of Rancagua The Battle of Gamero The Battle of El Quilo The Battle of El Membrillar The First Battle of Cancha Rayada The Battle of Guajardo The Battle of Rio Claro The Battle of QuechereguasAt the conclusion of the last action on 5 April 1814 both armies were exhausted and in terrible logistic conditions After three months of operations under Gainza s command the royalists had increased the territory under their control taking Talcahuano and Concepcion but the royalist force had been seriously weakened Because of this the arrival of English Commodore James Hillyar with instructions from Viceroy Abascal to negotiate with the rebels was considered opportune The Treaty of Lircay edit After negotiations Gainza Fernandez de Medrano signed the Treaty of Lircay committing himself to leave the Province of Concepcion In exchange he obtained promises of loyalty to Ferdinand VII on the part of the patriot envoys Bernardo O Higgins and Juan Mackenna The treaty was signed on the banks of the Lircay River about 7 kilometres 4 3 mi outside the city of Talca by the commander of the Royal Armies in the province of Concepcion brigadier Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano and the representatives of the Chilean Supreme Director Francisco de la Lastra brigadiers Bernardo O Higgins and Juan Mackenna Everything indicated that the treaty was nothing else except a way in which both sides could obtain a truce Gainza Fernandez de Medrano did not abandon his positions by the agreed date nor did the rebels live up to the agreement Nevertheless Viceroy Abascal was infuriated when he read the text of the Treaty of Lircay He removed Gainza from command replacing him with Mariano Osorio Not content with that he had Gainza Fernandez de Medrano court martialed in Lima accused of exceeding his orders Gainza had to wait under guard for the conclusion of the court martial in Lima In 1816 he was acquitted but his reputation in the army was seriously damaged Therefore he moved to Quito under the jurisdiction of the viceroy of New Granada Captain General of the Kingdom of Guatemala edit nbsp Coat of Arms of the Captaincy General of the Kingdom of GuatemalaOn 9 March 1821 Lieutenant General Carlos Luis de Urrutia in order to restore his health which according to his own words had been quite ailing since the previous August temporarily delegated command of the province in all its aspects to Brigadier Gainza Fernandez de Medrano deputy general director of the troops in accordance with the Royal Order on the matter which he communicated to the First Secretary of State on 18 March On the same date Gainza Fernandez de Medrano also reported on said delegation In both files the testimony by which the Captain General Superior Political Chief temporarily delegated command is preserved According to it at five in the afternoon on 9 March and on the advice of doctors Pedro Molina and Vicente Carranza who considered that the absolute separation of the general for some time from command was urgently necessary once informed of the Provincial Council and with its agreement and conformity the political military and financial command was delegated in Gainza Likewise it was ordered that the ruling be communicated to the Most Excellent Provincial Directorate to the Superior Court of the Territorial Court to the Most Illustrious diocesan prelates and to the other bodies chiefs and authorities of these provinces notifying His Majesty of this After that Gainza Fernandez de Medrano took and signed a military oath placed his right hand on the sacred four Gospels swore to defend the mystery of the Immaculate Conception patron saint of the Spanish infantry and to uphold the Political Constitution of the Spanish Monarchy sanctioned by the General and Extraordinary Cortes of the nation On 1 June he informed the inhabitants of the pardon that the Cortes had issued on 9 October the previous year which had been communicated to him by Royal Decree of 20 October in which a general pardon was granted in places where the inhabitants had recognized the Constitution with the immediate release of all the prisoners and return to their homes of the exiles 16 Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano had officially been given the position of Captaincy General of Guatemala with its territory in Soconusco Chiapas and five provinces Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua and Costa Rica He assumed governmental power on 9 March 1821 The new viceroy of Peru Joaquin de la Pezuela protested against this appointment arguing that Gabino was sympathetic to the independence movement Plan Pacifico for the Independence of the Kingdom of Guatemala edit nbsp Act of Independence of Central America 1821 signed by Gabino Gainza Fernandez de MedranoPlan Pacifico for the Independence of the Kingdom of Guatemala or Captaincy General of Guatemala is an important document likely drafted by Mariano and Juan Jose de Aycinena Pedro Molina Mariano de Beltranena and Jose Francisco Barrundia in late August 1821 at the Aycinena family s house It served as the basis for organizing the independence on 15 September 1821 This was a plan for peaceful independence and to appoint Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano at the head of this newly formed independent government nbsp Signing of the act of independence on September 14 1821 Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano sitting next to Jose Matias Delgado from the painting by Rafael Beltranena In the name of the Supreme Being Article 1 We do not have a leader for this endeavor We hereby choose of our own free will and general consent El senor Don Gabino Gainza our current interim leader If he accepts he will become the leader in all the capacity and legitimacy conferred upon him by the people s choice He will receive the honors and rewards due to his merit our gratitude and that of our posterity 17 nbsp Jose Matias Delgado At the time of signing the Central American act of independence in a representation of the meeting of September 15 1821 of the Chilean painter Luis Vergara Ahumada Article 2 states that the acceptance of the Leader Gainza Fernandez de Medrano will have as its first effect the convocation of a General Assembly of residents under the pretext of preventing disorder in case the people decide on independence in which only those attending will be secretly proposed to vote for or against it Once the vote is taken two scrutineers will be appointed to count the votes and publish the results Article 4 states that this board will be appointed immediately and must consist of two individuals from each province striving for them to be natives of those provinces The named individuals will be called immediately and they will be sworn in to faithfully fulfill their duties The Board will be considered installed once this is done Its initial task will be to extend the corresponding reports of this prior step toward independence to the higher and lower political leaders and constitutional mayors of the towns with whom the Leader Gainza Fernandez de Medrano will form the government In subsequent sessions the Board will focus on preparing the elements that the National Congress must consist of the way to convene it etc The Plan Pacifico document is significant because it clearly states in Article 7 that nothing will be changed regarding the government and there will be no discussion of removing any employee unless they are considered a danger to the immediate future system It openly declares in article 8 that they will be natural allies of the Peninsula and confederates of the new American Governments and in the subsequent articles that European Spaniards will not only be persecuted but protected they will obtain the same rights they currently have and maintain privileges concerning trade with foreigners This was their means to proclaim their independence and the equitable principles upon which it must be based as well as the relationships they maintained with the Spaniards It was then stated that if Gainza Fernandez de Medrano accepts this position he will proceed to the Cathedral to give thanks to the Most High and the rest of the people will disperse throughout the city to make the corresponding demonstrations The Call for Independence in Central America 15 September 1821 edit nbsp National Palace of GuatemalaGabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano hastily called a meeting on the morning of 15 September 1821 at the National Palace of Guatemala Gainza Fernandez de Medrano had arrived in the country in March that year from the Kingdom of Chile and since then he has temporarily assumed command of the Kingdom of Guatemala At the meeting called by Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano the declaration of independence was signed which was approved with 23 votes in favor and 7 against There participated representatives of the government municipality Catholic Church University of San Carlos Trade Council legal board among other groups nbsp Painting of the signing of the Declaration of Independence of Central America Guatemala 1821 declared and chaired by Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano blue chair This act was an outright declaration of independence from the Empire of Spain On 15 September a council meeting at which independence was finally declared and chaired by Gainza Fernandez de Medrano and the text of the Act itself was written by Honduran intellectual and politician Jose Cecilio del Valle and signed by representatives of the various Central American provinces including Jose Matias Delgado Jose Lorenzo de Romana and Jose Domingo Dieguez Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano was one of the most important signers of the Act of Independence of Central America The city government decided that their act would have to be ratified by a national congress to be inaugurated on 1 March 1822 Until that occurred the royal officials political military and administrative were to remain in their positions First ruler of an independent Central America 1821 edit nbsp Coat of Arms of Guatemala LIBERTY SEPTEMBER 15 1821 written on their declaration of independence and a quetzal rests on top a symbol of liberty and national unity for the Indigenous Maya of GuatemalaAfter Gabino was appointed leader of the Consultive Junta of Guatemala Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano appeared on a balcony and shouted Long live independence The Provisional Preparatory Junta was presented at the same location and Gabino introduced it to the people In this way Don Gabino Gainza Fernandez de Medrano became de facto the first ruler or head of state of the independent nation of Central America Jefe Politico Superior in the words of the Act of Independence extending from Soconusco in Chiapas through Guatemala El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua and Costa Rica Independent Guatemala and the annexation to the Empire of Mexico edit nbsp Coat of Arms of Agustin de Iturbide as Emperor of MexicoThere was one important point that the Act of Independence of 15 September did not address the relation of the independent Kingdom of Guatemala to the recently created Mexican Empire In August 1821 Mexico achieved its independence under the rule of Emperor Agustin de Iturbide The success of neighboring Mexico in its own war of independence led some in Central America to see it as the region s best chance of continued unity while others wished for absolute independence Article 2 of the Act of Independence provided for the formation of a congress to decide the point of absolute general independence and fix in case of agreement the form of government and the fundamental law of governance for the new state This constituent assembly was meant to meet the following March but the opportunity never came Letters from the Emperor of Mexico edit Instead on 29 October 1821 the president of the provisional governing council of newly independent Mexico Agustin de Iturbide sent a letter to Gainza Fernandez de Medrano now the president of Central America and the council of delegates representing the provinces of Chiapas El Salvador Honduras Nicaragua and Costa Rica with a proposal that Central America join the Mexican Empire under the terms of the Three Guarantees of the Treaty of Cordoba Earlier the Emperor of Mexico had written to encourage the Central Americans to send delegates to the constituent congress scheduled to meet in Mexico City But the new letter ended with the announcement of a more concrete political reality a large Mexican army had been sent to the border with Guatemala Gainza Fernandez de Medrano answered a month later on 3 December 1821 that it was necessary to consult with various city governments in order to respond to the invitation He concluded his answer with the words I hope that Your Excellency will suspend your decisions and stop the advance of your army until the arrival of my answer which I will send by mail on 3 January 1822 Two days after that date Gainza Fernandez de Medrano was able to send his response although it was not complete 32 city governments accepted annexation 104 accepted with conditions 2 opposed the plan and another 21 felt that the question could be decided only by the congress scheduled to meet in March This last group was correct although Gainza Fernandez de Medrano s plan to consult the city governments bought some time it was a clear violation of Article 2 of the Act of Independence Congress must decide the point of absolute general independence and fixm in case of agreement the form of government and the fundamental law of governance In addition suspicions arose about the count The secretary of the consultative junta that advised Gainza Fernandez de Medrano Mariano Galvez was accused of having manipulated the results to favor annexation But it was also true that many towns Comayagua Ciudad Real Quetzaltenango Solola the intendencias of Nicaragua joined the Empire on their own initiative jumping over the chain of command that included Guatemala City Annexation to the Empire of Mexico edit There was much pressure to adopt this decision Gainza and the Consultative Provisional Junta thus declared the union of the Kingdom of Guatemala to the Mexican Empire in an act signed on 5 January 1822 in Guatemala City when Iturbide fell in 1823 and Mexico was declared a republic Central America except for Chiapas declared independence from Mexico 18 The consequences included On 11 January 1822 El Salvador denounced the annexation as illegitimate and declared itself in rebellion and under the direction of Jose Matias Delgado and Manuel Jose Arce it prepared for armed resistance On 23 January 1822 Iturbide named Gainza provisional captain general of Guatemala On 25 February 1822 Gainza ordered an oath of adhesion to the Mexican Empire On 30 March 1822 Iturbide gave Gainza the title of lieutenant general of the Kingdom and offered him the position of governor of a province of the Empire or of Nueva Galicia as a reward for his services He was appointed Knight of the Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Our Lady of Guadalupe Gainza asked for the dispatch of the Mexican troops already at the border as 600 men under the command of Vicente Filisola was sent to Central America On 12 June 1822 Filisola s troops arrived in Guatemala City On 23 June 1822 by order of Iturbide Gainza turned over power to Filisola and left the country for Mexico Death editAs far as is known Iturbide did not fulfill his promises to Gainza Fernandez de Medrano He did not receive the government of a single island All that is known is that he died in dire poverty in Mexico City around the year 1829 citation needed His widow returned to Guayaquil with his numerous war decorations and an agreement of the city government of Guatemala City that granted her husband a military pension of 10 000 pesos for life annually from 1821 but there is no record that these payments were made citation needed References edit Lizama Carlos 27 January 2021 Del Tratado de Lircay a la Independencia de Centroamerica o el extrano destino de Gabino Gainza in Spanish Retrieved 30 September 2023 Borrego Pedro Damian Cano 2021 06 01 Gabino Gainza Jefe Politico Superior de la Provincia de Guatemala Anuario de Estudios Centroamericanos in Spanish 47 1 21 doi 10 15517 aeca v47i0 49270 ISSN 2215 4175 Enrique Fernandez de Medrano y Vicuna https www geneaordonez es datos getperson php personID I96027 amp tree MiArbol Ministry of Justice Government of Spain 2007 Marquises In Ministry of Justice ed Greatness and Titles of the kingdom Official Guide ISBN 978 84 7787 097 5 Pagina nueva 1 www euskalnet net Retrieved 2023 09 05 Rubio 1985 p 16 Journal of the Guatemalan Academy of Genealogical Heraldic and Historical Studies Issues 5 6 years 1971 72 Rubio 1985 p 13 Bragado 2014 p 163 Cartin 1940 p 513 Rubio 1985 p 17 Rodolfo Perez Pimentel Gabino De Gainza y Fernandez de Medrano Diccionario Biografico Ecuador in Spanish Archived from the original on 3 March 2016 https web archive org web 20160303184701 http www diccionariobiograficoecuador com tomos tomo2 g1 htm Campos 1976 p 89 Rubio 1985 p 19 Rubio 1985 p 18 Rubio 1985 p 52 Fernandez Rafael Salvador Montufar Plan Pacifico de la Independencia de la Capitania General del Reyno de Guatemala www historiagt org Retrieved 2023 11 08 Foster Lynn V 2000 A Brief History of Central America New York Facts on File Inc pp 135 136 ISBN 0 8160 3962 3 Gabino Gainza This article is a free translation of the article in the Spanish Wikipedia Hector Gaitan A Los Presidentes de Guatemala Artemis amp Edinter Guatemala 1992 ISBN 84 89452 25 3 External links edit nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Acta de Independencia de Centroamerica nbsp Wikisource has original text related to this article Tratado de Lircay Short biography in Spanish Archived 2016 03 03 at the Wayback MachinePolitical officesPreceded byNone Captain General ofCentral America1821 1822 Succeeded byVicente FilisolaMilitary officesPreceded byJuan Francisco Sanchez Captain General of Chile1814 Succeeded byMariano Osorio Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gabino Gainza amp oldid 1214033656, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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