Alejandro Heredia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alejandro Heredia
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| Governor of Tucumán Province | |
| In office 4 November 1831 – 12 November 1838 |
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| Preceded by | José Frías |
| Succeeded by | Bernabé Piedrabuena |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1788 San Miguel de Tucumán |
| Died | 12 November 1838 (aged 50) Lules |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Political party | Federal |
| Occupation | Soldier |
Alejandro Heredia (1788 – 12 November 1838) was an Argentine soldier and politician. He played a big part in Argentina's history. He fought in the war to gain independence from Spain. Later, he also fought in the civil wars that followed.
Heredia became a powerful leader, known as a caudillo, and served as the governor of Tucumán Province.
Contents
Alejandro Heredia's Early Life and Career
Alejandro Heredia was born in San Miguel de Tucumán in 1788. He went to school in Córdoba at the College of Our Lady of Loreto. He then studied at the National University of Córdoba. There, he earned a special degree in law, called a Doctorate.
Heredia was a very smart and educated person. He loved to read old books and later taught Latin. One of his students was Juan Bautista Alberdi, who became an important Argentine thinker.
Joining the Army of the North
In 1810, the May Revolution happened. This was when Buenos Aires declared its independence from Spain. Heredia joined the Army of the North to fight for freedom.
- General Manuel Belgrano sent him on a special mission. He had to talk with the Spanish general, José Manuel de Goyeneche.
- As a soldier, Heredia showed great bravery. He was a lieutenant in the Battle of Tucumán in 1812.
- He also fought in the Battle of Salta in 1813 and the Battle of Sipe-Sipe in 1815.
- He rose through the ranks and became a colonel in the Army of the North.
A Time of Change and Politics
In 1820, Heredia was part of an important event called the Arequito Revolt. This was when some army officers decided they would not fight in a civil war against the Federalists. The Federalists believed that provinces should have more power.
After this, Heredia went to Salta Province. He served under the command of Martín Miguel de Güemes, who was the Governor of Salta.
Later, Heredia became a representative for his home province.
- In 1824, he represented Tucumán at the National Constitution Congress in Buenos Aires.
- In 1826, he represented Salta at the same congress.
- At these meetings, he was known for his strong Federalist ideas. He believed that each province should have a lot of control over its own affairs.
Alejandro Heredia as Governor of Tucumán
In 1832, Alejandro Heredia was chosen as the governor of Tucumán. This happened after a period of conflict in the region. Tucumán then joined the Argentine Confederation. This was a group of provinces that agreed to work together.
Heredia took over from José Frias. As governor, he was given special powers to lead the province. He worked to fix problems that had been caused by earlier leaders.
Conflicts and Leadership
In 1834, a civil war started between Heredia and Governor Pablo de Latorre of Salta.
- Juan Manuel de Rosas, a powerful leader, sent Facundo Quiroga to help solve the problem.
- But before Quiroga could finish his mission, Latorre was defeated and killed.
On January 23, 1836, General Francisco Javier López invaded Tucumán Province. He brought troops from Salta.
- Heredia quickly attacked and defeated López's forces. This battle happened near the Rio Famaillá.
- Two days later, Javier López and his secretary were shot.
Building Alliances
On January 28, Heredia made an important agreement with Catamarca Province. This agreement was signed by Napoleón Boneti for Catamarca and Juan Bautista Paz for Tucumán.
Heredia became the most important leader in northern Argentina. He even made his brother, Felipe Heredia, the governor of Salta.
On April 18, 1836, the people of Tucumán re-elected Heredia as governor. During his time as governor, he worked hard for progress and order. Many people believed he was the most advanced and cultured governor of Tucumán between 1810 and 1853. His government was seen as the best among the nearby provinces. He hoped to unite different political groups in his province, but this was difficult to achieve.
War with Bolivia
In 1837, Juan Manuel de Rosas's government declared war on the Peru–Bolivian Confederation. This group was led by Andrés de Santa Cruz.
- In May 1837, Alejandro Heredia was put in charge of the Argentine army's operations.
- Rosas was worried about the growing power of the Confederation. He also wanted to stop his political enemies who had fled to Bolivia.
- Heredia led an invasion into Bolivia with his own soldiers and extra troops from Rosas. However, his army lost the Battle of Montenegro.
Death
Alejandro Heredia was killed on November 12, 1838. He was traveling in a carriage with his son to his country home near Los Lules, not far from San Miguel de Tucumán.
- A group of armed men attacked them.
- Heredia was shot in the head.
- The attackers took his carriage and left his body with his son.
One of the people involved in the plot was Marco Avellaneda. He had been a close friend of Heredia. Avellaneda was later put on trial. He was found guilty of being the main person behind Heredia's death. He was sentenced to death.
See also
In Spanish: Alejandro Heredia para niños
