Andrés Novales facts for kids

Andrés Novales (c. 1800 – June 2, 1823) was a Filipino captain in the Spanish Army. He was also known as the self-proclaimed Emperor of the Philippines.

He felt that soldiers born in the Philippines, called Creoles, were not treated fairly. This led him to start a revolt in 1823. His actions even inspired famous heroes like José Rizal. Novales and his followers successfully took control of Intramuros, a walled city in Manila. They declared him "Emperor of the Philippines." However, Spanish soldiers from Pampanga quickly defeated him on the same day.

Early Life and Military Career

Andrés Novales' father was a captain in the Spanish Army. His mother came from an important family in the Philippines. Andrés began his military training as a cadet when he was nine years old. By age fourteen, he became a lieutenant.

When he heard about a war between Spain and France, he wanted to join. He went to Madrid, Spain, but lost his rank and became a volunteer soldier. Still, he returned to the Philippines as a captain. His strong dedication to service made other military officers jealous. The Governor-General Juan Antonio Martínez later used this against Novales.

The Novales Revolt

Novales became increasingly unhappy with how Spanish leaders treated Creoles. These were people of Spanish descent born in the Philippines. His anger grew when soldiers born in Spain, called peninsulars, were sent to the Philippines. These new arrivals replaced Creole officers.

Many Creoles felt the same way as Novales. This included Luis Rodríguez Varela and Latin American officers who had lost their ranks. A Spanish historian, José Montero y Vidal, noted that most army officers in the Philippines were "Americans" (meaning born in the Americas). They were very upset when peninsular officers arrived. They feared losing their chances for promotion. They also felt strong racial differences. Because of this disagreement, many officers were sent away. Novales was sent to Mindanao to fight pirates. But he secretly returned to Manila.

On the night of June 1, 1823, Novales began his revolt. He was joined by Sub-lieutenant Ruiz and other soldiers. Many discontented former Latin American officers also joined. These included Mexicans, and some Creoles and mestizos from newly independent countries like Colombia and Peru.

With about 800 Filipinos, they took control of important buildings. They seized the Governor-General's Palace, the Manila Cathedral, and the city hall (cabildo). They also took other government buildings in Intramuros.

They could not find the Governor-General. Instead, they killed the lieutenant governor, Mariano Fernandez de Folgueras. Folgueras was the one who had suggested replacing Creole officers with peninsulars. The soldiers shouted, ¡Viva el Emperador Novales! meaning "Long live Emperor Novales!" Many townspeople followed Novales and his troops as they marched through Manila.

However, they failed to capture Fort Santiago. This was because Andrés' brother, Mariano, commanded the fort. He refused to open its gates. When authorities learned the fort was still holding out, they sent soldiers there. Novales himself was caught hiding near the Puerta Real, one of the city gates.

At 5:00 pm on June 2, Novales, Ruiz, and 21 sergeants were executed. They were killed by a firing squad in a garden near Puerta del Postigo. In his final moments, Novales said that he and his comrades would show others how to fight for freedom.

Andrés' brother Mariano was almost executed too. But the crowd begged for his freedom. They argued that he had saved the government from being overthrown. Mariano received a monthly payment of ₱14. However, he became mentally unwell after his brother's execution.

Legacy

Andrés Novales called himself an emperor, but his revolution lasted only one day. Even so, his fight for equality and freedom was very important. It inspired many other uprisings. These events eventually led to the formation of the Philippines as a nation.

See also

In Spanish: Andrés Novales para niños

• Filipino nationalism