Antonio Berney facts for kids

Antonio Berney (died 1784) was a French teacher who lived in Chile. He was part of a secret plan known as the Conspiracy of the Tres Antonios. This plan aimed to make Chile an independent country.

Berney came to Chile around 1776. He became a teacher of Latin and Mathematics at a school called Convictorio Carolino in Santiago. He loved reading a famous book called the Encyclopédie, which was full of new ideas.

A Plan for Independence

In 1780, Antonio Berney came up with a big idea. He wanted Chile to become its own country, free from Spanish rule. He talked to two other men, Antonio Gramusset and José Antonio de Rojas, and they agreed to help him. Together, they started to work on this secret plan.

The Plan is Discovered

However, their plan was soon found out. On January 1, 1781, Berney and his friends were caught. Because Antonio Berney and Antonio Gramusset were not from Chile, they were sent away as prisoners. First, they went to Lima in Peru. After that, they were sent on a long journey to Spain to be judged.

A Tragic End

The ship carrying them was called the San Pedro de Alcantara. Sadly, during a big storm, the ship sank off the coast of Portugal. Antonio Berney drowned in the accident.

See also

In Spanish: Antonio Berney para niños