Diego Vicente Cañas Portocarrero, 7th Duque del Parque facts for kids
Diego Vicente Cañas Portocarrero (1755 – 12 March 1824) was an important Spanish military leader. He was also known as Vicente María de Cañas y Portocarrero and held the title of the 7th Duke of Parque. He became a Lieutenant-General and played a role in the Peninsular War against Napoleon's forces. He led Spanish troops in battles like Alba de Tormes.
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Early Life and Political Views
The Duke of Parque was close to the Prince of Asturias, who later became King Ferdinand VII. He was part of a group that didn't like Manuel Godoy, a powerful minister at the time. Interestingly, he also supported Napoleon and his brother Joseph I, who was made King of Spain by Napoleon. He was even part of the Cortes of Bayonne, a meeting called by Napoleon.
The Peninsular War: A Time of Change
The Peninsular War was a big conflict in Spain and Portugal against Napoleon's French Empire. It started after the Madrid Uprising in May 1808. At first, the Duke of Parque tried to stop the Spanish people from rising up. He wrote a statement called Amados españoles, dignos compatriotas (meaning "Beloved Spaniards, worthy compatriots") in June 1808.
However, after General Francisco Castaños defeated the French army at Bailen in July 1808, the Duke of Parque changed his mind. He decided to join the Spanish people fighting against the French invasion.
Leading Spanish Forces
In April 1809, the Duke of Parque was made Captain General of Old Castile. He was given command of the Army of the Left. With this army, he fought in the Battle of Tamames in October 1809. The next month, he led his troops at the Battle of Alba de Tormes. He had about 32,822 soldiers organized into different divisions. These divisions were led by Major-Generals Martín de la Carrera, Francisco Xavier Losada, Conde de Belveder, and Francisco Ballesteros. Brigadier-General Marquis de Castrofuerte and the Prince of Anglona also commanded parts of his army.
In October 1809, the British ambassador to Spain, Richard Wellesley, tried to get the Duke removed from his command. He spoke to Martín de Garay, who was in charge of international relations for the Supreme Central Junta, Spain's governing body.
In February 1810, command of the Army of the Left was given to Marquis of La Romana. The Duke of Parque was then appointed governor of the Canary Islands. Later, in 1812, the Supreme Central Junta gave him command of the Army of Castile.
Later Life and Political Activity
After the war, in 1817, the Duke was offered a job as ambassador in Paris, but he turned it down.
In the 1820s, the Duke of Parque became known for his liberal ideas. He was part of groups called Exaltados, which were like "radicals" or "progressives" in Spanish politics. These groups wanted more freedom and change. He was also a member of sociedades patrióticas (societies of patriots), which were clubs where people discussed liberal politics. One famous club he chaired was La Fontana de Oro.
In 1822, he became a deputy for Valladolid, meaning he represented that area in the Spanish parliament. For a short time, from November to December 1822, he even served as president of Spain's Congreso de los Diputados, which is like the speaker of the parliament.
Final Years
In 1823, a French army called the "Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis" invaded Spain. They came to help King Ferdinand VII regain his full power, which he had lost during a period called the Trienio Liberal (Liberal Triennium). The Duke of Parque, along with the government, moved from Seville to Cádiz to escape the French.
Once King Ferdinand VII was back in power, he ordered the Duke of Parque to be arrested. However, because of his old age and illness, the French soldiers in Cadiz put him under house arrest instead of in a public prison. He passed away shortly after this.
See also
In Spanish: Vicente de Cañas y Portocarrero para niños
