Diego de Gardoqui facts for kids
Diego María de Gardoqui y Arriquibar (born November 12, 1735, Bilbao, Spain – died 1798, Madrid, Spain) was an important Spanish politician and diplomat. He played a key role in helping the American colonies during their fight for independence from Britain. He later became Spain's first ambassador to the United States.
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His Life and Work
Diego de Gardoqui came from a wealthy Basque family in Bilbao, Spain. His family had been in business for many generations. They focused on trade and the growing metal industry, especially for building ships.
Diego was the fourth of eight children. During the American Revolutionary War, he helped manage money between the Spanish government and the American colonies. He met with American leader John Jay many times. Diego's family business, "José de Gardoqui e Hijos," sent a lot of supplies to the American patriots. This included 215 bronze cannons, 30,000 muskets, 30,000 bayonets, and much more. They also sent uniforms and tents to help the soldiers.
Working with the United States
After the American Revolution, Diego de Gardoqui became Spain's special representative to the United States. He arrived in New York in the spring of 1785. In 1786, he and John Jay tried to create a treaty. This treaty would have given the U.S. trade benefits with Spain. In return, the U.S. would give up its right to freely use the Mississippi River. John Jay supported this idea, but the American Congress never approved the treaty.
Gardoqui stayed as Spain's Minister to the United States until October 1789. He even attended George Washington's first speech as president. Gardoqui thought it was "an eloquent and appropriate address." To celebrate the event, he decorated his house in New York City. He put up beautiful displays with statues and flowers. He also showed thirteen stars representing the United States. Two of these stars were dim, showing the two states that had not yet joined the new Constitution.
Supporting the Catholic Church
In the early years after the Revolutionary War, Gardoqui's house in New York City was a meeting place for important Catholic leaders. Mass was held there for people like French, Spanish, and Portuguese representatives. It was also attended by Catholic members of Congress and soldiers. On October 5, 1785, Diego de Gardoqui helped start the building of St. Peter's. This was the first permanent Catholic church in New York State. The church officially opened on November 4, 1786.
Protecting Spanish Interests
Spain controlled the Louisiana Territory at this time. Gardoqui worked to protect Spain's interests along the Mississippi River. Some groups in Kentucky were upset because Congress would not let them become a state. In 1788, Gardoqui worked with John Brown and General James Wilkinson. They hoped to make a treaty between Kentucky and Spain about using the river. However, Kentucky eventually joined the United States, so no separate treaty was made.
Gardoqui also worked with Colonel George Morgan and Benjamin Harrison. They wanted to buy land in Illinois from the U.S. government. Gardoqui and Morgan planned an agreement for a large area of land west of the Mississippi River. American settlers would receive this land. Morgan would lead the new colony, called "New Madrid," under the King of Spain. Settlers would have religious freedom. But the Spanish governor in New Orleans did not allow self-government and required all settlers to be Catholic. So, this plan for a Spanish colony never happened.
George Washington spoke highly of Gardoqui in 1790. He said that "no man in his most Catholic Majesty's dominions could be more acceptable to the Inhabitants of these States." Gardoqui gave Washington a four-volume set of Don Quixote as a gift. These books are still kept at Washington's personal library, which is now a museum.
Later Life and Finance Minister
Diego de Gardoqui married Brígida Josefa de Orueta y Uriarte on December 6, 1765, in Vitoria, Spain.
He served under the Bourbon kings Charles III of Spain and Charles IV of Spain. As a Spanish diplomat, Gardoqui worked under Minister José Moñino, 1st Count of Floridablanca. In 1791, he became Finance Minister when the current minister, Pedro López de Lerena, became ill. Gardoqui was officially named Finance Minister after Lerena's death in 1792.
Gardoqui was the Spanish person who negotiated the Jay–Gardoqui Treaty in 1789 with John Jay of the United States. This treaty was about Spain's rights to use the Mississippi River. In 1785–86, Gardoqui even arranged for a Spanish horse to be sent to John Jay.
After Gardoqui returned to Spain in 1788, two other diplomats took his place in the United States. Both of them had worked for Gardoqui during his time there. In 1789, Gardoqui was chosen to be a member of the American Philosophical Society, a famous group that promotes knowledge.
Tributes
There is a street named Calle Gardoqui in Bilbao, Spain. However, it is named after his brother, Cardinal Francisco Gardoqui.
The city of Constitución, Chile, was originally named Nueva Bilbao de Gardoqui to honor him.
During World War II, a ship in the US Navy was named the USS Guardoqui (IX-218). This ship honored the Gardoqui family of Bilbao. It was named after an earlier US ship, the USS Gardoqui (1898), which fought in the Spanish–American War.
In 1977, the Spanish King gave a statue of Don Diego de Gardoqui to the City of Philadelphia. This was to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the United States. The statue was made by Spanish artist Luis Antonio Sanguino. It stands in Logan Square and was restored in 2019.
See also
In Spanish: Diego de Gardoqui para niños
