Domingo Belestá facts for kids

Domingo Belestá y Pared (born in Alicante, Spain, on March 4, 1741 – died in Cádiz, Spain, on December 7, 1819) was a Spanish military engineer. He was a key figure in several important wars, including the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Peninsular War. Sometimes, his name is spelled as Bellesta or Ballesta in old books.

Domingo Belestá started his military career in 1761 as a Cadet in Spain's Flanders Infantry Regiment. He quickly moved up, becoming a second lieutenant. In 1765, he went to study Mathematics at Spain's top military engineering school, the Real Academia Militar de Matemáticas y Fortificación, in Barcelona. By 1778, he was promoted to captain and even taught Drawing at the Academy until 1781.

Belestá in the American Revolutionary War

During the Anglo-Spanish War (1779–1783), which was part of the larger American Revolutionary War, Belestá played an important role. He helped in the siege of St. Philip's Castle in Menorca. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to try and take control of it. After this, he moved on to the Great Siege of Gibraltar.

When the siege ended in 1783, Belestá was promoted to lieutenant-colonel. He then oversaw the building of roads from Málaga to Velez and Antequera. He also worked on the San Telmo Aqueduct, which was a water supply system in Málaga. Around this time, he was involved in other big projects too. These included building the Explanada Boulevard in Barcelona, working on a part of the Canal de Castilla (a large canal system), and improving the port at Melilla.

Between the Wars: New Projects

In 1791, Belestá was asked to lead a special trip. The Society of Antiquaries of London and the Real Academia de la Historia wanted to find the exact spot of the famous ancient Battle of Munda. This was the first time such a field trip was done in Spain. Even though he couldn't find the exact location, he proved that the battle was not fought in Monda, as many people believed.

In 1794, he became a colonel and was put in charge of the military engineering school in Barcelona where he had studied. He stayed in this important role until the school closed in 1802. During this time, he was also promoted to Chief Engineer in 1797. Later, in 1801, during the short War of the Oranges, he took part in the siege at Elvas.

After the school closed, Belestá moved to Madrid. In 1802, he was given the job of restoring Barcelona's royal palace, the Palau Reial Major. Later that year, he was put in command of the forts along the borders of Old Castile in the province of Zamora.

Belestá in the Peninsular War

By 1808, Domingo Belestá had become a field marshal, a very high military rank. He was the chief of staff for Spanish forces sent to Portugal alongside French troops. When the Spanish general Taranco suddenly died, Belestá took command of the Spanish headquarters in Porto.

On June 6, 1808, Belestá heard about the Dos de Mayo Uprising in Madrid. This was a big revolt against the French. When he learned about it, he quickly arrested the French governor, General Quesnel, and his 75 guards. Belestá then declared Portugal independent from French control. He marched his 6,000 Spanish troops and their French prisoners north to Galicia to join other Spanish forces fighting the French.

In January 1809, Belestá was captured by French forces in La Coruña. But he managed to escape! He then reported for duty to the Marquis of La Romana. La Romana's division had arrived in Santander and joined the Spanish Army of Galicia.

Later, in October 1810, Belestá faced a difficult time and was given duties without a command for six months. However, he was soon given back his rank of field marshal and transferred to Spain's Army of Catalonia. Before he could take up that new role, he was appointed Director of Engineers in Andalucía, based in Granada. In May 1814, he supported the uprising in Granada that favored King Fernando VII.

Death

Domingo Belestá passed away in 1819 from yellow fever, a serious illness.

See also

In Spanish: Domingo Belestá para niños