Félix Berenguer de Marquina facts for kids
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Félix Berenguer de Marquina
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| 55th Viceroy of New Spain | |
| In office 30 April 1800 – 4 January 1803 |
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| Monarch | Charles IV |
| Preceded by | Miguel José de Azanza |
| Succeeded by | José de Iturrigaray |
| Governor-General of the Philippines | |
| In office 1788–1793 |
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| Preceded by | Pedro de Sarrio |
| Succeeded by | Rafael María de Aguilar y Ponce de León |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Félix Ignacio Juan Nicolás Antonio José Joaquín Buenaventura Berenguer de Marquina y FitzGerald
November 20, 1733 Alicante, Spain |
| Died | October 30, 1826 (aged 92) Alicante, Spain |
Félix Berenguer de Marquina (born November 20, 1733 – died October 30, 1826) was an important Spanish officer and leader. He served as the Viceroy of New Spain (which is now Mexico) from 1800 to 1803. Before that, he was the Governor-General of the Philippines. He was also a member of the Order of Santiago, a famous Spanish knightly order.
Contents
Growing Up in Spain
Félix Berenguer de Marquina was born in Alicante, Spain, in 1733. His family was part of the minor nobility in the area. His father was Ignacio Vicente Berenguer de Marquina. His mother, Mary FitzGerald, was from Cork, Ireland.
Félix decided to join the navy when he was very young. He passed his midshipman exam in 1754. After that, he sailed on warships in both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.
Becoming a Teacher
Félix was very good at studying. He became a teacher of math and astronomy at the Naval Academy in Cartagena. He taught there for many years, from 1757 to 1769. Later, in 1789, he was put in charge of organizing the fleet's pilots.
Leading the Philippines
Governor-General Role
From 1788 to 1793, Félix Berenguer de Marquina served as the Governor-General of the Philippines. This was a very important leadership role. During his time, he made some big changes.
Opening Manila's Port
One of his key actions was making Manila an open port in 1789. This meant that ships could trade there more freely. However, European goods were still restricted. He also suggested ideas to improve the government in the Philippines. A large city in the Philippines, Marikina, is named after him.
After his time in the Philippines, Félix returned to Spain in 1795. He took on a new job in the navy's administration. By 1799, he had been promoted to lieutenant general of the navy.
Viceroy of New Spain
Journey to New Spain
In 1799, King Charles IV chose Félix to be the viceroy and captain general of New Spain. This was a huge responsibility, as New Spain was a vast colony. On his way from Cuba to Veracruz, he was captured by the British near Cape Catoche. He was taken to Jamaica, but the British treated him well. They soon allowed him to continue his journey.
He officially took over his new role on April 29, 1800. The next day, he made his formal entry into Mexico City.
Challenges and Actions as Viceroy
During this time, the British navy was very strong. They controlled the coasts of New Spain. They also smuggled many goods into the colony. Félix tried to give more resources to the Spanish navy. However, they found it hard to stop the British.
He also created a new army unit called the Regiment of Grenadiers. To protect against British attacks, he made the defenses stronger at Veracruz. He also moved valuable items from the port to Jalapa for safety. In the north, he strengthened forts to stop American groups from entering.
In 1800, Spain gave the territory of Louisiana back to France. France then sold it to the United States.
Dealing with Rebellions
Indian Uprisings
In 1801, a leader named Indio Mariano started a rebellion in the mountains of Tepic. He wanted to bring back the Aztec empire. His followers used a flag with the colors of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Spanish forces were sent to stop the rebellion, and the rebels were defeated. Many were captured, but Mariano himself was never caught.
Other Native American rebellions also happened in places like Nayarit, Durango, Guanajuato, Jalisco, and Sonora.
Stopping Smugglers
Félix also worked to stop American smugglers in the northern parts of the colony. One famous smuggler was Philip Nolan. Nolan was known for trading and smuggling goods. He also brought wild horses from Texas into the United States. The Spanish thought he was a spy. In 1801, Spanish troops were sent to arrest him. Nolan was killed in a fight near where Waco, Texas, is today. His group was captured and sent to work in mines.
Later Time as Viceroy
Félix Berenguer de Marquina made some rules for the colony. He required people to be dressed properly to attend guild meetings. He also allowed women to work in certain jobs, even if old rules had forbidden it.
In 1801, Spain made peace with Portugal. In 1802, they also made peace with Britain. This news reached Mexico in September 1802. Because of the peace, prices for European goods went down. In 1802, the colony also started paying tribute (money) to Spain again.
Leaving Office and Later Life
Félix Berenguer de Marquina was a determined and honest leader. However, some of his ideas were not approved. He decided to resign from his position. He handed over the government to his successor, José de Iturrigaray, in January 1803.
He then went back to Spain. He took part in the war against France. Félix Berenguer de Marquina passed away in 1826 in his hometown of Alicante.
Images for kids
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Félix Berenguer de Marquina
See also
In Spanish: Félix Berenguer de Marquina para niños
