Francisco Antonio García Carrasco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Francisco García Carrasco
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| Royal Governor of Chile | |
| In office April 22, 1808 – July 16, 1810 |
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| Monarch | Charles IV |
| Preceded by | Juan Rodríguez Ballesteros |
| Succeeded by | Mateo de Toro Zambrano (As President of Chile) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 December 1742 Ceuta, Spain |
| Died | 10 August 1813 (aged 70) Lima, Peru |
| Profession | Brigadier General |
Francisco Antonio García Carrasco Díaz (born December 15, 1742 – died August 10, 1813) was a Spanish soldier who became the Royal Governor of Chile. He was the last governor before Chile began its fight for independence. His time as governor was difficult due to political disagreements and an event called the Scorpion scandal, which made him lose trust and power. Because of this, he had to give up his position to Mateo de Toro Zambrano.
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Early Life and Career
Francisco García Carrasco was born in Ceuta, Spain. His father was an Artillery Lieutenant. Francisco joined the Royal Spanish Army as a cadet in 1757. He was promoted many times, eventually becoming a Lieutenant Colonel in 1784.
In 1785, García Carrasco was sent to the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (a large Spanish territory in South America) to help build forts in Montevideo. Later, in 1796, he moved to Santiago, Chile. There, he helped oversee the building of the Palacio de La Moneda, which is now Chile's presidential palace. He also supervised the forts in the port of Valparaíso and was even its temporary governor.
By 1806, he was a Brigadier General and a director of army engineers. The governor of Chile at the time, Luis Muñoz de Guzmán, asked him to check the forts in southern Chile. García Carrasco was living in Concepción when Governor Muñoz de Guzmán suddenly passed away in February 1808.
Becoming Governor of Chile
The Political Situation in 1808
In early 1808, Chile was one of the smaller and less wealthy Spanish colonies. Its governor, Luis Muñoz de Guzmán, was well-liked and respected. However, things changed dramatically in Spain in May 1808. The Spanish king, Charles IV, and his son, Ferdinand VII, were removed from power by Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon put his own brother, Joseph Bonaparte, on the Spanish throne. This event, known as the Peninsular War, caused a lot of unrest throughout the Spanish Empire.
When Governor Muñoz de Guzmán died, there was no clear leader. According to the rules, the most senior military commander took over. This was Brigadier García Carrasco. He became the Governor of Chile on April 22, 1808. A few months later, news reached Chile about Napoleon's invasion of Spain and the creation of a special council, called the Supreme Central Junta, to govern Spain while the king was away.
At the same time, Charlotte Joaquina, the sister of Ferdinand VII and wife of the King of Portugal, tried to take control of the Spanish lands in Latin America. She was living in Brazil and believed she should rule since her father and brother were prisoners in France.
Challenges During His Rule
Governor García Carrasco was known for being strict and not very friendly. He quickly upset the important local leaders, known as criollos (people of Spanish descent born in the Americas). Before him, there had been some small ideas about independence in Chile, but most people were loyal to the Spanish king.
However, the criollos were divided into different groups:
- Absolutists: These people wanted things to stay the same and believed King Ferdinand VII should rule with full power.
- Carlotists: This group supported Charlotte Joaquina becoming Queen.
- Juntistas: These people wanted to create a local government council, or junta, made up of important citizens. This council would rule Chile while the king was imprisoned and Spain was fighting for its freedom.
His Removal from Office
In 1809, Governor García Carrasco was involved in a major problem that made people lose even more trust in him. This event was called the Scorpion scandal. After this, many people wanted him removed from office.
In June 1810, news arrived from Buenos Aires that Napoleon's forces had taken over most of Spain, leaving only the city of Cádiz free. Also, the Supreme Central Junta that had been governing the empire had been replaced by a new council.
García Carrasco, who supported the carlotist group, made the political problems worse. He made harsh decisions, like arresting important citizens and sending them to Lima without a fair trial. He suspected them of supporting the idea of a local junta. Among those arrested were José Antonio de Rojas, Juan Antonio Ovalle, and Bernardo de Vera y Pintado.
Inspired by the May Revolution in Argentina, the idea of self-rule grew stronger among the criollo elite. They were angry about the arrests and the news from Spain. This finally led them to oppose the Governor. Brigadier García Carrasco was forced to resign on July 16, 1810. He was replaced by the next most senior soldier, Mateo de Toro Zambrano, 1st Count of la Conquista.
Later Life
After he was no longer governor, García Carrasco lived a quiet life on a farm near Santiago. However, in April 1811, a small uprising called the Figueroa mutiny happened in Santiago. Even though the revolt quickly ended, García Carrasco was arrested and sent away. He left Valparaíso on July 4 and arrived in Lima, Peru, on August 27. He passed away there two years later, in 1813.
Additional Information
See also
- Chilean War of Independence
- Scorpion scandal
- Figueroa mutiny
