Francisco Ramón Vicuña facts for kids
Francisco Ramón Vicuña Larraín (born September 9, 1775 – died January 13, 1849) was an important Chilean political figure. He was even the acting President of Chile twice in 1829! Francisco Vicuña came from a family with Basque roots.
Quick facts for kids
Francisco Ramón Vicuña
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| Delegate President of Chile | |
| In office 2 November 1829 – 7 December 1829 |
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| Preceded by | Francisco Antonio Pinto |
| Succeeded by | José Tomás Ovalle |
| In office 16 July 1829 – 19 October 1829 |
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| Preceded by | Francisco Antonio Pinto |
| Succeeded by | Francisco Antonio Pinto |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 9 September 1775 Santiago, Chile |
| Died | 13 January 1849 (aged 73) Santiago, Chile |
| Political party | Liberal Party |
| Spouse | Mariana de Aguirre |
Contents
Early Life and Fight for Freedom
Francisco Ramón Vicuña Larraín was born in Santiago, Chile, in 1775. His parents were Francisco de Vicuña Hidalgo y Zavala and María del Carmen Larraín Salas y Vicuña. He married Mariana de Aguirre and they had 11 children together.
In 1810, Vicuña joined Chile's fight for independence from Spain. He even helped set up the first place to make firearms (guns) in the country. In 1811, he represented the city of Osorno in a special meeting. This meeting was meant to create a constitution for Chile. Later, in 1814, he became a member of the Senate of Chile.
However, he was arrested for planning against the Spanish rulers and sent away from Chile. He could only return home after Chile won the important battle of Chacabuco in 1817. After his return, Bernardo O'Higgins, a key leader, chose him to represent the government in the northern parts of Chile.
A Life in Politics
In 1823, Francisco Vicuña became the leader of the government in Santiago. He then became a representative at the meeting to write the constitution that year. He was a strong supporter of the idea of a "Federalist" government. This meant he believed power should be shared more among different regions, rather than held mostly by a central government.
In 1825, Ramón Freire, who was the Supreme Director of Chile, chose Vicuña to be his assistant. Vicuña also served as the minister for foreign affairs and interior matters. Sometimes, he even acted as the minister for war, navy, and finance.
The Civil War and Acting President
In 1829, when Francisco Antonio Pinto was elected President of Chile, a problem arose. Two other candidates, Francisco Ruiz-Tagle Portales (a liberal) and José Joaquín Prieto Vial (a conservative), received the same number of votes. Even though he had fewer votes, the congress, which had many liberals, chose Joaquín Vicuña Larraín (Francisco Ramón's brother) as Vice President.
The conservatives were very angry about this. They decided to fight, and the Chilean Civil War of 1829 began. During this war, President Pinto had to leave his position twice, and Francisco Ramón Vicuña stepped in as acting president.
First, he was acting president from July 14 to October 19. Then, when Pinto officially resigned on November 2, Vicuña took over again. But on December 7, 1829, conservative soldiers led by José Joaquín Prieto Vial came close to Santiago. The government, led by Vicuña, tried to escape north to Coquimbo. However, they were captured by the victorious conservative troops.
For a few weeks, Chile was without a clear leader. Then, a new group called a Government Junta was formed, and José Tomás Ovalle took control.
After the conservatives won the civil war, Francisco Vicuña, being a liberal, could not hold any government jobs under the new leaders. He passed away in Santiago on January 13, 1849.
See also
- Vicuña family
- Chilean Civil War of 1829
- Chilean Civil War of 1829–1830
- In Spanish: Francisco Ramón Vicuña Larraín para niños
Sources
