Hipólito de Villegas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hipólito de Villegas
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Portrait by José Gil de Castro
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| Born | 13 August 1761 |
| Died | 12 April 1838 (aged 76) |
Hipólito de Villegas (born August 13, 1761 – died April 12, 1838) was an important political leader from Chile. He played a big part in Chile's fight for independence from Spain. He also became the country's very first Minister of Finance, which means he was in charge of the government's money.
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Early Life and Education
Hipólito de Villegas was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. When he was very young, his family moved to Chile. He studied at the Real Universidad de San Felipe. On December 13, 1788, he finished his studies and became a lawyer. He was actually the first lawyer to graduate in Chile!
Joining the Fight for Independence
Villegas was very active in the Chilean War of Independence. This was a time when Chile was fighting to become its own country. On September 25, 1811, he was chosen to be a deputy for a region called "Coquimbo." A deputy is like a representative who helps make laws. He replaced someone who supported the King of Spain.
Later, on November 22, he became the Vice President of the Assembly. This was an important group that helped govern the country. He even signed the Constitution of 1812, which was a very important document for the new nation.
Serving the New Nation
In 1813, Villegas took on a new role. He became the General Commissary of the Army. This meant he was in charge of making sure the army had all the supplies it needed. In 1814, he was named Minister-Treasurer. This job was about managing the government's money.
Later that same year, after a big battle called the Battle of Rancagua, he had to leave Chile. He went to Argentina to live in exile. In Buenos Aires, a famous general named José de San Martín asked him to help. Villegas became the representative for the Army of the Andes. His job was to get financial support from the government in Buenos Aires for the army.
Return to Chile and Final Years
Villegas finally came back to Chile with the army in 1817. Bernardo O'Higgins, another important leader, made him the Minister of Finance. He held this job from February 18, 1817, to March 30, 1818. During this time, he created the very first budget for the new country. A budget is a plan for how the government will spend its money.
In 1823, he was again chosen to be a deputy, this time for "Huasco." However, he resigned from this position just one month later. This happened after Bernardo O'Higgins had to leave the country. After that, Hipólito de Villegas stopped working in public life. He lived quietly until he passed away at the age of 77.
