Isabel de Urquiola facts for kids
Isabel Urquiola Estala (born in 1854, died in 1911) was a brave Spanish explorer. In 1874, she went on an exciting trip to Africa with her husband, Manuel Iradier, and her younger sister, Manuela. While Manuel explored deep into Africa, Isabel and her sister stayed on a small island called Elobey Chico. They are famous for carefully recording weather information every day for many months. Sadly, Isabel faced tough times in Africa. She became very ill and lost her baby daughter there. She never fully recovered from these difficult experiences.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Marriage
Isabel Urquiola Estala was born in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, on July 8, 1854. Her father, Domingo de Urquiola, was a baker. Isabel went to meetings of a group called La Joven Exploradora (The Young Explorer). There, she met Manuel Iradier, who gave talks about faraway countries. Isabel and Manuel got married in Vitoria on November 16, 1874. Manuel was inspired by another famous explorer, Henry Morton Stanley. He planned an exploration trip to Africa, and Isabel and her sister decided to join him.
Journey to Africa
The three explorers began their journey on December 16, 1874. They took a mail ship to the Canary Islands. In April of the next year, they continued their trip on another ship to the Gulf of Guinea. On May 16, 1875, they arrived at Santa Isabel on the island of Fernando Poo. The Spanish governor there tried to stop them from going to Elobey Chico. He warned them that the island had no drinking water and was not under Spanish protection. But Isabel and her family were determined. They continued their journey and reached Elobey Chico two days later.
Life on Elobey Chico
Soon after arriving on the small island, Isabel and her sister began important work. Starting in June 1875, they carefully watched the weather. They recorded information up to eight times a day. Even when Manuel Iradier was away exploring the Muni River, the sisters kept detailed records. For seven months, until December 1875, they wrote down the temperature, humidity, and wind speed. Their detailed records were very special for that time.
Return to Spain
While on Elobey Chico, Isabel Urquiola became pregnant. When they returned to Santa Isabel, her daughter, also named Isabel, was born in January 1876. Sadly, the baby died of malaria on November 28. Isabel Urquiola then worked as a teacher in a girls' school in Santa Isabel. However, she did not receive the salary she was promised. Despite complaining officially, the problem was not fixed. So, Isabel and her sister returned to Spain in March 1877. Her husband followed them shortly after.
Isabel de Urquiola passed away in Madrid, Spain, on September 16, 1911.
See also
In Spanish: Isabel de Urquiola para niños
