Joaquín Ibáñez, 3rd Baron de Eroles facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas y de Valonga, 3rd Baron de Eroles
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Baron de Eroles from Guerrilleros de 1808 (Madrid, 1887)
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| Born | 6 January 1785 Talarn, Catalonia, Spain |
| Died | 25 August 1825 Daimiel, Castile-La Mancha, Spain |
| Service/ |
Infantry |
| Rank | Captain general of the Army |
| Battles/wars | Battle of Molins de Rey (1808) Siege of Gerona (1809) Raid of La Junquera (1810) Battle of Montserrat (1811) Battle of Col de Balaguer (1812) Battle of Altafulla (1812) Battle of Roda de Isábena (1812) |
| Awards | Order of Charles III, Knight Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand Order of Saint Louis Légion d'Honneur |
| Other work | Barcelona Fine Arts Academy Lawyer |
Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas y de Valonga, 3rd Baron de Eroles (born 6 January 1785 – died 25 August 1825) was a Spanish nobleman and brave soldier. He was very active in Catalonia, a region in Spain, during a big war called the Peninsular War. Before he passed away, he reached the highest military rank in Spain: Captain general of the Army.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joaquín was born into a noble family. This meant his family had a special, important position in society.
When he was young, he joined the Real Colegio de Artillería (Royal Artillery College) in Segovia to train as a soldier. Even though he didn't finish his officer training there, he later studied Law at the University of Cervera. After finishing his studies, he started his own law business.
Fighting in the Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was a major conflict where Spain, with help from Britain and Portugal, fought against France and its leader, Napoleon. Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas played a very important role in this war.
Starting as a Volunteer
In 1808, Joaquín was present at a battle where the Spanish forces were defeated at Molíns de Rey. This didn't stop him. By the end of that year, he had gathered, armed, and paid for his own group of 1,600 volunteers. This unit was called the 2nd Tercio of Talarn Volunteers.
In 1809, his volunteer group fought in several small battles. At Maizneja, with only 300 men, he led a brave attack on the enemy. Because of his courage, the Captain General of Catalonia, General Theodor von Reding, promoted him to lieutenant colonel. He was then given command of his tercio.
Later that year, he fought in many more conflicts. He even managed to break through the siege of Gerona to deliver supplies. For this amazing achievement, he was promoted to Colonel. When the siege ended, he was taken prisoner but managed to escape while being moved to another city.
Leading Battles and Capturing Supplies
After escaping, Joaquín returned to Spain in 1810. In just two months, he recruited 1,500 new soldiers! He was made Colonel-in-chief of a light infantry unit and soon after, in May 1810, he became a brigadier.
He led Spanish forces in several important actions. At Castellolid, he stopped the French Marshal MacDonald's troops. This allowed another Spanish general, Enrique José O'Donnell, to capture La Bisbal and other towns.
Later, he became General-in-chief of the Ampurdán region. He led an action at La Junquera where he was wounded but still managed to fight off seven enemy soldiers. He captured supplies and many prisoners there. Just two days later, even with his wound, he led his troops to defeat a French force four times larger than his own. He continued to win battles, pushing back French divisions.
In 1811, Joaquín continued to lead his troops in many skirmishes. He defeated a French battalion in the mountains and helped cover the retreat of Spanish troops near Montjuic. He also fought at Manresa, where he led a successful attack that caused the French to lose many soldiers.
He then came up with a clever plan to take back the fortress at San Fernando de Figueras. He distracted the French forces and then, on June 16, broke through enemy lines to enter the castle with a large convoy of supplies. For this, he was promoted to field marshal. He stayed in the castle during the siege, leading brave attacks outside the walls to get supplies and free prisoners.
He also defeated French cavalry near Tarragona and captured a large convoy of mules. When Tarragona fell to the French, his troops helped Spanish soldiers escape by sea. He even defended Montserrat with only 300 troops against a much larger French force.
Key Victories and Promotions
After these actions, Joaquín was appointed deputy commanding general of Catalonia. His job was to rebuild and reorganize the Spanish army there. He quickly gathered several regiments and battalions.
He continued to lead attacks, capturing convoys and defeating French divisions. In October 1811, he took the fortress at Cervera, freeing its soldiers and capturing many prisoners. He also attacked the castle of Bellpuig, forcing the French to leave several fortresses. These actions helped to free a large part of Catalonia from French control and cut off their supply lines.
He even pushed into French territory, capturing money, sheep, cows, and horses. He faced French generals in battle, preventing them from taking important towns.
In 1812, Joaquín led over 3,000 local volunteers, called somatenes, in an ambush at Vila-seca. They captured many French prisoners, including a general. A British naval officer, Edward Codrington, who often worked with Joaquín, was present and saw his success.
He continued to fight bravely, repelling French attacks and holding the front line against much larger forces. He also helped destroy part of the castle at Lérida. After a brief trip to the Balearic Islands, he returned to the mainland and continued to win battles, capturing French columns and preventing them from leaving cities. He also successfully attacked and captured the castle at Coll de Balaguer.
In January 1813, he was briefly put in command of the 1st Army, where he continued to repel French forces. He crossed the Ebro river, captured French boats, and surprised French forts. He also won the battle of Bañolas against a larger French force.
In February 1814, using a clever plan, he managed to capture the cities of Lérida, Mequinenza, and Monzón, along with their French garrisons.
On March 24, 1814, Joaquín, as second-in-command, met King Fernando VII when the king returned to Spain after being held captive in France. The king himself promoted Joaquín to lieutenant general of Spain's Royal Armies.
After the War
After the Peninsular War ended, Joaquín was given temporary command of the Army of Catalonia. He also became a member of important academic societies in Zaragoza and Barcelona.
Later, around 1820, Spain went through a period called the Liberal Triennium. During this time, some people wanted the king to share power and for Spain to have a constitution (a set of rules for the government). Joaquín believed the king should have absolute power, meaning full control. He opposed these "liberal" ideas.
Because of his strong beliefs, he had to leave Barcelona and move to Mallorca. He later joined forces that supported the king's absolute power. As a result, he was removed from the army and lost his military honors by the liberal government.
Joaquín was part of a group called the Urgel Regency, which was an interim government set up by those who supported the king's absolute power. He raised troops in Catalonia but was defeated by another general and had to flee to France.
In April 1823, Joaquín returned to Spain with a French army called the Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis. This army was sent by the French King Louis XVIII to help restore King Ferdinand VII to absolute power. Joaquín was appointed Captain General of Catalonia again. The king soon regained full power and cancelled the constitution.
Later Years and High Rank
After the king regained full power, Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas was appointed Captain General of the Royal Armies on December 28, 1824. This was the highest military rank in Spain. However, he passed away less than a year later, on August 25, 1825.
See also
In Spanish: Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas y de Valonga para niños
