José Joaquín de Viana facts for kids
José Joaquín de Viana (1718–1773) was an important Spanish leader. He was a military officer and a politician. He served as the Governor of Montevideo two times. His first term was from 1751 to 1764, and his second was from 1771 to 1773.
Contents
A Young Leader's Journey
Viana was from Navarre, a region in Spain. He began his military career in 1735. He fought in Italy during a big war called the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748). During this war, he became a colonel, which is a high military rank.
After this war, King Ferdinand VI of Spain chose him for an important job. In 1750, Viana was named the first governor of Montevideo. He officially started his new role on March 14, 1751. Just a month later, he faced a challenge. The Charruas Indians started a revolt. Viana's forces defeated them at the Battle of Tacuarí on April 16.
Governing the Río de la Plata
Viana became governor because of a special agreement. This was the Treaty of Madrid in 1750. This treaty changed how land was divided between Spain and Portugal in the Río de la Plata area. Spain's King Ferdinand VI gave some Jesuit missions in Uruguay to Portugal. In return, Portugal gave Spain Colonia del Sacramento. This agreement was part of Spain's plan to make peace with Portugal. They wanted to stop arguments over borders in the Americas.
The Guaraní War
To follow the treaty, new border lines were drawn in January 1752. However, some native people were still forced to work for Portuguese farmers. This led to a conflict called the Guaraní War, which lasted from 1754 to 1756. In this war, Spanish and Portuguese soldiers worked together. They fought against the native rebels. During this war, a leader named Chief Sepé was killed. José Joaquín de Viana was involved in this event.
Founding New Cities
After the war, Viana helped build new settlements. In November 1756, he founded the city of Salto, Uruguay. In 1757, he founded San Fernando de Maldonado. This city was named in honor of King Ferdinand VI.
Later Years and Second Term
During the Seven Years' War (1762–1763), Viana served under Pedro de Cevallos. Cevallos was a Spanish commander leading military operations in the Río de la Plata. Spain won these campaigns.
In 1764, Viana's first term as governor ended. Agustín de la Rosa took over the position. However, in 1771, the governor of Buenos Aires, Juan Jose Vertiz, removed Agustín de la Rosa. He then sent Viana back to govern Montevideo.
During his second term, Viana worked to stop smuggling. He put in place new rules to control trade. In early 1773, he decided to resign from his position. He passed away shortly after. Joaquín del Pino became the new governor after Viana.
See also
In Spanish: José Joaquín de Viana para niños
