José Prudencio Padilla facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Prudencio Padilla
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| Born | 19 March 1784 Riohacha, Viceroyalty of New Granada |
| Died | 2 October 1828 (aged 44) Bogotá, Colombia |
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 Spanish Navy Colombian National Navy Bolivarian Navy of Venezuela |
| Rank | Admiral |
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Admiral José Prudencio Padilla López (born March 19, 1784, died October 2, 1828) was a brave military leader from what is now Colombia. He fought for independence from Spain. He is famous for his big victory in the Battle of Lake Maracaibo in 1823. In this battle, he defeated a Spanish fleet.
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A Hero for Independence
José Prudencio Padilla was born in Riohacha on March 19, 1784. He became a great hero in the fight for independence. This was for a large country called Gran Colombia. Gran Colombia included modern-day Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Panama.
Padilla was the most important naval hero of the independence movement. This movement was led by Simón Bolívar. Padilla helped create the first Navy of Gran Colombia and became its Admiral.
Padilla's parents were Andres Padilla and Lucia Lopez. His father built small boats. José started working as a sailor at just 14 years old. He worked on merchant ships that traveled to different ports.
In 1805, he fought in the famous Battle of Trafalgar. During this battle, he was captured by the English. After being released in 1808, he returned to Spain. He was then sent to Cartagena de Indias to work in the navy.
Fighting for Freedom
In 1811, Padilla supported the people of Gethsemane. They joined Cartagena in declaring independence from Spain. In 1814, he showed his bravery in Tolu. He captured a Spanish warship with 170 crew members. Even though his own ship had smaller guns, he won the fight. For this victory, he was promoted to second frigate lieutenant.
In 1815, Padilla served under Simón Bolívar. They tried to free Cartagena de Indias, but Spanish forces surrounded them. Padilla later went to Jamaica and then Haiti. In Haiti, he met Bolívar again to help with an important expedition.
Padilla helped win a naval battle at Los Frailes in 1816. He also helped with a landing at Carúpano. After these successes, he was promoted to frigate captain. He became commander of the river forces. He made great progress in the province of Cumana.
In 1819, he helped transport troops and supplies in the Casanare campaign. As second-in-command to Admiral Luis Brión, he fought in many battles. These included Laguna Salada, Pueblo Viejo, and Ciénaga de Santa Marta.
On April 19, 1823, Padilla was promoted to brigadier general of the Colombian Navy. He became commander-general of the Navy's Third Department. He also led operations in the Zulia area. His most famous achievement came on July 24, 1823. This was the naval Battle of Lake Maracaibo. He completely defeated the Spanish fleet. This victory led to the Spanish general Francisco Tomás Morales surrendering on August 3, 1823.
Later Life and Legacy
Padilla was promoted to general of division in 1826. However, in 1828, he was accused of being involved in a plot in Cartagena. He was sent to prison in Bogotá. On September 25, 1828, there was an attack on Simón Bolívar's life. Some people involved in the attack tried to free Padilla from prison.
There is no clear record of his escape. However, he was later judged by a court for conspiracy. He was sentenced to death and sadly executed in Bogotá on October 2, 1828.
Admiral Padilla's remains are in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Remedios in Riohacha. This cathedral is now a Cultural Heritage site for Colombia. In Venezuela, a place called Almirante Padilla Municipality in Zulia State is named in his honor.
See also
In Spanish: José Prudencio Padilla para niños
