José Tomás Ovalle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José Tomás Ovalle y Bezanilla
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| President of Government Junta of Chile | |
| In office December 24, 1829 – February 18, 1830 |
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| Preceded by | Acephalous executive |
| Succeeded by | Francisco Ruiz-Tagle Portales |
| Acting President of Chile | |
| In office April 1, 1830 – March 8, 1831 |
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| Vice President | Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate |
| Preceded by | Francisco Ruiz-Tagle Portales |
| Succeeded by | Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 21, 1787 Santiago, Chile |
| Died | March 21, 1831 (aged 43) Santiago, Chile |
| Spouse | Rafaela Bezanilla Bezanilla |
José Tomás Ovalle y Bezanilla (born December 21, 1787 – died March 21, 1831) was an important Chilean political leader. He served as the temporary president of Chile two times.
Contents
Early Life and Education
José Tomás Ovalle was born in Santiago, Chile. His parents were Vicente María Ovalle Guzmán and María del Rosario Bezanilla y Noriega. He studied at the Convictorio Carolino school. Later, he studied law at the Universidad de San Felipe. In 1809, he earned a high degree in law, called a doctorate.
On April 1, 1812, he married his cousin, Rafaela Bezanilla Bezanilla. They had eleven children together.
Political Career Before Presidency
Ovalle was chosen to represent Santiago in the Chilean parliament twice. He served as a deputy in 1823 and again from 1824 to 1825. He was also a supplementary senator in 1824. He became the Vice President of the Provincial Assembly of Santiago. In 1830, he was elected vice president of an important meeting called the Plenipotentiaries Congress.
Chilean Civil War of 1829
In 1829, a civil war broke out in Chile. This war was between two main groups. One group was the conservatives, who wanted a strong central government. The other group was the liberals, who wanted more power for different regions.
During this time, President Francisco Antonio Pinto had to leave his position twice. Francisco Ramón Vicuña Larraín took over as president. On December 7, 1829, conservative troops led by General José Joaquín Prieto Vial marched towards Santiago. The government, led by Vicuña, fled north.
On December 14, 1829, General Prieto's troops defeated the liberal army at the Battle of Ochagavía. After this battle, the military leaders signed a peace treaty. This made the political situation even more complicated. President Vicuña and his ministers were captured by the conservative troops.
First Time as President
For a few weeks, from December 7 to December 24, 1829, Chile had no clear leader. To stop the fighting, a special group called a Government Junta was formed. José Tomás Ovalle was chosen to lead this group because both sides trusted him.
This junta governed Chile from December 24, 1829, to February 18, 1830. Eventually, an agreement was reached with help from Ramón Freire. This agreement led to Francisco Ruiz-Tagle Portales becoming the temporary president.
Second Time as President
Francisco Ruiz-Tagle Portales resigned after only six weeks, on March 31, 1830. He had disagreements with his ministers. José Tomás Ovalle then became the transitional president. He held this position until March 8, 1831.
Ovalle had a serious illness called tuberculosis. Because of his health, he had to ask for a leave from his duties. He died a few days later, on March 21, 1831, at 9 AM.
After his death, Fernando Errázuriz Aldunate took over as "Accidental Vice President of the Republic." Errázuriz Aldunate then called for new elections. General José Joaquín Prieto Vial was elected president and took office on September 18, 1831. This marked the beginning of a new era in Chilean politics.
Interesting Fact
José Tomás Ovalle was buried under the altar of the Santiago Cathedral after his death in 1831. Over time, his burial place was forgotten. However, in 2004, his remains were found during restoration work at the cathedral.
See also
In Spanish: José Tomás Ovalle para niños
