José de Urbina y Urbina, 3rd Conde de Cartaojal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
José de Urbina y Urbina, 3rd conde de Cartaojal
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| Born | April 21, 1761 Málaga |
| Died | March 22, 1833 (aged 71) Antequera |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Spain |
| Service/ |
 Army of Spain |
| Years of service | 1771 – 1833 |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Unit | Royal Guard |
| Commands held | Army of the Center |
| Battles/wars | American Revolutionary War
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José de Urbina y Urbina, 3rd Count of Cartaojal (born April 21, 1761 – died March 22, 1833) was a Spanish soldier and general. He also served as an intendant, which was a high-ranking government official. He was active during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Contents
Early Military Career
José de Urbina y Urbina began his military journey in 1771. He joined the Royal Guard as a cadet, which is a trainee officer. At the same time, he was studying at the Royal School of Mathematics in Barcelona.
In 1779, Spain declared war on Britain. Urbina's company, a group of soldiers called grenadiers, was sent to the siege of Gibraltar. A siege is when an army surrounds a place to try and capture it.
He moved up through the ranks quickly. In 1783, he became an alférez (a junior officer). By 1791, he was a primer ayudante (a senior assistant officer).
Wars and Promotions
In 1793, Urbina fought against the French Republicans. He was injured during these battles. Despite his injury, he was promoted to colonel in 1793 and then to captain in 1795.
Between 1796 and 1801, Urbina became a Brigadier General. He worked for the Board of Ordnance, which managed military supplies. He also served with the Army of Galicia. Later, he joined the army gathered at Badajoz for the invasion of Portugal.
Because he was supported by Prime Minister Manuel de Godoy, Urbina received many important jobs. He became the Captain General of Salamanca in 1802. In 1803, he was made the intendant of Madrid, a key administrative role.
Fighting in the Peninsular War
When the French invaded Spain in 1808, Urbina joined the Spanish rebels. This rebellion started with the Dos de Mayo Uprising. He reported to General Cuesta in Valladolid. General Cuesta sent him to Seville. There, he had to explain the Spanish defeat at the Battle of Medina de Rioseco to the local governments, known as Juntas.
After Napoleon's forces defeated many Spanish armies, Urbina was promoted to Lieutenant General. He then led a new army called the Army of the Centre. However, his army was defeated by General Sebastiani at the Battle of Ciudad-Real. After this defeat, Urbina was removed from his command.
Later Life and Challenges
In February 1810, Urbina made a difficult choice. He joined the French side, who were occupying Spain. He met with King Joseph Bonaparte, who was Napoleon's brother and the ruler of Spain at the time. King Joseph appointed him as a conseiller d'État (an advisor) and a commissary for the regions of La Mancha and Toledo.
However, Urbina soon changed his mind. On April 5, he surrendered to the guerrilleros, who were Spanish fighters resisting the French. He was then taken to the Cortes of Cádiz. This was the Spanish government that formed while King Ferdinand VII was removed from power. Urbina faced charges for joining the French.
In 1813, he was found innocent. But people still had doubts about his political ideas, which were seen as liberal. Because of this, he was only given command of the Army of Granada, which was far from the main fighting in the north.
See also
In Spanish: José de Urbina y Urbina para niños
