Luis Padial facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luis Padial
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Brigadier General Luis Padial
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| Born | February 6, 1832 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Died | March 5, 1879 Madrid, Spain |
| Allegiance | Spanish Army |
| Years of service | 1851-1863 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | Dominican Republic Rebellion |
Luis Padial was an important person in Puerto Rican history. He was born on February 6, 1832, and passed away on March 5, 1879. Luis Padial was a soldier and a politician. He played a big part in ending slavery in Puerto Rico.
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Growing Up in Puerto Rico
Luis Padial was born in San Juan, the capital city of Puerto Rico. His full name was Luis Padial y Vizcarrondo. He came from a family that was quite wealthy. Luis went to some of the best private schools in San Juan. After finishing high school, his parents sent him to Toledo, Spain. There, he began training to become a soldier.
A Soldier's Journey
Luis Padial attended the Military Academy of Toledo. After he graduated, he became a Lieutenant in the Spanish Army. In 1863, he was stationed in Puerto Rico. At that time, a rebellion for independence began in the Dominican Republic.
Padial's army group was sent to stop this rebellion. He was badly hurt in a fight and had to return to Puerto Rico to heal. During this time, he saw how cruelly the Spanish treated the Dominicans. He became convinced that the Dominicans were right to fight for their freedom.
After he recovered, Padial openly supported the Dominican cause. Because of this, the Spanish Governor of Puerto Rico, General Messina, ordered him to leave the island in December 1864.
Fighting for Change in Spain
Padial then went to Spain. There, he joined a group called the liberals. These liberals wanted to remove Queen Isabella II from power. They wanted Spain to become a republic, which is a country ruled by elected officials, not a king or queen.
Padial helped organize attacks against the monarchy. He led an attack from Portugal in 1866 and another from France in 1867. In 1868, the Spanish monarchy was finally overthrown. Spain became a republic, and Padial was made a Brigadier General in Madrid.
Ending Slavery in Puerto Rico
In 1869, Padial returned to Puerto Rico. He was chosen to represent Puerto Rico in the Spanish government. On November 13, 1869, Padial wrote a letter to a government minister. He asked for Puerto Rico to have more self-rule. He also asked for slavery to be ended in Puerto Rico, using Canada as an example.
On November 19, 1872, Padial worked with Roman Baldorioty de Castro and Julio Vizcarrondo. Together, they presented a new plan to end slavery. On March 22, 1873, the Spanish government approved their plan. This important law became known as the Moret Law. It helped to abolish slavery in Puerto Rico.
Later Life
In 1874, the Spanish monarchy returned to power. Because of this, Padial chose to live outside of Spain for a while. He went to Switzerland. Padial returned to Spain in January 1879. He passed away in Madrid on March 5, 1879.
