Luis de Quintanar facts for kids

Luis de Quintanar was an important figure in early independent Mexico.

José Luis de Quintanar Soto y Ruiz (born December 22, 1772, in San Juan del Río, Querétaro – died November 16, 1837, in Mexico City) was a Mexican soldier and a leader in government. He was briefly part of a three-person group, called a triumvirate, that held the highest power in Mexico for a few days at the end of 1829. This happened after President Vicente Guerrero was removed from office.

Biography

Early Military Career

Quintanar began his military journey in 1801 as a lieutenant. He served in the Provincial Regiment of Dragoons of Querétaro. He stayed with this unit throughout his career, eventually becoming a brigadier. During the Mexican War of Independence, he first fought for Spain. However, in 1821, he decided to join the Plan of Iguala, which was a plan for Mexico's independence. After this, he was promoted to the rank of general.

Supporting Emperor Iturbide

After Mexico gained its independence, José Luis de Quintanar supported Agustín de Iturbide becoming the first emperor of Mexico. Iturbide then appointed Quintanar as the political chief of Jalisco. He held this important position from 1822 to 1824.

Governor of Jalisco

In 1822, Quintanar was chosen as a deputy, which is like a representative, for San Juan del Río in the congress. He later stepped down from this role in late 1823. Soon after, he was elected as the governor of Jalisco.

At one point, he was removed from his military command in Nueva Galicia (an area that included Jalisco). This happened because he was suspected of trying to bring Emperor Iturbide back to power. Later, the leaders in Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, declared that Jalisco was a sovereign state. This meant it had its own independent government.

In 1824, a new congress met to draw the borders of the new Mexican states. They separated the district of Colima from Jalisco. This was done to create a new port on the Pacific Ocean. It also aimed to reduce General Quintanar's political power. Despite this, the legislature of Jalisco chose Quintanar as the first official governor of the state. On January 20, 1824, in Jalisco, Quintanar announced a law from the congress that freed all enslaved people.

Later Political Roles

Two years later, President Guadalupe Victoria gave General Nicolás Bravo military control of Jalisco. Once Bravo was settled, President Victoria ordered him to remove Quintanar from his role as governor. Quintanar was taken to Mexico City. There, the president forgave him, but he was not given another job right away.

In December 1829, Quintanar supported a military uprising against President Vicente Guerrero. After Guerrero left the capital, Quintanar led another movement. This one supported José María Bocanegra as the temporary president. However, Bocanegra served for only a few days. On December 23, 1829, a three-person group, known as a triumvirate, took power. This group included Quintanar, Pedro Vélez (who was the president of the Supreme Court), and Lucas Alamán. They governed Mexico until December 31, 1829. On that day, the army of Anastasio Bustamante entered the capital, and Bustamante became president. Bustamante then appointed Quintanar as the president of the Supreme War Tribunal.

José Luis de Quintanar died in Mexico City in 1837. He was buried with full military honors.

Sources

• Short biography

See also

In Spanish: Luis Quintanar para niños