Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo facts for kids
Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo (born April 17, 1726 – died April 4, 1802) was an important Spanish soldier and politician. He was born in a small village called Bárcena de Cicero on Spain's Atlantic coast. He became the fourth viceroy of the Río de la Plata, serving from December 4, 1789, to March 16, 1795. A viceroy was like a governor who ruled a large area for the King of Spain.
Early Life and Military Career
Before he became a politician, Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo was a soldier. He fought in wars in Italy. There, he showed great skill and bravery as a military leader. This helped him gain respect and a good reputation in the army.
After his time in Italy, he was sent to the Americas. He started taking on political jobs there. His first roles were in Cuba. Later, he was made a governor in a place called La Plata, which is now part of Bolivia.
Viceroy of Río de la Plata
In 1789, Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo was chosen to be the viceroy of the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. This was a very large area that included parts of modern-day Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. He took over after the previous viceroy, Nicolás del Campo, left.
During his time as viceroy, Arredondo made many improvements.
- He worked to make the streets of Buenos Aires better organized.
- He also made the city of Montevideo stronger by building defenses.
- He set up local councils, which were groups of people who helped manage the cities.
- He also created police forces to keep people safe.
- Arredondo helped the business of raising animals, like cattle, grow much larger. This is called animal husbandry.
- He helped solve disagreements between business people and ranchers.
- He also fought against contraband, which is when goods are brought in or out of a country illegally.
Nicolás Antonio de Arredondo finished his term as viceroy in 1795. He then went back to Spain. He continued to be involved in politics until he passed away in 1802.
Family
His son, José Joaquín de Arredondo, also became a Spanish soldier. He served in New Spain, which is now Mexico, for about twenty years before Mexico became independent.
