Nicolás Salmerón y Alonso facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Nicolás Salmerón
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Portrait by Federico de Madrazo
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| President of the Executive Power | |
| In office 18 July 1873 – 7 September 1873 |
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| Preceded by | Francisco Pi y Margall |
| Succeeded by | Emilio Castelar y Ripoll |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 April 1838 Alhama de Almería, Province of Almería, Spain |
| Died | 21 September 1908 (aged 70) Pau, France |
| Political party | Democratic Republican Union Party Progressive Party |
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Nicolás Salmerón Alonso (born April 10, 1838 – died September 21, 1908) was an important Spanish politician. He served as the president of the First Spanish Republic in 1873. He was known for his strong beliefs, especially his opposition to the death penalty.
Contents
Biography
Early Life and Political Beginnings
Nicolás Salmerón was born in a town called Alhama la Seca, in the province of Almería, Spain. He went to school in Granada and later became a professor. He taught literature and philosophy in Madrid.
During the last years of Queen Isabella II's rule, many people were unhappy with the government. Salmerón joined a group that wanted to create a republic in Spain. A republic is a country where the head of state is elected, not a king or queen.
He worked for an opposition newspaper called La Discusión. He also helped Emilio Castelar with another paper, La Democracia. In 1865, he became a leader in the Republican Party. Because of his political views, he was even put in prison in 1867.
Becoming a National Leader
In September 1868, a revolution started in Spain. Salmerón was recovering from an illness at the time. In 1871, he was chosen to be a member of the Cortes, which is like Spain's parliament. He supported the rights of all political groups.
When King Amadeo I left the Spanish throne in 1873, Spain decided to become a republic. Salmerón was a natural choice to lead this new government. He first served as the Minister of Justice. In this role, he made a big change: he stopped the use of the death penalty. This meant that no one could be executed for a crime.
President of the Republic
On July 18, 1873, Nicolás Salmerón became the president of the Executive Power of the Republic. He took over from Francisco Pi y Margall. This was a very difficult time for Spain. Many parts of the south were in chaos due to a rebellion.
President Salmerón had to use the army to bring back order. However, when the generals wanted to execute the rebels they caught, Salmerón faced a tough decision. He strongly believed that no one should be put to death. Because he was against capital punishment, he resigned as president on September 6, 1873.
Just a few days later, on September 9, he was again elected president of the Cortes. His replacement as president of the Republic, Castelar, had to use strong measures to restore peace. Salmerón later went into exile, meaning he lived outside Spain, until 1881.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1886, Salmerón was again elected to the Cortes for Madrid. He tried to unite the different republican groups, but it was difficult. On April 18, 1907, someone tried to shoot him in Barcelona, but he was not hurt.
Nicolás Salmerón died in Pau, France, on September 21, 1908, at the age of 70. He was the last living president of the First Spanish Republic.
Human Rights Prize
Since 2009, a special award called the Nicolás Salmerón Human Rights Prize has been given out. This award was started by the Ateneo de Madrid, a cultural institution. It is organized by the International Foundation for Human Rights.
The prize is given every year on December 10th. This date is important because it's the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This declaration is a document that lists the basic rights and freedoms everyone should have. Many important people and organizations have received this award for their work in human rights.
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See also
In Spanish: Nicolás Salmerón para niños
