Spanish reconquest of New Granada facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Spanish reconquest of New Granada
Part of the Spanish American wars of independence
Date 1815–1816 Location Viceroyalty of New Granada Result Reconquest of New Granada by the Spanish monarchy
Belligerents
United Provinces of New Granada	Kingdom of Spain
Commanders and leaders
Custodio García Rovira Liborio Mejía	Ferdinand VII of Spain Pablo Morillo
Strength
	10,000 men 60 ships

The Spanish reconquest of New Granada happened between 1815 and 1816. It was a major part of the Spanish American wars of independence in South America. After the Napoleonic Wars ended, King Ferdinand VII returned to power in Spain. He decided to send a large army to take back control of the northern South American colonies. These colonies had created their own governments, called juntas, and some had even declared independence. With help from loyal local troops, the Spanish forces successfully took back New Granada. They captured Bogotá on May 6, 1816.

Spain's Big Army Arrives

In 1815, Spain sent its largest army ever to the Americas. This force was meant to stop the colonies from becoming independent. Colonel Pablo Morillo, a brave soldier from Spain's fight against France, was chosen to lead this army.

The army had about 10,000 soldiers and nearly 60 ships. At first, they were supposed to go to Montevideo. But plans changed, and they were sent to the Viceroyalty of New Granada. This area includes modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, and Panama, as well as Venezuela.

The Journey and Battles

The Spanish army left the port of Cádiz on February 17, 1815. They first landed at Carupano and the island of Margarita in April. They met no resistance there. After leaving the island, Morillo's troops joined other Spanish forces already in Venezuela. They entered Cumaná and Caracas in May.

A small part of the army went towards Panamá. The main group sailed from Puerto Cabello to Santa Marta. This coastal city in New Granada was still controlled by Spain.

After getting supplies and local volunteers in Santa Marta on July 23, the Spanish forces attacked Cartagena. They surrounded the city for five months in a siege. The strong city finally fell in December 1815.

By 1816, Spanish and local loyalist forces worked together. They marched south from Cartagena and north from other Spanish strongholds. These strongholds included Quito, Pasto, and Popayán. Their combined efforts led to the full reconquest of New Granada. They captured Bogotá on May 6, 1816.

After the reconquest, a special military court was set up. It judged people accused of working against Spain. More than a hundred important republican leaders were executed. These included Jorge Tadeo Lozano and Francisco José de Caldas. Some republican soldiers were forced to join the Spanish army and were sent to Peru.

How the Patriots Reacted

When the republican leaders learned about the Spanish army, they had different ideas. They had been fighting among themselves for years. These disagreements made it hard for them to work together. They could not create a strong, united plan to fight Morillo's army.

One big problem was that the United Kingdom and the United States did not help much. They did not officially recognize the new independent states. They also did not send enough money or military aid. Also, the different provinces in New Granada did not help each other enough.

Some important leaders decided to leave the country to be safe. But other republican leaders stayed. They tried to reorganize their armies and political groups. They wanted to face the new Spanish threat.

Simón Bolívar's Role

Because of the fighting among the leaders in New Granada, Simón Bolívar left his command. He had been working for the United Provinces. He left on May 8, 1815. This was after he failed to take Cartagena in March. Cartagena had refused to give him weapons and soldiers.

Bolívar traveled to Jamaica and then to Haiti. Haiti was a small country that had won its freedom from France. Bolívar and other independence leaders were welcomed there. The group of exiles grew. The Haitian president, Alexandre Pétion, gave them money, volunteers, and weapons.

With this help, they restarted the fight for independence. They focused on remote border areas of New Granada and Venezuela. There, they formed small guerrilla bands with local people. These groups became the starting point for the successful fight to create new republics in South America.

See also

In Spanish: Reconquista de la Nueva Granada para niños

• Patria Boba
• Reconquista (Spanish America)
• Bolívar's campaign to liberate New Granada
• History of Colombia