Valentin de Foronda facts for kids

Valentin de Foronda y González de Echávarri (born January 14, 1751, in Vitoria – died December 24, 1821) was an important Spanish diplomat and writer. He worked as a Spanish general consul in Philadelphia from 1801 to 1807. A consul helps people from their home country who are living or traveling abroad. Later, he became a Spanish plenipotentiary minister in the U.S. from 1807 to 1809. A minister is a high-ranking diplomat who represents their country.

This was a challenging time for diplomats. American ships were not following rules when trading with Cuba, and the U.S. supported Francisco de Miranda. Miranda was trying to start a revolution to make Venezuela independent from Spain.

Valentin de Foronda returned to Spain when Luis Onís took over his role. Onís was chosen by a group called the "Junta Patriótica," which was against Napoleon Bonaparte's army invading Spain.

Early Life and Honors

Valentin de Foronda was a very educated person. He taught at the Basque Institutional School, also known as the Seminario de Vergara. This was a special school in the Basque Country of Spain.

He received several important honors during his life:

• In 1793, he became a Knight of the Military Order of Santiago. This is an old and respected Spanish order of chivalry.
• In 1801, he became a Knight of the Order of Carlos III. This is another high honor given by the Spanish king.
• In 1802, he became a member of the American Philosophical Society. This is a famous group in the United States that brings together smart people from different fields.

Diplomatic Career

In November 1799, Foronda wrote a letter to the Spanish Secretary of State, Mariano Luis de Urquijo. Foronda was worried about the "Banco de San Carlos," which was an early version of the Bank of Spain. He had invested money from selling his land and farms into this bank.

Because of this letter, he was likely chosen for his diplomatic job at the Spanish consulate in Philadelphia. This shows how his knowledge of finance and his connections helped him get important roles.

Writings and Views

Valentin de Foronda also wrote books. One of his notable works was "Observaciones sobre algunos puntos de la Obra de Don Quijote," published in Philadelphia in 1807. This book shared his thoughts on the famous Spanish novel Don Quijote by Miguel de Cervantes.

His views on Cervantes's work were quite strong. Some people even considered him to be against the famous 17th-century writer.

See also

• In Spanish: Valentín de Foronda para niños