José de San Martín
25 February 1778 – 17 August 1850
José de San Martín was an Argentine general and one of the principal leaders of South America's independence from Spain. He organised the Army of the Andes, led its crossing of the cordillera to liberate Chile, and declared the independence of Peru, where he served briefly as Protector. Alongside Simón Bolívar he is honoured as a Libertador of South America.
Lived at the same time
Well-documented people whose lives overlapped with José de San Martín.
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Life events
José Francisco de San Martín was born in Yapeyú, in present-day Corrientes Province, Argentina, the son of a Spanish colonial official.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSan Martín entered the Murcia Regiment as a cadet and went on to serve Spain in campaigns in North Africa and Europe, including against Napoleon's armies.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSan Martín resigned from the Spanish army and sailed to Buenos Aires to offer his services to the revolutionary government of the Río de la Plata.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSan Martín married María de los Remedios de Escalada, a young woman from a prominent Buenos Aires family.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgCommanding the Mounted Grenadiers Regiment he had founded, San Martín defeated a Spanish royalist landing at San Lorenzo, his first victory in the wars of independence.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSan Martín led the Army of the Andes across the cordillera into Chile and defeated the royalists at the Battle of Chacabuco, opening the way to Chilean independence.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgAfter landing his expedition on the Peruvian coast and occupying Lima, San Martín proclaimed Peru's independence and became its Protector.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSan Martín conferred privately with Simón Bolívar at Guayaquil, after which he withdrew from Peru and left the completion of the independence campaign to Bolívar.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgDisillusioned with the political strife of the new republics, San Martín sailed for Europe with his daughter and spent the rest of his life there, mostly in France.
Source: en.wikipedia.orgSan Martín died in exile in Boulogne-sur-Mer; his remains were later repatriated to Buenos Aires Cathedral.
Source: en.wikipedia.org