Simón Bolívar Biography – El Libertador
History of the Famous South American Liberator and General
Oct 7, 2009
One of the most famous Latin Americans from the history of the region, Simón Bolívar helped gain independence for Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and Panama. Bolívar was instrumental in the overthrow of Spanish rule in Central and South America, both as a political leader and military general. He is regarded as one of the greatest heroes in the fight for Latin American independence.
The Early Life of Simón Bolívar
Simón Bolívar was born in Caracas, Venezuela, on July 24th 1783. At the age of three he lost his father, finding himself orphaned six years later with the death of his mother. His parents were of wealthy aristocratic stock and this wealth was soon passed to the young Bolívar.
At the age of sixteen, having already been tutored in Enlightenment philosophies and the classical texts of Greece and Rome, Simón Bolívar was sent to Europe to finish his education. While studying in Spain, Bolívar met and married a nobleman’s daughter by the name of María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alaysa. Together they returned to Venezuela where, less than a year after they had been married, María Teresa contracted yellow fever and died in 1803.
Simón Bolívar, still only in his early twenties, again found himself subjected to the loss of a loved one. He returned to Europe a few months later to undertake the Grand Tour, where he immersed himself in the political and intellectual currents of European society.
Simón Bolívar, Revolution and the Rise of the Liberator
With Napoleon Bonaparte changing the balance of power in Europe and Joseph Bonaparte sitting upon the Spanish throne, Latin American nations set their sights upon independence. Spanish colonial rule was weakening and the opportunity to rebel had presented itself. Resistance juntas were formed in South America.
In 1810, the Caracas Junta made a bold move to overthrow Spanish rule in Venezuela. The junta sent Simón Bolívar to Britain on a diplomatic mission to garner support for the Latin American rebels. Britain, however, could offer nothing more than neutrality. The Venezuelan provinces declared their independence in 1811 and Bolívar quickly returned home.
However, by 1812 Spanish royalist forces had retaken the Venezuelan territories, forcing Simón Bolívar to flee east to Cartagena in New Granada (present day Colombia). Here Bolívar took his first command, and his daring raids on Spanish units bolstered his military reputation.
In 1813, Simón Bolívar, with support from New Granada, led an attack to again liberate Venezuela. His successful occupation of Caracas saw him dubbed “El Libertador” (“The Liberator”). In the same campaign Bolívar also made his famous “Decree of War to the Death”, his battle cry for freedom and liberty whatever the cost.
Simón Bolívar, Gran Colombia and South American Independence
After losing ground in both Venezuela and New Granada, Simón Bolívar was again forced to flee, first to Jamaica and then to Haiti. In 1817, Bolívar led a reorganized and reinforced army in another invasion of Venezuela. He then pushed quickly on to New Granada (Colombia), where his victory at the Battle of Boyacá in 1819 proved a vital step on the road to independence.
From his comparatively strong position in New Granada, Bolívar then launched further assaults on Spanish controlled regions. In 1821 his victory at the Battle of Carabobo finally secured independence for Venezuela. He then played a vital supporting role at the Battle of Pichincha in 1822 where fellow liberator General Antonio José de Sucre secured independence for Ecuador.
With the help of other Latin American liberators such as Sucre and General José de San Martín, Simón Bolívar would soon find himself President of Gran Colombia, a newly formed nation extending through most of present day Colombia, Venezuela, Panama and Ecuador. Soon both Peru and Bolivia (named after Bolívar) would come under the control of Simón Bolívar, “The Liberator”.
The Collapse of Gran Colombia and the Death of Simón Bolívar
The vastness of Gran Colombia, combined with competing interests in various parts of the region, made it incredibly difficult to control. In an attempt to stabilize the increasingly fractured region, Simón Bolívar declared himself dictator in 1828. However, rather than solidify his position, it served more to anger his political opponents.
In 1830, having survived an assassination attempt and with uprisings occurring in various parts of Gran Colombia, Simón Bolívar resigned all his political positions. His failing health also contributed to his fall from political power. On December 17th, 1830, Bolívar died after a final, painful battle against tuberculosis.
Despite his eventual fall, Latin Americans still regard Simón Bolívar as one of their greatest ever heroes, and one of the great military leaders of the modern age.
Sources:
John Lynch – Simón Bolívar: A Life, Yale University Press, 2007, ISBN 0300110626.
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