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Francisco de Miranda
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Sebastian Francisco de Miranda y Rodriguez , commonly known as Francisco de Miranda, was a Venezuelan revolutionary. Although his own plans for the independence of the Spanish American colonies failed, he is regarded as a forerunner of Simon Bolivar, who during the Spanish American wars of independence successfully liberated a vast portion of South America. Miranda led a romantic and adventurous life. An idealist, he developed a visionary plan to liberate and unify all of Spanish America but his own military initiatives on behalf of an independent Spanish America failed in 1812. He was handed over to his enemies and four years later, in 1816, died in a Spanish prison. Within fourteen years of his death, however, most of Spanish America was independent.
Sebastian Francisco de Miranda was born on March 28, 1750 in Caracas, Venezuela. His father, Sebastian de Miranda Ravelo, was a wealthy merchant from the Canary Islands, and his mother, Francisca Antonia Rodriguez de Espinoza, was a wealthy Venezuelan. Growing up, Miranda enjoyed a wealthy upbringing, attending the finest private schools, while being slightly discriminated against for his Canarian roots. Miranda was not necessarily a member of high society growing up, as his heritage was continually put into question by the Criollo aristocracy. As a consequence of that, Miranda grew up conceited and arrogant and used the false title of "Count of Miranda" in Russia and Sweden.
Miranda, who had bought himself a commission as a Captain of the Spanish Army around 1771 (something not unusual in the European armies at the time), became interested in the American Revolutionary War, while serving as Captain of the Aragon Regiment and aide-de-camp to General Juan Manuel de Cajigal y Monserrat, (17391811).
Related websites
History of Miranda's Attempt in South America
"Francisco de Miranda"
Another statue
"General Miranda's Expedition"
Diarios: Una seleccion 1771 1800
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This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Francisco de Miranda
