Biography of Simón Bolívar
Childhood and studies
Left fatherless at only two and a half years, and after losing his mother at the age of nine, in both cases because of tuberculosis, is given together with his brothers to two maternal uncles. He attended the Pùblica tree nursery of the Cabildo of Caracas, where among other things follows the teachings of Simon Rodriguez, but he was educated well by Andrés Bello at the Academia de Matemàticas. In January 1797, at thirteen and a half, Simón Bolívar joined the Batallòn de Milicias de blancos de los Valles de Aragua (his father was Colonel years earlier), while two years later he moved to Spain to study.The wedding
In the Iberian country, in 1802, he married María Teresa Rodríguez del Toro y Alaysa: the girl, however, dies the following year, after contracting yellow fever during a trip to Venezuela. So traumatised by the event that Jura bolìvar remains as a sign of loyalty to his wife, who did not marry again.Meeting Napoleon and the reflections on the revolution
Back to Europe in 1804, where he spent a life quite comfortable having, among other things, to know Napoleon Bonaparte: initially it remains particularly intrigued, but later will change opinion, considering it a traitor of the principles of the French Revolution.The return to Venezuela
In 1807 Simón Bolívar leaves Europe and returns to Venezuela, a country in crisis because of an attempted insurrection by Francisco de Miranda and repressed in blood. In later years, among the people, the conviction of being free from European domination and of the need for popular sovereignty: in 1810, while the municipality of Caracas rejects the authority of the Council of Regency Spanish, Bolìvar ships in Britain together with Antonio Lopez Mendez and Andrés Bello on a diplomatic mission, to get English neutrality.The desire for independence from Europe
Back then, in South America, where the Patriòtica of which is promoting a strong pro-independence political action. On 13 August 1811 independence General Francisco de Miranda's troops defeated the rebels in the city of Valencia: Simón Bolívar, promoted to Colonel on the field, is sent to announce to the Caracas Government victory. Follow months of continual reversals in front: in December 1811 is approved a Constitution which is strongly criticized by Bolìvar, while three months later an earthquake strikes the country.The deposition of Francisco de Miranda
In July 1812 de Miranda surrenders and is captured by treachery by the same Bolívar, which delivers it to the Spanish authorities in Exchange for a pass that allows him to take refuge first in Curacao and afterwards in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. That is where he draws up the Cartagena Manifesto, in which military and political analysis on the reasons of the fall of the first Republic of Venezuela.The Second Venezuelan Republic
After Bolívar gets a chance to enlist for the troops of the Government of Cartagena, which fights the Spaniards at Cùcuta in February 1813: he was granted, then, neo-citizenship of Granada. A few weeks after the invasion of Venezuela guide through the Andes: is the so-called Bell Admirable. Defeated royalists and Spaniards, enters in Caracas in triumph and was named Captain General, giving way to the Second Republic of Venezuela.Subsequent fights
The following year, however, is forced to flee, aided by the carnage carried out by the army. Recognized leader of exiled Venezuelans from Government neo-granadino, Simón Bolívar WINS Santa Fè leading the Armada Nacional de Colombia going to Jamaica, where in September 1815 he wrote the Carta de Jamaica. Then, he went to Haiti, where she begs help from Alexandre Pétion. Back to fight, in May 1816 proclaimed the abolition of slavery in his country; then, with the support of neo-granadino Francisco de Paula Santander shall convene the Congress of Angostura in which prefigures the foundations of Federal Constitution. In December 1819 creates the Great Colombia, Venezuela, Panama, Colombia and Federation which includes Ecuador, and became the President. From 1827 onwards, however, internal divisions grow progressively. Meanwhile falls ill with tuberculosis: while his political project fails, with Venezuela that declares itself independent in January 1830, Simón Bolívar died just 46 years on 17 December of that year at Santa Marta.Article contributed by the team of collaborators.