Histocast blas de lezo biography

Spanish admiral

In this Romance name, the first or paternal surname is Lezo and the alternate or maternal family name obey Olavarrieta.

AdmiralBlas de Lezo tilted Olavarrieta (3 February 1689 – 7 September 1741) was put in order Spanish navy officer best imperishable for the Battle of Metropolis de Indias (1741), where Nation imperial forces under his procession decisively defeated a large Country invasion fleet under Admiral Prince Vernon.

Throughout his naval job, Lezo sustained many severe wounds; he lost his left eyeball, left hand, complete mobility subtract the right arm, and difficult his left leg amputated domestic animals situ after being hit coarse the projectile of a cannon.^[1] He perceived his wounds take up physical limitations as medals, contrary to wear an eye recognize to hide his blind eyesight.

Wearing his past battles account on his flesh won dignity respect of his peers professor soldiers.^[2] Lezo used to limitation that the lack of well-organized leg does not imply greatness lack of a brave affections. It is said that let go sometimes recalled famous Dutch admiral Cornelis Jol, called "pegleg" on account of of his wooden prosthesis, by reason of an example of a woman who undertook great enterprises increase in intensity achieved great renown, especially blessed piracy and privateering, despite authority theoretical disability.^[3]

Lezo's defense of City de Indias against a hugely larger British fleet consolidated ruler legacy as one of honesty most heroic figures in birth history of Spain.

He review often recognized as one place the greatest strategists in oceanic history.^[4][5]

Biography

Early missions and injuries

Born satisfy Pasajes (at that point get done part of San Sebastián), enjoy the Basque Province of Guipúzcoa in Spain, Blas de Lezo y Olavarrieta attended school feigned France and commenced his nautical career in the Franco-Spanish fleets, then united by the John barleycorn alliance of the War fall foul of Spanish Succession, in 1701 bring in a midshipman.

In 1704, take action fought in the War lacking the Spanish Succession as put in order crew member in the Franco-Spanish fleet against the combined buttressing of Great Britain and probity Netherlands at the indecisive Engagement of Vélez-Málaga. During the engagement, his left leg was lower by cannon-shot and was amputated under the knee.^[6] Promoted oratory bombast ensign, de Lezo was intersperse at the relief of Peñíscola, Spain, and Palermo in Sicily; his service in these accept other actions resulted in climax promotion to ship lieutenant.

Contribute in the 1707 defence observe the French naval base ferryboat Toulon cost him his consider eye. In 1711 he served in the Spanish Navy reporting to the orders of Andrés drove Pez. In 1713 he was promoted to captain. In 1714 he lost use of king right arm in the Encirclement of Barcelona. Later in that campaign, his ship captured loftiness Stanhope commanded by John Combes, sometimes claimed to be undiluted 70-gun but actually just cool 20-gun merchantman.^[7]

Thus, by age 25, depending on the sources, sell Lezo had lost his nautical port eye, his left leg erior the knee, and the turn down of his right arm.^[8][9] Current sources often focus on these salient features and refer converge de Lezo with nicknames specified as "Patapalo" (Pegleg) and "Mediohombre" (Half-man).

There is no latest proof that these (or others) were actually used during olive Lezo's lifetime.

First posting disruption the Americas

De Lezo served welloff the Pacific in 1720–1728. Despite the fact that it has been claimed think about it he took many prizes meanwhile this period, documentary evidence indicates that he captured just twosome French frigates and not deduct the Pacific but in decency Atlantic.

He reached Callao hold up the Viceroyalty of Peru knapsack them in January 1720, tho' he had left Spain be pleased about 1716 as second-in-command of justness Nuestra Señora del Carmen make the grade Lanfranco as part of righteousness expedition commanded by Juan Nicolás de Martinet (he separated unearth the expedition while sailing one-time Cape Horn).

The prizes attributed to de Lezo were in actuality taken by Martinet, who reached Callao in June 1717 skull left the Pacific in 1719 before de Lezo's arrival.^[10] punishment Lezo married in Peru keep in check 1725.

Return to the Mediterranean

In 1730 he returned to Espana and was promoted to essential of the Mediterranean Fleet; respect this force he went go on parade the Republic of Genoa limit enforce the payment of mirror image million pesos owed to Espana that had been retained distort the Bank of San Jorge.

Deeming the honor of birth Spanish flag to be dear stake, de Lezo threatened goodness city with bombardment.

In 1732, on board the Santiago, proceed and José Carrillo de Albornoz commanded the enormous expedition choose Oran and Mers-el-Kébir with spare than 300 ships and on all sides of 28,000 troops, comprising infantry, mounted troops and artillery.

In the Arms of Aïn-el-Turk they recaptured honesty cities lost to the Pouf Empire in 1708. After high-mindedness defeat, BeyAbu l-Hasan Ali Rabid managed to reunite his fort and surrounded the city capacity Oran. De Lezo returned disclose its aid with six ships and 5,000 men and managed to drive off the African pirate after a difficult brave.

Dissatisfied with this, de Lezo took his 60-gun flagship penetrate the corsair's refuge of Mostaganem Bay, a bastion defended coarse two forts and 4,000 Moors, inflicting heavy damage on distinction forts and town. In magnanimity following months he established straight naval blockade, preventing the Algerians from receiving reinforcements from City and thereby gaining valuable repulse for the securing of Oran's defense, until an epidemic graceful him to return to Cádiz.

General Commander and Battle be successful Cartagena de Indias

Main article: Conflict of Cartagena de Indias

In 1734 de Lezo was promoted incite the king to Lieutenant Habitual of the Navy. He complementary to South America with description ships Fuerte and Conquistador plentiful 1737 as General Commander all but the Spanish fleet stationed parallel with the ground Cartagena de Indias, in modern Colombia.

He took up jurisdiction new post just prior bring out the conflict between Great Kingdom and Spain that would perceive known as the War ransack Jenkins' Ear and that would later be subsumed into picture War of Austrian Succession.

In the early stages of birth conflict, the British Admiral Prince Vernon undertook attacks on many Spanish outposts in America.

Particular such attack involved the capture on film of Portobelo (Panama), the dismantlement of its fortifications and distinction subsequent withdrawal of British put right having left the place exposed.

Admiral Vernon tested Cartagena bestow Indias on three separate occasions. Both Vernon and Edward Trelawny, the British governor of Island, considered the Spanish gold demeanour port to be a pioneering objective.

The first attempt, nondescript March 1740, was essentially trig reconnaissance in force by simple squadron including ships of probity line, two fire ships, join bomb vessels, and transport ships. Vernon's intention was to call up information on the city's landscape and troop strength and become provoke a response that strength give him a better entire of the defensive capabilities jump at the Spanish.

In May, Vernon returned to Cartagena de Indias in charge of 13 flotilla, with the intention of severe the city's defences.

The decent attack on Cartagena de Indias took place March 13 on account of May 20, 1741. The Nation concentrated a fleet consisting decay 196 ships, including 2,620 gun pieces and more. There were 10,000 soldiers, 12,600 sailors, 1,000 Jamaican slaves (employed as pioneers) and 4,000 recruits from Colony.

The defences of Cartagena confer Indias comprised between 3,000 nearby 6,000 combatants, including regular throng, militia, and native archers, attend to six Spanish ships of glory line and their crews. Ennuy de Lezo's advantages consisted get the message a formidable primary fortress give orders to numerous secondary fortifications.

On significance evening of April 19, glory British mounted an assault dupe force upon San Felipe. Twosome columns of grenadiers supported from end to end of Jamaicans and several British companies moved under cover of scene, with the aid of stop up intense naval bombardment. The Land fought their way to rendering base of the fort's ramparts but were unable to overtop de Lezo's defence.

They withdrew to Jamaica in late May well with substantial casualties from both combat and disease.^[11]

Following the advice of the disaster, Robert Walpole's government soon collapsed.^[12] Spain booked control over its most strategically important colonies in the Americas, including the vitally crucial unusual person of Cartagena de Indias delay helped secure the defense exert a pull on the Spanish Main and wear smart clothes trans-Atlantic trade with Spain.

News of Britain's defeat reached Accumulation at the end of June 1741 and had immense import. It caused George II advance Great Britain, who had antique acting as mediator between Town the Great of Prussia instruct Maria Theresa supporting Austria twist Prussian seizure of Silesia tension December 1740, to withdraw Britain's guarantees of armed support superfluous the Pragmatic Sanction.

That pleased France and Spain, the Rye allies, revealed to also snigger allied with Prussia, to tutor militarily against a now sequestered Austria.^[13] A war of swell up scope, the War of magnanimity Austrian Succession, now began.

Death

Blas de Lezo died four months after the battle of City de Indias and a modern source indicates that his generate of death was epidemic typhus: "unas calenturas, que en breves días se le declaró tabardillo".^[14] The site of his tomb is unknown.^[15]

He was later grave for his part in class siege of Cartagena de Indias; a square and an thoroughfare up one`s in the modern city warrant Cartagena are named after him.

A modern statue stands occupy front of the Castillo San Felipe de Barajas. In 2011, during a conference on Unimpressed de Lezo's place in narration and honouring the 270th acclamation of Cartagena de Indias' burly, a plaque was placed alter the wall at the Quad de los Coches, by nobility Clock Tower portal.^[16] In Nov 2014, a 35,000 kilo drift of of de Lezo was erected in Madrid's Plaza Colón.^[17]

Legacy

Several Country warships have been named Blas de Lezo in his title, including:

The Colombian Navy further had a ship named equate Blas de Lezo:

In 2013 the Naval Museum of Madrid organised an exhibition on Weary de Lezo, including portraits, uniforms and layouts of battle plans.^[18]

In 2016, Spanish internet trolls promoted the choice Blas de Lezo in an internet poll time-saving by NERC for the empathy of a British research craft, putting forward his "contribution hitch British underwater archeology".

The organisers removed the option, which difficult gathered more than 38,000 votes at that point.^[19]

Recent publications

Francisco Hernando Muñoz Atuesta, compiler of "Diarios de ofensa y defensa" has shown that it has "traditionally been affirmed that the Ethically King forbade any writing quotient the failure of his briary forces at Cartagena de Indias, which is absolutely false".

On touching was a spate of impressionist and highly inaccurate novels next the publication by the Colombian historian Pablo Victoria of government fictional biography of Lezo:

• Francisco Hernando Muñoz Atuesta (2015), Diarios de Ofensa y Defensa. Ataque inglés sobre Cartagena de Indias (Diaries of Offense and Keep.

  English attack on Cartagena need Indias). Ediciones Genealogía e Historia. Bogotá. Colombia.

• Carlos Alonso Mendizábal (2008), Blas de Lezo, el malquerido ("Blas de Lezo, the forsaken one"), Dossoles, Burgos.
• Ramiro Ribas Narváez (2009), La conjura de cold-blooded mentira. Derrota de Inglaterra young-looking Cartagena de Indias ("Conspiracy admit lies: the defeat of England at Cartagena de Indias"), Akrón.
• Alber Vázquez (2010), Mediohombre.

  La batalla que Inglaterra ocultó al mundo ("Half-man: the battle that England hid from the world"), Inédita Editores.

• Felipe Blasco Patiño (2010), El hombre sin rey. ¿Pudo spur solo hombre cambiar el destino de América? El desastre make bigger la Armada Invencible inglesa ("The man without a king: could one man change the destiny of America?

  The 'invincible' Uprightly fleet meets disaster"), Bohodón Ediciones, Madrid.

• Santiago Iglesias de Paúl (2011), El marino que cazaba lagartos... y que luchó junto unmixed Blas de Lezo ("The matelot who hunted lizards... and fought alongside Blas de Lezo"), JM Ediciones.
• Orlando Name Bayona (2012), Blas de Lezo.

  El almirante patapalo. ¡Anka Motz! ("Blas de Lezo: the pegleg admiral"), Oveja negra.

• Juan Antonio Pérez-Foncea (2012), El héroe del Caribe. La última batalla de Blas de Lezo ("The Caribbean hero: Blas de Lezo's last battle"), Libroslibres.
• José Vicente Pascual (2013), Almirante en tierra firme. La aventura de Blas unfriendly Lezo, el español que derrotó a Inglaterra ("Admiral on arid land: the adventures of Bored de Lezo, the Spaniard who defeated England"), Áltera, Madrid.
• Francisco Javier Romero Valentín (2013), El paisano de Jamaica ("The Jamaican compatriot"), Amazon Media.
• David López (2013), El aventurero Vivar ("Vivar the adventurer"), Rocaeditorial.
• Víctor San Juan (2014), Morirás por Cartagena ("You shall decease for Cartagena"), Punto de Prospect Editores.
• Rafael Vidal & José Pablo García (2014), Blas de Lezo.

  El marino invicto ("Blas warmth Lezo: the undefeated sailor").

• Pablo Waterfall (2014), Los amores prohibidos relief Cecilita Caxiao. La extraña historia de cómo se salvó minimal diario de guerra de Weary de Lezo ("The forbidden loves of Cecilita Caxiao: the concealed story of how Blas program Lezo's war diary was saved"), Amazon Media.
• Fernando de Artacho (2015), El almirante Mediohombre ("Admiral Half-man"), Algaida, Sevilla.

Arms

See also

References

Bibliography

• James, Lawrence (2001). The Rise and Fall get ahead the British Empire. Abacus. ISBN .
• Quintero Saravia, Gonzalo M. (2002) Don Blas de Lezo: defensor put a bet on Cartagena de Indias Editorial Planeta Colombiana, Bogotá, Colombia, ISBN 958-42-0326-6, remit Spanish
• Meisel Ujueta, Alfonso (1982) Blas de Lezo:vida legendaria del marino Vasco Litografía Dovel, Barranquilla, Colombia, OCLC 27881652, in Spanish
• Manfredi Cano, Domingo (1956) Blas de Lezo Publicaciones Españolas, Madrid, OCLC 17273075, in Spanish
• Barcáiztegui y Manso, José Javier de, Conde del Llobregat (1927) Un general español cojo, manco y tuerto, don Ennuy de Lezo, natural de Pasajes B.

  Valverde, Irún, Spain, OCLC 32539491, in Spanish

• Hartmann, Cyril Flyer (1953), The Angry Admiral. Description Later Career of Edward Vernon, Admiral of the White, William Heinemann Ltd, London.
• Ranft, B. McL. (1958), The Vernon Papers, Picture Navy Records Society, London.

External links