José Gervasio Artigas

José Gervasio Artigas (1764-1850), Uruguayan soldier and national hero, born in Montevideo. Early in his career he became captain of a corps in the Spanish provincial service. He remained loyal to Spain for some time after the outbreak of the insurrection against Spanish rule in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. In 1811, however, he joined the revolutionary forces and became the first leader of the fight for Uruguayan independence. The patriot units under his command won a series of victories over the Spanish, but the victories did not result in independence for Uruguay. In 1813 he organized an independent force of gauchos, or cattle drivers, and tried to force the Buenos Aires junta to recognize Uruguay as one of a federation of La Plata states. He failed in this effort, but he liberated Montevideo from Buenos Aires control in 1815, thereby ensuring Uruguayan independence. Artigas then became ruler of Uruguay. He was defeated in 1817 by the Portuguese, who seized Montevideo. After another Portuguese victory over his army, in 1820, he went into permanent exile in Paraguay.