Aparicio Saravia
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Aparicio Saravia da Rosa (August 16, 1856 – September 10, 1904) was a Uruguayan politician and military leader. He was a member of the
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
an National Party and was a revolutionary leader against the Uruguayan government.


Early life

He was born in Cerro Largo,
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
, the fourth of thirteen children of Brazilians Francisco Saraiva and Pulpicia da Rosa (his surname was later Hispanicized to "Saravia"). He was raised and educated mostly in the countryside, but he also had some higher education. At his father's death, the Saravia brothers inherited a vast estate, Estancia El Cordobés, in the department of Cerro Largo, on the frontier with the Brazilian state Rio Grande do Sul. Since the borders between
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
and Uruguay were not clearly delineated, the Saravia brothers had very close ties to Rio Grande do Sul and its revolutionary movements. Aparicio Saravia began his military activities at a very young age. He is believed to have participated in the Revolution of the Lances (''Revolución de las Lanzas'') (1870–1872), led by Timoteo Aparicio against the government of
Lorenzo Batlle y Grau Lorenzo Cristóbal Manuel Batlle y Grau (August 10, 1810 in Montevideo – May 8, 1887 in Montevideo) was the president of Uruguay from 1868 to 1872. Family background and early career He was the son of a wealthy merchant loyal to the Spanis ...
, the father of
José Batlle y Ordóñez José Pablo Torcuato Batlle y Ordóñez ( or ; 23 May 1856 in Montevideo, Uruguay – 20 October 1929), nicknamed ''Don Pepe'', was a prominent Uruguayan politician, who served two terms as President of Uruguay for the Colorado Party. He w ...
, who would later be a political rival. In 1875, with two of his brothers, he participated in the Tricolor Revolution (''Revolución Tricolor'') under Ángel Muniz. In 1877, he married Cándida Díaz, the niece of a Colorado Party leader; she had had to flee from home because her parents opposed the union.


Federalist Revolution

Gumercindo Saraiva, Aparicio Saravia’s older brother, played a large role in the federalist revolution in Rio Grande do Sul. The Saravia brothers led a force of 400 Uruguayan lancers who carried a banner that read ''Defensor da lei'' (Defender of the Law), which had been used by Manuel Oribe at the Battle of Carpintería, which had led to the creation of the National Party. Gumercindo Saraiva died in 1894, and Aparicio Saravia took over the revolutionary forces with the rank of General. He and his Uruguayan volunteers fought at the Battle of Passo Fundo. Though the revolution began to fail by 1895, Aparacio Saravia not only earned the rank of General but also great prestige, as the newspapers in Montevideo had been covering his exploits.


Leader of the Blanco Party

The Peace of April (''La Paz de Abril'') was signed on April 6, 1872, ending the Revolution of the Lances. The Peace attempted to introduce cooperation between the Blanco and
Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the wes ...
Parties, but nevertheless, tension remained during the presidency of Julio Herrera y Obes. The Blanco Party looked to Saravia for leadership. Herrera y Obes was succeeded by Juan Idiarte Borda, which angered the Blanco Party, which felt excluded from the workings of government and believed that the Colorado Party had violated the Peace of April. In 1895, Aparicio Saravia went to Montevideo as a representative of Cerro Largo, and in November 1896, Aparicio Saravia began agitating for revolution. However, government troops moved against the revolutionaries, who dispersed as a result. In March 1897, Aparicio Saravia led a revolutionary force against the Uruguayan government at the frontier with Brazil at Aceguá, while Diego Lamas led another force from Argentina at Colonia and José Núñez led another at Conchillas. Aparicio Saravia’s forces were defeated at Cuchilla del Arbolito, in Cerro Largo department. Saravia’s younger brother Antonio (called ''el chiquito Saravia'') died in this battle. Idiarte Borda was assassinated by Avelino Arredondo, and
Juan Lindolfo Cuestas Juan Lindolfo de los Reyes Cuestas (6 January 1837 – 21 June 1905) was a Uruguayan politician who served as the 18th President of Uruguay from 1897 until 1899 and for a second term from 1899 to 1903. Background Juan Lindolfo Cuestas was a promi ...
attempted reconciliation with the Blanco Party at the Pact of La Cruz (''Pacto de La Cruz'') on September 18, 1897. Within two years Lindolfo Cuestas had ceded the Presidency to
José Batlle y Ordóñez José Pablo Torcuato Batlle y Ordóñez ( or ; 23 May 1856 in Montevideo, Uruguay – 20 October 1929), nicknamed ''Don Pepe'', was a prominent Uruguayan politician, who served two terms as President of Uruguay for the Colorado Party. He w ...
on an interim basis. Aparicio Saravia served as an opposition leader in this time, and counted on the support of his own army. He served as a de facto, second leader of the country, with José Batlle y Ordóñez heading the government at Montevideo, and Saravia leading revolutionary forces in the countryside. Saravia agitated for revolution once again, but a civil war was avoided by a diplomatic mission, which resulted in a new pact signed at Nico Pérez on March 22, 1903. However, Saravia subsequently believed that the Pact of La Cruz had once again been violated, and war erupted in 1904 between the government forces and the ''saravistas'' or Saravians. There were battles at Mansavillagra (January 14), Illescas, Lavalleja department (January 15), and at
Tupambaé Tupambaé is a village (''pueblo'') in the Cerro Largo Department of eastern Uruguay. Location It is located on the border with Treinta y Tres Department, on Km. 334 of Route 7, about southwest of Melo. The railroad track Montevideo - Melo pa ...
(June 24). The decisive battle, however, occurred at Masoller (September 10, 1904). Saravia was fatally injured at this battle after charging at the head of his troops. He was shot in the abdomen with a Mauser bullet; his companions managed to take him across the frontier to Brazil, to a ranch named Carovi near
Santiago, Rio Grande do Sul Santiago (Spanish meaning Saint James) is a municipality of the western part of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is the capital of the microregion of Santiago. The population is 49,360 (2020 est.) in an area of . Its elevation is 409 ...
. He lay in agony for 10 days, suffering from
peritonitis Peritonitis is inflammation of the localized or generalized peritoneum, the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and cover of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One part o ...
, before dying from his wounds. With his death, the Saravian Revolution failed, and on September 24, 1904, the Peace of Aceguá was signed, which finally brought stability to Uruguay. The Saravian Revolution was the last civil war in Uruguay's history. He was buried at the burial vault of the Brazilian family of Pereira da Souza but in 1921 his remains were moved by Luis Alberto de Herrera to the cemetery of Buceo in Montevideo. They were then moved to
Santa Clara de Olimar Santa Clara de Olimar is a small town in Treinta y Tres Department in eastern Uruguay. Geography The town is located on the border with Cerro Largo Department, on Km. 282 of Route 7, about northeast of Cerro Chato and southwest of Tupamba ...
, where he was buried next to his family.


See also

* Masoller#Historical background


External links

* List of political families#Uruguay *


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saravia, Aparicio 1856 births 1904 deaths People from Cerro Largo Department Uruguayan cattlemen Uruguayan people of Portuguese descent Uruguayan people of Brazilian descent National Party (Uruguay) politicians Deaths by firearm in Brazil