Aparicio Saraiva
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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, 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 Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
an
National Party National Party or Nationalist Party may refer to: Active parties * National Party of Australia, commonly known as ''The Nationals'' * Bangladesh: ** Bangladesh Nationalist Party ** Jatiya Party (Ershad) a.k.a. ''National Party (Ershad)'' * Californ ...
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, 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 Río de la Plata to the south and the A ...
, 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 Rio Grande do Sul (, ; ; "Great River of the South") is a Federative units of Brazil, state in the South Region, Brazil, southern region of Brazil. It is the Federative units of Brazil#List, fifth-most populous state and the List of Brazilian s ...
. Since the borders between
Brazil Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
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 The Revolution of the Lances (''Revolución de las Lanzas'') occurred in Uruguay from September 12, 1870 to April 6, 1872. Parties Led by Timoteo Aparicio, leader of the National Party of Uruguay (the Blancos) and a former army officer, it w ...
(''Revolución de las Lanzas'') (1870–1872), led by Timoteo Aparicio against the government of
Lorenzo Batlle y Grau Lorenzo Cristóbal Manuel Batlle y Grau (10 August 1810 in Montevideo – 8 May 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 – 20 October 1929), nicknamed ''Don Pepe'', was a prominent Uruguayan politician who served two terms as President of Uruguay for the Colorado Party. The son of a former president, ...
, who would later be a political rival. In 1875, with two of his brothers, he participated in the
Tricolor Revolution A triband is a vexillological style which consists of three stripes arranged to form a flag. These stripes may be two or three colours, and may be charged with an emblem in the middle stripe. Not all tribands are tricolour flags, which requires ...
(''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 Gumercindo Saraiva (Arroio Grande, January 13, 1852 – Carovi, Capão do Cipó, August 10, 1894) was a Brazilian soldier, being one of the commanders of the rebel troops known as '' maragatos'', during the Federalist Revolution. The beginning ...
, 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 A lancer was a type of cavalryman who fought with a lance. Lances were used for mounted warfare in Assyria as early as and subsequently by India, Egypt, China, Persia, Greece, and Rome. The weapon was widely used throughout Eurasia during the M ...
who carried a banner that read ''Defensor da lei'' (Defender of the Law), which had been used by
Manuel Oribe Manuel Ceferino Oribe y Viana (August 26, 1792 – November 12, 1857) was the 2nd Constitutional president of Uruguay and founder of Uruguay's National Party, the oldest Uruguayan political party and considered one of the two Uruguayan "tr ...
at the
Battle of Carpintería The Battle of Carpintería was an important battle between troops loyal to the government of Manuel Oribe and the revolutionary forces led by Fructuoso Rivera.Estanislao Severo Zeballos & Carlos F. Melo (1911). ''Revista de derecho, historia y le ...
, 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 Montevideo (, ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Uruguay, largest city of Uruguay. According to the 2023 census, the city proper has a population of 1,302,954 (about 37.2% of the country's total population) in an area of . M ...
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 is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States. It is one of the Mountain states, sharing the Four Corners region with Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. It is also bordered by Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas ...
Parties, but nevertheless, tension remained during the presidency of
Julio Herrera y Obes Julio Herrera y Obes (January 9, 1841, Montevideo – August 6, 1912, Montevideo) was a Uruguayan politician who was President of Uruguay from 1890 to 1894. Background Herrera y Obes belonged to the Colorado Party. He had been an advise ...
. The Blanco Party looked to Saravia for leadership. Herrera y Obes was succeeded by
Juan Idiarte Borda Juan Bautista Idiarte Borda y Soumastre (April 20, 1844 – August 25, 1897) was the 17th President of Uruguay. He is the only Uruguayan president to be assassinated in office. Background Originating from the Uruguayan department of Soriano, w ...
, 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 Diego is a Spanish masculine given name. The Portuguese equivalent is Diogo. The etymology of Diego is disputed, with two major origin hypotheses: ''Tiago'' and ''Didacus''. The name also has several patronymic derivations, listed below. ...
led another force from Argentina at Colonia and José Núñez led another at
Conchillas Conchillas (, ) is a small industrial town located within the Colonia Department, in southwestern Uruguay. Geography The town is located on the coast of Río de la Plata near the stream Arroyo Conchillas, northwest of Colonia del Sacramento, the ...
. Aparicio Saravia’s forces were defeated at
Cuchilla del Arbolito Cuchilla (plural: cuchillas), Spanish for ''blade'' or ''hill covered by grasslands'' (in the Pampas of Uruguay and Argentina) may refer to: * Cuchilla Alta, a seaside resort in Canelones in Montevideo in Uruguay * Cuchilla de Caraguatá, a rang ...
, in Cerro Largo department. Saravia’s younger brother Antonio (called ''el chiquito Saravia'') died in this battle. Idiarte Borda was assassinated by
Avelino Arredondo Avelino Arredondo was an Uruguayan assassin of Basque origin. Background Arredondo was a strong supporter of a rival faction of the ruling Colorado Party government of Uruguayan president Juan Idiarte Borda. An apparent attempt was made on th ...
, 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 prom ...
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 – 20 October 1929), nicknamed ''Don Pepe'', was a prominent Uruguayan politician who served two terms as President of Uruguay for the Colorado Party. The son of a former president, ...
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 Nico Pérez is a village in the Florida Department of central Uruguay. It is located on the border of the Lavalleja Department. Geography It is in close proximity to José Batlle y Ordoñez José is a predominantly Spanish and Portuguese f ...
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 Lavalleja (; ) is a department of Uruguay. Its capital is Minas. It is located in the southeast of the country, bordered to the north by the department of Treinta y Tres to the east with Rocha, to the south with Canelones and Maldonado, and ...
(January 15), and at Tupambaé (June 24). The decisive battle, however, occurred at
Masoller Masoller is a village or populated centre of the Rivera Department in northern Uruguay, next to the ''de facto'' border with Brazil, in an area where that border is disputed. Geography The village is located on Route 30, on the tripoint with Salto ...
(September 1, 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 Mauser, originally the Königlich Württembergische Gewehrfabrik, was a German arms manufacturer. Their line of bolt-action rifles and semi-automatic pistols was produced beginning in the 1870s for the German armed forces. In the late 19th and ...
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 48,938 (2022 census) in an area of . Its elevation is ...
. 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 covering of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss. One pa ...
, 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 Buceo is a ''barrio'' (neighbourhood or district) in Montevideo, Uruguay. Buceo borders Pocitos and Villa Dolores to the west, Parque Batlle, Unión and Malvín Norte to the north, Malvín to the east and the coastline to the south. Descript ...
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 Tupambaé. ...
, where he was buried next to his family.


See also

* List of political families#Uruguay * Masoller#Historical background


Notes


External links

* List of political families#Uruguay * {{DEFAULTSORT:Saravia, Aparicio 1850s births 1904 deaths Saravia family 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