Javiera Carrera
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Francisca Xaviera Eudoxia Rudecinda Carmen de los Dolores de la Carrera y Verdugo (March 1, 1781 – August 20, 1862), better known as Javiera Carrera, was a Chilean independence activist. Together with her brothers José Miguel, Juan José and
Luis Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archai ...
, she was one of the leading figures of the early Chilean struggle for independence during the period known as the
Patria Vieja Old Fatherland (, ) refers to a time period in the history of Chile occurring between the First Junta of the Government (September 18, 1810) and the Disaster of Rancagua (October 1, 1814). In this period, Chilean measures were taken for the i ...
("Old Republic"). She is credited with having sewn the first national flag of Chile and is considered to be the "Mother of Chile". She was a member of one of the most aristocratic Chilean families, the
Carrera family The Carrera family from Alegría de Oria ( Basque Country) became politically influential during the colonial period and played a significant role in the Chilean independence. They remained politically important throughout the 19th century. Ge ...
of
Basque Basque may refer to: * Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France * Basque language, their language Places * Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France * Basque Country (autonomous co ...
origin. who actively participated in the
Chilean War of Independence The Chilean War of Independence (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Guerra de la Independencia de Chile'', 'War of Independence of Chile') was a military and political event that allowed the emancipation of Chile from the Spanish Empire, Spanish Mona ...
.


Life

She was born in
Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
, the oldest child of Ignacio de la Carrera y Cuevas and of Francisca de Paula Verdugo Fernández de Valdivieso y Herrera. From her youth, she was well known because of her beauty and strong character. She married young, on May 2, 1796, to Manuel de la Lastra y de la Sotta, with whom she had two children: Manuel and Dolores. He died in 1798. She remarried in 1800 to the Spanish aristocrat, Pedro Díaz de Valdés. They had five children: Pedro, Domitila, Pío, Santos and Ignacio. During the time of the
Patria Vieja Old Fatherland (, ) refers to a time period in the history of Chile occurring between the First Junta of the Government (September 18, 1810) and the Disaster of Rancagua (October 1, 1814). In this period, Chilean measures were taken for the i ...
("Old Republic"), she became the firmest supporter of her family in their struggle to achieve an independent Chile. This struggle for independence affected many Chilean families, leading to politics being introduced into family dynamics. The Carreras were no exception, and she took many actions to support her family's goals. Women often acted as couriers, petitioners, activists, spies, and other roles that supported the movement for Chilean independence. She organized and supported all the social organizations that lent their support to the nascent government. At that time she sewed the first Chilean flag (1812). Due to all of her activities, she became the visible face and heroine of those early struggles. After the Spanish Reconquista of 1814, she went into exile, together with her brothers, to
Argentina Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. It covers an area of , making it the List of South American countries by area, second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourt ...
. She lived first in the city of Mendoza, was jailed in Luján, later was imprisoned in a convent in
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
by pro- San Martin forces, who were allied with O'Higgins and were enemies of the brothers Carrera. She escaped and took refuge in a Brazilian ship, bound for the city of
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 ...
, in
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 ...
. There she received the news of the executions of her brothers Juan José and
Luis Luis is a given name. It is the Spanish form of the originally Germanic name or . Other Iberian Romance languages have comparable forms: (with an accent mark on the i) in Portuguese and Galician, in Aragonese and Catalan, while is archai ...
in 1818, and of José Miguel in 1821. She didn't return to Chile until three years later, in 1824, one year after the resignation and exile of
Bernardo O'Higgins Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme (; 20 August 1778 – 24 October 1842) was a Chilean independence leader who freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. He was a wealthy landowner of Basque people, Basque-Spanish people, Spani ...
, whom she considered responsible for their deaths. Once in Chile, she dedicated all her energies to having her brothers' bodies, who had been buried in the Claustro de la Caridad in Mendoza, repatriated. President
Francisco Antonio Pinto Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente (; July 23, 1785 – July 18, 1858) was a Chilean politician who served as President of Chile between 1827 and 1829. Early life He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes D ...
did so in 1828. She lived the rest of her life very quietly in her hacienda of El Monte, where she died in August 1862.


Exile

In 1814, when Spain reconquered Chile, Javiera abandoned her husband and children to go into self-exile and to follow the footsteps of her three brothers. Together with them, she traveled to the
United Provinces of Río de la Plata United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
, lived in Mendoza and later moved to
Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, controlled by the government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Argentina. It is located on the southwest of the Río de la Plata. Buenos Aires is classified as an Alpha− glob ...
where she was received by the priest Bartolomé Tollo, an old friend of the family. Javiera often wrote letters to her husband during her exile, she stated in the letters that her leave of her family was to protect them due to her family connection. She also stated that the leave she took of her family deeply hurt her and that she had taken her son Perico as consolation for her troubles. She had difficult times in Buenos Aires: due to health problems and a financial disaster. At that time she began a romantic relationship with the Argentine nationalized American captain
David Jewett David Jewett (June 17, 1772 – July 26, 1842) was an American-born Brazilian naval officer known for his role in the sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata (the predecessor state of Argen ...
. She directed the so-called "conspiracy of 1817" against O'Higgins, which ultimately meant the execution of her brothers Luis and Juan José in 1818, in Mendoza.


Final years

She remained in retirement until her last days on herd estate in El Monte, concentrating on domestic life and charitable works. She accomplished the repatriation of the bodies of her brothers in 1828 under the presidency of
Francisco Antonio Pinto Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente (; July 23, 1785 – July 18, 1858) was a Chilean politician who served as President of Chile between 1827 and 1829. Early life He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes D ...
. She died at her
hacienda A ''hacienda'' ( or ; or ) is an estate (or '' finca''), similar to a Roman '' latifundium'', in Spain and the former Spanish Empire. With origins in Andalusia, ''haciendas'' were variously plantations (perhaps including animals or orchards ...
in
Santiago Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
on August 20, 1862. Since 1952, her body has been lying with her brothers in the
Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral () is the seat of the Archdiocese of Santiago, Santiago de Chile and the main temple of the Catholic Church in that country. As a Cathedral Church, it is the permanent seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of San ...
.


Legacy

Carrera is seen as a symbol of a Chilean woman standing up to authority like Paula Jaraquemada and
Inés Suárez Inés Suárez, (; c. 1507 – 1580) was a Spanish conquistadora who participated in the Conquest of Chile with Pedro de Valdivia, successfully defending the newly conquered Santiago against an attack in 1541 by the indigenous Mapuche. Early li ...
. She is still mentioned as a role model to contemporary protesters against mistreatment. One of the most prestigious girls-only public schools in
Santiago, Chile Santiago (, ; ), also known as Santiago de Chile (), is the capital and largest city of Chile and one of the largest cities in the Americas. It is located in the country's central valley and is the center of the Santiago Metropolitan Regi ...
is named after her, the Liceo A-1 Javiera Carrera (Public School A-1 Javiera Carrera). One of its most famous students is the former Chilean
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
,
Michelle Bachelet Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (; born 29 September 1951) is a Chilean politician who served as President of Chile from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2018, becoming the first woman to hold the presidency. She was re-elected in December ...
. Javiera Carrera was the object of admiration during the 19th century. Maria Graham,
Miguel Luis Amunátegui Miguel Luis Amunátegui Aldunate (January 11, 1828 in Santiago, Chile – January 22, 1888) was a Chilean historian, politician, and writer. He was the brother of fellow historian Gregorio Víctor Amunátegui Aldunate. Early life Amunátegui was ...
,
Vicente Grez Vicente Grez Yávar (21 January 1847 – 1 June 1909According this biographyon the website of the Library of the National Congress of Chile, Grez was born 21 January 1842 and died 28 May 1909.) was a Chilean politician, journalist, and writer. Fam ...
and
Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna (August 25, 1831 – January 25, 1886) was a Chilean writer, journalist, historian and politician. Vicuña Mackenna was of Irish and Basque descent. Biography Benjamín Vicuña Mackenna was born in Santiago, the ...
wrote works that highlighted her patriotism and the defense of her brothers, portraying her as a strong, determined and educated woman.


See also

*
History of Chile The territory of Chile has been populated since at least 3000 BC. By the 16th century, Spanish invaders began to raid the region of present-day Chile, and the territory was a colony from 1540 to 1818, when it gained Chilean War of Independence, i ...
*
Carrera family The Carrera family from Alegría de Oria ( Basque Country) became politically influential during the colonial period and played a significant role in the Chilean independence. They remained politically important throughout the 19th century. Ge ...


References


Sources

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External links


Short Biography


{{DEFAULTSORT:Carrera, Javiera 1781 births 1862 deaths Chilean people of Basque descent Activists from Santiago, Chile Chilean independence activists Women in war in South America 19th-century Chilean people 19th-century Chilean women Women in 19th-century warfare Carrera family Chilean War of Independence Viceroyalty of Peru people