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Juana Azurduy de Padilla (July 12, 1780 – May 25, 1862) was a guerrilla military leader from Chuquisaca,
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata or Viceroyalty of Buenos Aires ( or Virreinato de Buenos Aires or ) meaning "River of the Silver", also called the "Viceroyalty of River Plate" in some scholarly writings, in southern South America, was ...
(now
Sucre Sucre (; ) is the ''de jure'' capital city of Bolivia, the capital of the Chuquisaca Department and the sixth most populous city in Bolivia. Located in the south-central part of the country, Sucre lies at an elevation of . This relatively high ...
,
Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, the Gran Chaco Province, w ...
).Pallis, Michael “Slaves of Slaves: The Challenge of Latin American Women” (London: Zed Press, 1980) pg. 24 She fought for
Bolivian Bolivian may refer to: * Something of, or related to, Bolivia ** Bolivian people ** Demographics of Bolivia ** Culture of Bolivia * SS Bolivian, SS ''Bolivian'', later SS ''Alfios'', a British-built standard cargo ship {{disambiguation ...
and Argentine independence alongside her husband,
Manuel Ascencio Padilla Commandante Manuel Ascencio Padilla (or Manuel Ascensio Padilla) (September 26, 1774 – September 14, 1816) was an Upper Peruvian Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla chief who fought in the Bolivian War of Independence with his wife, Juana Azurdu ...
, earning the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. She was noted for her strong support for and military leadership of the indigenous people of
Upper Peru Upper Peru (; ) is a name for the land that was governed by the Real Audiencia of Charcas. The name originated in Buenos Aires towards the end of the 18th century after the Audiencia of Charcas was transferred from the Viceroyalty of Peru to th ...
. Today, she is regarded as an independence hero in both Bolivia and Argentina. In 2015, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a statue of Azurduy replaced the one of
Christopher Columbus Christopher Columbus (; between 25 August and 31 October 1451 – 20 May 1506) was an Italians, Italian explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa who completed Voyages of Christopher Columbus, four Spanish-based voyages across the At ...
in front of the Centro Cultural Kirchner, causing some controversy.


Biography


Early life

Juana Azurduy was born on July 12, 1780, in Chuquisaca, Upper Peru, a territory of the Spanish
Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata The Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata or Viceroyalty of Buenos Aires ( or Virreinato de Buenos Aires or ) meaning "River of the Silver", also called the "Viceroyalty of River Plate" in some scholarly writings, in southern South America, was ...
. Her father, Don Matías Azurduy, was a white Spaniard 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, ''patrón'' of an
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 Toroca. Her mother, Doña Eulalia Bermudez, was a ''chola'' (a woman with a mestizo and an indigenous parent) from a poor family in Chuquisaca. Her family was unusual under the strict ''
casta () is a term which means "Lineage (anthropology), lineage" in Spanish and Portuguese and has historically been used as a racial and social identifier. In the context of the Spanish America, Spanish Empire in the Americas, the term also refer ...
'' system of Spanish colonial rule, under which Juana was considered '' mestiza''. She had an older brother, Blas, who died in infancy, and a younger sister, Rosalía. After the death of her mother in 1787, she developed an especially close relationship with her father. Despite the staunchly Catholic and conservative gender roles of colonial society, Don Matías taught her to become a skilled rider and sharpshooter, and she accompanied him to work the land alongside indigenous laborers. As well as her native Spanish, she became fluent in Quechua and Aymara, the languages of the local indigenous people, and she was known to spend days at a time in their villages. In her early teens, the death of their father left the Azurduy sisters orphans. They became wards of their aunt Petrona Azurduy and her husband Francisco Días Vayo, who administered the properties left by Don Matías to the girls upon their adulthood. Doña Petrona found Juana's unconventional behavior both undesirable and difficult to control. A tutor was hired to provide her both academic and social instruction, but failed to tame Juana's frequent rebellious outbursts. When Juana rebelled against her aunt's control, she was sent away to the prestigious Convento de Santa Teresa de Chuquisaca to become a nun. During her time there, classmates remember Azurduy idolizing the warrior Saint
Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ;  – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...
and declaring her aspirations for the battlefield. Due to her rebellious temperament and clashes with the Sisters, Azurduy was expelled from the convent at the age of 17. In 1797, Azurduy returned to live on her father's hacienda, spending her days with the indigenous people who lived on his land. She witnessed the brutality of their work in Spanish silver mines, and became a passionate ally to the indigenous revolutionary movement. In 1805, Azurduy married her neighbor and childhood friend
Manuel Ascencio Padilla Commandante Manuel Ascencio Padilla (or Manuel Ascensio Padilla) (September 26, 1774 – September 14, 1816) was an Upper Peruvian Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla chief who fought in the Bolivian War of Independence with his wife, Juana Azurdu ...
, a fellow revolutionary who left a Royalist law school to join the independence movement. Their marriage was remarkably progressive, with Padilla standing alongside his wife on and off the battlefield. Before their military engagements began, the Padillas had two sons. Both would die tragically young due to disease and malnutrition in military camps.


Military life and career

On May 25, 1809, Azurduy and her husband joined the Chuquisaca Revolution, which ousted the governor of the Real Audencia of Charcas, Ramón García de León y Pizarro, and in September 1810, established a governing '' Junta de Buenos Aires''. The revolutionary government was forced out of Chuquisaca in 1811 by
royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...
troops, but across the Viceroyalty, rebels maintained control of a patchwork of '' republiquetas'', or independent territories. In the fighting, Azurduy was captured and held prisoner in her home by Spanish soldiers, but Padilla killed her guards in a successful rescue. The Padilla couple escaped Chuquisaca in 1811 to the ''republiqueta'' of La Laguna, where they continued to organize rebel forces. In 1811, the couple joined the
Army of the North The Army of the North (), contemporaneously called Army of Peru (), was one of the armies deployed by the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in the Spanish American wars of independence. Its objective was freeing the Argentine Northwest a ...
under José Castelli and Antonio Balcarce, sent from newly independent Buenos Aires to fight the Spanish occupation of
Upper Peru Upper Peru (; ) is a name for the land that was governed by the Real Audiencia of Charcas. The name originated in Buenos Aires towards the end of the 18th century after the Audiencia of Charcas was transferred from the Viceroyalty of Peru to th ...
. They attempted to block invasion of Upper Peru by the Spanish army of the
Viceroyalty of Peru The Viceroyalty of Peru (), officially known as the Kingdom of Peru (), was a Monarchy of Spain, Spanish imperial provincial administrative district, created in 1542, that originally contained modern-day Peru and most of the Spanish Empire in ...
, but were outnumbered and eventually defeated, in the June 20
Battle of Huaqui The Battle of Huaqui or Battle of Guaqui-modern spelling- (in some sources also called Yuraicoragua or Battle of Desaguadero), was a battle on June 20, 1811, between the Primera Junta's (Buenos Aires) revolutionary troops and the royalist ...
. The ''hacienda'' properties of the Padillas were confiscated and Juana Azurduy and her sons were captured, though Padilla managed to rescue them, taking refuge in the heights of
Tarabuco Tarabuco is a Bolivia Bolivia, officially the Plurinational State of Bolivia, is a landlocked country located in central South America. The country features diverse geography, including vast Amazonian plains, tropical lowlands, mountains, th ...
. In 1812 Padilla and Juana Azurduy served under General
Manuel Belgrano Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano (3 June 1770 – 20 June 1820), usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano (), was an Argentina, Argentine public servant, economist, lawyer, politician, journalist, and military leader. He to ...
, the new head of the Army of the North, helping him to recruit 10,000 militiamen across the ''republiqueta'' system. Azurduy was a famous recruiting force, inspiring indigenous people, ''criados'', and other women, known as the ''Amazonas'', to join the cause. When their mountain territories became overrun by royalist forces, their militia served as the rear guard for generals Belgrano and Eustoquio Díaz Vélez as they retreated and regrouped in independent Argentina. Azurduy then took charge of the "Loyal Battalions," a fighting force of indigenous men and women known for their fierce loyalty to their commander. With only slingshots and wooden spears, the "Loyals" beat back Spanish forces in the
Battle of Ayohuma The Battle of Ayohuma ("dead man's head" in Quechua) was a military action fought on 14 November 1813 during the Spanish American wars of independence. The forces of the Royal Army of Viceroyalty of Peru, commanded by Spaniard General Joaquín ...
on November 9, 1813. General Belgrano was so impressed with her leadership and the bravery of her soldiers that he gifted her his own sword, symbolic of his military power. The Argentine Army of the North, outnumbered and outgunned, was eventually beat back to their border, and the Padilla couple began a phase of guerrilla warfare. During an 1815 battle at Pintatora, Azurduy left the battlefield to give birth to her fourth son. In an act that would become legend, she returned hours later to the front lines to rally her troops, and personally captured the standard of the defeated Spanish forces. On March 3, 1816, near Villa, Bolivia, Azurduy led 30 cavalry, including her ''Amazonas'', to attack the La Hera Spanish forces. The women captured their standard and a valuable cache of rifles and ammunitions for their undersupplied forces. On March 8, 1816, Azurduy's cavalry forces temporarily captured the Cerro Rico of
Potosí Potosí, known as Villa Imperial de Potosí in the colonial period, is the capital city and a municipality of the Potosí Department, Department of Potosí in Bolivia. It is one of the list of highest cities in the world, highest cities in the wo ...
, the main source of Spanish silver, also leading a charge which captured the enemy standard. When word of these victories reached General
Juan Martín de Pueyrredón Juan Martín de Pueyrredón y O'Dogan (December 18, 1777 – March 13, 1850) was an Argentine general and politician of the early 19th century. He was appointed Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata after the Argentin ...
of the Argentine army, he formally granted her the title of Lieutenant Colonel in an August 16, 1816, ceremony. During the Battle of La Laguna in September 1816, Juana, who was expecting her fifth child, was injured, and her husband was shot and captured by Spanish forces while trying to rescue her. He was beheaded by Royalists on September 14, and his head was mounted on a pike in the village of Laguna. Juana found herself in a desperate situation: single, pregnant and with Royalist armies effectively controlling the territory. With the death of Padilla, the northern guerilla forces dissolved, and Juana was forced to survive in the region of
Salta Salta () is the capital and largest city in the Provinces of Argentina, Argentine province of Salta Province, the same name. With a population of 618,375 according to the 2010 census, it is also the List of cities in Argentina, 7th most-populous ...
. She led a counterattack to recover the body of her husband.Davies, Catherine, Brewster, Clare, Hilary Owen. “South American Independence. Gender, Politics, Text” (Liverpool: Liverpool University, 2006) p. 156 In 1818 the Spanish temporarily took control of Chuquisaca, and she was forced to flee again with her soldiers to Northern Argentina, where she continued to fight under the command of the Argentinean General
Martín Miguel de Güemes Martín Miguel de Güemes (8 February 1785 – 17 June 1821) was a military leader and popular caudillo who defended northwestern Argentina from the Spanish royalist army during the Argentine War of Independence. Biography Güemes was born in ...
. She was appointed to the position of commander of the Northern Army of the Revolutionary Government of the United Provinces of the Rio de la Plata. She was able to establish an independent zone on the border between Argentina and Upper Peru until the Spanish forces withdrew from the area. At the highest point of her control, she commanded an army with an estimated strength of 6,000 men.


Later life

In 1825, upon the withdrawal of Spanish forces from Upper Peru, Azurduy petitioned the independent government for aid in returning to her hometown, newly renamed Sucre. In 1825, Azurduy was granted a Colonel's military pension by the independent government under
Simón Bolívar Simón José Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad Bolívar y Palacios (24July 178317December 1830) was a Venezuelan statesman and military officer who led what are currently the countries of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Panama, and Bol ...
. After visiting Azurduy to commend her service, Bolívar commented to Marshal
Antonio José de Sucre Antonio José de Sucre y Alcalá (; 3 February 1795 – 4 June 1830), known as the "Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho" (), was a Venezuelan general and politician who served as the president of Bolivia from 1825 to 1828. A close friend and associate ...
: "This country should not be named Bolivia in my honor, but Padilla or Azurduy, because it was them who made it free." In her old age, Azurduy adopted an indigenous boy named Indalecio Sandi, who cared for her. The two traveled to Salta to petition the Bolivian government for the return of her father's property, seized by the Spanish. In 1857, her pension was revoked during bureaucratic reorganization under the government of
José María Linares José María Linares Lizarazu (10 July 1808 – 23 October 1861) was a Bolivian lawyer and politician who served as the 13th president of Bolivia from 1857 to 1861. Commencing his political career at a young age, he emerged as a fervent advoca ...
. Azurduy died impoverished on May 25, 1862, at the age of 82, and was buried in a communal grave.


Legacy

At the time of her death on May 25, 1862, the anniversary of the 1810 revolution in Argentina, she was forgotten and in poverty, but was remembered as a hero only a century later. Her remains were exhumed 100 years later and moved to a mausoleum constructed in her honor in the city of Sucre. In Bolivia, President Evo Morales named her birthday (July 12) as the Day of Argentine-Bolivian Fellowship. The air terminal at Sucre is named Juana Azurduy de Padilla International Airport. The Azurduy Province in Bolivia is also named for her. In 2009, President
Néstor Kirchner Néstor Carlos Kirchner Ostoić (; 25 February 195027 October 2010) was an Argentine lawyer and politician who served as the president of Argentina from 2003 to 2007. A member of the Justicialist Party, he previously served as Governor of Sa ...
raised her posthumously to the rank of general of the Argentine Army. The National Programme for Women's Rights and Participation of Argentina named after her. Azurduy was also the subject of a children's cartoon designed to promote knowledge of Argentine history. In spring 2014, a bas relief sculpture of Azurduy was on display as part of an outdoor exhibition of famous Latin Americans in the
Pan American Union Building The Pan American Union Building is the headquarters for the Organization of American States. It is located at 17th Street N.W. between C Street N.W. and Constitution Avenue, Northwest, Washington, D.C. History The cornerstone was laid on May 1 ...
in Washington, D.C.


Controversy of Azurduy statue in Buenos Aires

In July 2015, a 25-ton, 52-foot-high statue of Azurduy commissioned by Argentine president
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner (; born 19 February 1953), often referred to by her initials CFK, is an Argentine lawyer and former politician who served as the 56th president of Argentina from 2007 to 2015, and later as the 37th Vice ...
with the aid of a US$1 million donation by Bolivian president
Evo Morales Juan Evo Morales Ayma (; born 26 October 1959) is a Bolivian politician, trade union organizer, and former cocalero activist who served as the 65th president of Bolivia from 2006 to 2019. Widely regarded as the country's first president to come ...
. Azurduy was an exemplar of the forgotten or suppressed history of the nation's indigenous populations. The Argentine sculptor and activist for indigenous rights chosen for the commission, Andrés Zerneri, said the Azurduy monument provided Argentines with "a way of seeing our identity", articulating "not just a representation of our shared past, but also a call for future action." The huge statue was inaugurated in the space where a statue of Cristopher Columbus stood, donated by the Argentine Italian community for the 1910 centennial of Argentine independence. As of December 2015, months after its inauguration, it showed weather damage. With Fernández de Kirchner succeeded by conservative
Mauricio Macri Mauricio Macri (; born 8 February 1959) is an Argentine businessman and politician who served as President of Argentina from 2015 to 2019. He has been the leader of the Republican Proposal (PRO) party since its founding in 2005. He previously ...
in the presidency and a vote by the municipal government of Buenos Aires, and due to the construction of the Paseo del Bajo highway, the Azurduy statue was moved to the Plaza del Correo, in front of the "Palacio de Correos y Telecomunicaciones", which hosts the Kirchner Cultural Centre, and Zerneri was able to repair the statue, which had been inaugurated in a rush before Kirchner left office.Frei, "Columbus, Juana, and the Politics of the Plaza", p. 637


See also

* History of Bolivia (1809–1920) *
Argentine War of Independence The Argentine War of Independence () was a secessionist civil war (until 1816) fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli, Martín Miguel de Güemes, Martin Miguel de Guemes and José de ...
* Women in warfare and the military in the 19th century * Feminist history


References


Further reading

*Frei, Cheryl Jiménez. "Columbus, Juana, and the Politics of the Plaza: Battles over Monuments, Memory and Identity in Buenos Aires," ''Journal of Latin American Studies'', vol. 51, (3) August 2019, pp. 607-638. *Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. (1991) ''The Encyclopedia of Amazons''. Paragon House. Page 26.
Link to the Book Chapters of: Pacho O'Donnell (1994). ''The Woman Lieutenant Colonel'', in Spanish. Planeta: Buenos Aires.


External links

* *
Juana Azurduy: Heroine of Independence

Las Azurduy: Theatrical performance honors the life, legacy of South American Feminist Freedom Fighter
{{DEFAULTSORT:Azurduy de Padilla, Juana 1780 births 1862 deaths Bolivian people of indigenous peoples descent Bolivian people of Spanish descent Bolivian people of Basque descent Bolivian military personnel Bolivian expatriates in Argentina Argentine generals People of the Argentine War of Independence People from Potosí Department Women in 19th-century warfare Women in war in South America Argentine guerrillas 19th-century Argentine military personnel 19th-century Argentine women 19th-century Bolivian people People from the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata