Pedro Santana
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| Pedro Santana y Familias, 1st Marquis of Las Carreras | |
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 1st President of the Dominican Republic |
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| In office November 13, 1844 – August 4, 1848 |
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| Succeeded by | Manuel Jimenes |
| 4th President of the Dominican Republic |
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| In office February 15, 1853 – May 26, 1856 |
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| Vice President | Felipe Benicio Alfau Bustamante (1854) Manuel de Regla Mota y Alvarez (1854-1856) |
| Preceded by | Buenaventura Báez |
| Succeeded by | Manuel de Regla Mota |
| 8th President of the Dominican Republic |
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| In office July 28, 1858 – March 18, 1861 |
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| Vice President | Benigno Filomeno de Rojas y Ramos |
| Preceded by | José Desiderio Valverde |
| Succeeded by | Annexation to Spain |
| 1st Governors-General of Santo Domingo | |
| In office March 18, 1861 – July 20, 1862 |
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| Preceded by | Himself as President |
| Succeeded by | Felipe Ribero |
| Supreme Chief of the Dominican Republic | |
| In office May 30, 1849 – September 23, 1849 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Jimenes |
| Succeeded by | Buenaventura Báez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 29, 1801 Hinche, Colony of Santo Domingo (Presently part of Haiti) |
| Died | June 16, 1864 (aged 62) Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| Spouse(s) | Micaela Antonia Rivera Ana Zorrilla |
| Religion | Catholic |
Pedro Santana y Familias (Pedro Santana y Familias, 1st Marquis of Las Carreras) (June 29, 1801 – June 14, 1864) was a wealthy cattle rancher, soldier, politician and dictator of the Dominican Republic. He was born in the community of Hinche, which was part of the Colony of Santo Domingo. Currently, Hinche is a border town part of Haiti. He was the first constitutional President of the Dominican Republic, and the first Marqués de las Carreras.
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[edit] Background
His parents were Pedro Santana and Petronila Familias, landowners in the border zone. Around 1805, Santana moved with his family to El Cibao, and later to El Seibo at the eastern part of the country, where he eventually became a cattle rancher.
[edit] Military and political role
He held the office of the presidency during the years 1844-1848, 1853–1856, and 1858-1861 (when Spain annexed the country). Thereafter, Santana became [Governor], with the rank of [Captain General] of the [Territory (country subdivision)|territory]. He continued in this post until 1862. He also received the Spanish noble title of [Marqués de las Carreras], which was given as a recognition to his victory in the Battle of Las Carreras.
Santana was characterized by his great military talents, dictatorial tendencies, annexationist desires, and meticulousness in public affairs. Politically, his actions are criticized by many historians, though without doubt he was a great soldier, which is demonstrated by his participation in numerous battles, including: [Battle of March 19]; Azua in 1844; and [Battle of Las Carreras]. He also fought with distinction in the [Revolution of July 7, 1857], when the residents of [Cibao] placed the revolutionary army under his command.
The [Congress of the Dominican Republic] awarded him the title of “Liberator of the Nation” on July 18, 1849 for his victory in the Batalla de las Carreras.
[edit] As a Dictator
He is considered a brilliant [Military strategy|military strategist], and was a key figure in the successful separation of the Dominican Republic from Haiti. But many historians think that some of his later actions barred him from becoming a genuine national hero.
- After he drove the Haitian army out of the country in the Dominican War of Independence, he almost immediately moved to eliminate the very Independentists that fought alongside him. Santana felt that the new nation could not survive without being annexed to Spain, which the Trinitarian Independentists did not accept.
- He relentlessly arrested or exiled members of La Trinitaria. The very first person that was forced out of the country was Juan Pablo Duarte, founding father of the new Dominican Republic.
- Santana attacked María Trinidad Sánchez, the first heroine of the Republic and sister of Francisco del Rosario Sánchez of the Founding Fathers of the nation. She and Concepción Bona made the first national flag. Santana imprisoned her, tortured her, and sentenced her to death when she refused to name "conspirators" against him in the newly independent republic. Exactly one year after the proclamation of Independence (February 27, 1845) María Trinidad Sánchez was executed by a firing squad. This made her the first (but not last) female martyr of the republic [1].
- After being defeated in the elections of 1848, he reluctantly handed over the presidency to Manuel Jiménes, only to overthrow him by force less than a year later.
[edit] Last years
On June 16, 1864, Pedro Santana died in the city of Santo Domingo, shortly after having been awarded the hereditary title of Marqués de las Carreras (28 March 1862) by Queen Isabel II of Spain, and was buried in the Ozama Fortress next to the Torre del Homenaje.
[edit] External links
- Dominican Republic Heads of State - www.archontology.org
- Pedro Santana Familias - www.27febrero.com (in Spanish) by Miosotis de Jesus
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Office created |
President of the Dominican Republic 1844–1848 |
Succeeded by Manuel Jiménes |
| Preceded by Buenaventura Báez |
President of the Dominican Republic 1853–1856 |
Succeeded by Manuel de Regla Mota |
| Preceded by José Desiderio Valverde |
President of the Dominican Republic 1858–1861 |
Vacant
Title next held by
Pedro Antonio Pimentel |
| Spanish nobility | ||
| Preceded by Title created |
Marquess of Las Carreras 16 June 1862 – 28 March 1864 |
Succeeded by ? |
