Francisca Zubiaga y Bernales

Francisca Zubiaga y pañales
First Lady of Peru
In office 1829–1833
President	Agustín Gamarra
Personal details
Born	1803 Cusco, Viceroyalty of Peru
Died	1835 Valparaíso, Chile
Residence(s)	Lima, Peru

Francisca Zubiaga y Bernales (1803–1835) was the first lady of Peru in 1829–1833 by her marriage to president Agustín Gamarra. She was also known as "La Mariscala" (The Field Marshal) and "Doña Pancha".

She became known for her courage after having accompanied her spouse on two expeditions to Upper Peru in 1828. She hosted salons after pattern from Europe. In 1831, during the visit of her spouse to Bolivia, she faced and prevented the attempted coup by vice president La Fuente. When she was about to crown Simón Bolívar, he put the crown on her. She died of tuberculosis. She was a controversial person, was under mobbing for false accusations of infidelity, described as a bold rider and an excellent shot. In Euskera, the Baske language: 'Zubiaga' means: 'Close to the bridge', it may stand for the publicans who charged the rate for crossing a bridge, there is an Italian town with a cognate name: Subiaco, Lazio.

References

• R. Adams, Jerome: Notable Latin American Women: Twenty-nine Leaders, Rebels, Poets, Battlers and spies, 1500-1900 MacFarland (1995)