JAVIERA CARRERA: BIOGRAPHY - HISTORY - 2024

Javiera Carrera stood out for her struggle in the process that led to the independence of Chile from Spain. She was born in Santiago in 1781 and, among her many actions, stands out having been the first to embroider the national flag. Sister of three pro-independence heroes (José Miguel, Juan José and Luis), she has been taken as a symbol of those troubled years.

According to historians, she stood out for her beauty and determination, as well as for the training she acquired during meetings of intellectuals that took place in her home. However, his figure was the object of displeasure on the part of a sector of his side, with his relationship with O'Higgins and San Martín being especially complicated.

Javiera hid soldiers in his house and received carts loaded with weapons destined for supporters of separation from Spain. The Spanish offensive of 1814 forced her to go into exile, leaving her second husband and children behind.

His confrontation with O'Higgins made him stay out of the country for years, returning in 1828. He died on his hacienda in Santiago in 1862. His body rests next to those of his brothers in the cathedral of the capital.

Biography

Francisca Javiera de la Carrera y Verdugo was born in Santiago on March 1, 1781. As was the custom of the time, her education was the one that was given to girls. This was focused on what was called "work proper to sex"; this is religion, good manners and housework.

The only academic subjects the girls were taught were reading and writing. However, Javiera took advantage of the fact that her house was visited by important intellectuals and, together with her three younger brothers, began to become familiar with concepts such as popular sovereignty, citizen rights or representative democracy.

According to the chroniclers, Javiera stood out from a very young age for her beauty, as well as for her determined character. It is considered that she was one of the greatest influences received by her brothers José Miguel, Juan José and Luis in their independence struggle.

Marriage

Javiera got married when she was fifteen years old. Her husband, the son of a wealthy merchant, died in 1799, leaving her a widow with two children.

The following year he remarried. This time with Pedro Díaz, a Spanish lawyer with whom she had five children.

Movement for independence

Javiera, along with her entire family, quickly supported the revolutionary movement in search of independence in 1810. Many authors point out that it was precisely she who promoted the commitment of her family to the cause.

Very soon Javiera became well known in revolutionary circles. Her house was a refuge for the soldiers and was in charge of receiving the wagons with weapons that were to be distributed among the rebels. Little by little, her performance turned her into a true heroine of independence.

On the other hand, there are those who affirm that Javiera was the one who encouraged her brothers to be in the front line of the movement. For a section of historians, she was the true ideologist behind the Carrera.

The pro-independence side was divided into two: the supporters of the Larraín and those who followed the Carrera. Despite the common cause, coexistence was not easy between them.

Thus, on September 4 the revolutionary coup broke out. José Miguel Carrera, Javiera's favorite, was one of the leaders. Events precipitated in those months.

First, the Larraín group occupied the government, but on December 2, 1811 José Miguel expelled the new rulers, encouraging his family to occupy power.

Old Homeland

The later years are known in Chile as "Old Homeland". Javiera exerted a great influence on the political decisions of her brothers, although she did not hold any position. In fact, opponents of the government criticized her for several of the decisions made by her brother, claiming they were her ideas.

Among the actions in which I do participate openly is the creation of Chilean national symbols, such as the flag. Javiera presented it in public on July 4, 1812.

Meanwhile, the Spanish were reorganizing to try to end the independence attempt. In March 1813, the royalist troops sent from Lima forced José Miguel to form his own army to try to defeat them. Javiera again took an active part in this decision, forming groups of women to work as nurses.

During the years 1813 and 1814 both sides clashed militarily on several occasions. The situation made José Miguel have to hand over command to someone with military experience: Bernardo O'Higgins.

Despite this change, the Spanish prevailed and regained control of the government. The revolutionary leaders had no choice but to go into exile.

Exile

Javiera had to make a momentous decision: to accompany her siblings, leaving her husband and children behind, or to stay. Finally she opted for the former and marched to Argentina, to the city of Mendoza.

O'Higgins was also there, with whom the Carrera had fallen out in a very deep way. The governor of Cuyo at that time was José de San Martín, with whom they also had strong disputes.

In November 1814 they had to leave Mendoza by order of San Martín and went to Buenos Aires. In the Argentine capital they spent 5 difficult years, without money and forced to do small jobs to support themselves.

However, they did not put aside their political side and their home became the center of all the conspiracies of the Chilean exiles. José Miguel traveled to the United States to try to find support to return to Chile and Javiera stayed in charge of all the preparations.

Meanwhile, his political enemies San Martín and O'Higgins achieved victories against the Spanish. The second was appointed supreme director of the so-called New Homeland.

Attempts by the Carrera to regain power were unsuccessful. The Conspiracy of 1817, which sought to overthrow the new Chilean government and arrest San Martín, resulted in the arrest of Juan José and Luis. Javiera tried to free them, but on April 8, 1818 both brothers were shot.

Javiera's arrest

The death of his brothers made an immense impression on Javiera. This caused him to act very aggressively in the following months.

The propaganda that she carried out against San Martín and O'Higgins caused the Argentine government to arrest her and that José Miguel had to flee to Entre Ríos.

Javiera was transferred to the Luján Guard, since the Argentine rulers wanted her to be incommunicado and not be able to lead any new rebellion attempt.

Months later, at the end of 1819, Javiera was ill and was able to return to Buenos Aires. She was not there long, since, despite her age, she starred in a complicated escape to Montevideo at the beginning of 1820. He resided in that city for four years, leading a quiet and uncomplicated life.

Death of José Miguel and return to Chile

If there was something that hit Javiera during that stage of her life, it was the death of her brother José Miguel, the only one left alive.

After being taken prisoner on August 31, 1821 along with other rebels, José Miguel was taken to Mendoza. There, Governor Godiy Cruz, a friend of O'Higgins and San Martín, sentenced him to be shot. Javiera's attempts to mediate for her life were in vain and José Miguel was executed in the same place where her brothers were.

According to the chronicles, Javiera fell ill when she learned of the execution. Her dejection was visible to all her acquaintances, who recommended that she return to Chile.

However, Javiera refused, swearing that he would not return while O'Higgins continued to govern. Then, until a coup d'état overthrew the ruler in 1824, the woman did not return to her country.

Last years and death

After 10 years of exile, Javiera was received with affection and respect by her fellow citizens. She, tired of public life, retired to her farm, from where she rarely left.

One of the occasions on which he did so was to request that the bodies of his brothers be repatriated, which happened in 1828. Javiera Carrera died in Santiago on August 20, 1862 at 81 years of age.

References

1. Educational Portal. Javiera Carrera. Obtained from portaleducativo.net
2. Icarito. Francisca Javiera Carrera Verdugo. Obtained from icarito.cl
3. Online Teacher. Javiera Carrera Verdugo. Obtained from profesorenlinea.cl
4. TheBiography. Biography of Javiera Carrera Verdugo (1781-1862). Retrieved from thebiography.us
5. Revolvy. Javiera Carrera. Retrieved from revolvy.com
6. Marquez, Humberto. Latin America: Women in History - More than Just Heroines. Retrieved from ipsnews.net
7. Minster, Christopher. Biography of Jose Miguel Carrera. Retrieved from thoughtco.com