PEDRO VICENTE MALDONADO: BIOGRAPHY, SCIENTIFIC CONTRIBUTIONS AND WORKS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

Pedro Vicente Maldonado (1704-1748) was a scientist, surveyor, geographer and politician born in Riobamba, today in Ecuador and at the time belonging to the Vierreinato of Peru, in 1704. His achievements have made him considered one of the most important scientists important of their time.

This recognition was granted to him during his life. Pedro Vicente was admitted to some of the most important scientific societies in the world, such as the Royal Academy of Sciences in Paris and the Royal Geographical Society of London.

Source: Wax Museum, Quito. Author Enrique Gomezjurado. Via Wikipedia under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license

From a very young age, Vicente Maldonado showed a great interest in nature. His continuous explorations helped him to describe the flora and fauna of still little-known territories in that area of ​​Latin America. Thanks to these trips he was able to draw the first map of the region, a fundamental milestone for cartography.

Another of Maldonado's best-known projects was his attempt to create a road that would connect Quito and Esmeraldas, in order to improve colonial trade. Likewise, it collaborated with the French Geodesic Mission that arrived in the country to measure an arc of the Earth's meridian.

Biography

Pedro Vicente Maldonado Palomino y Flores, the scientist's full name, came to the world in Riobamba, today in the territory of Ecuador and then in the former Viceroyalty of Peru. He was born on November 24, 1704, into a wealthy family.

It was one of his brothers, the eldest, who began to instill in Pedro Vicente a love for natural and exact sciences.

Studies

The first studies were made in his hometown. Later, in 1718, he moved to Quito to continue his training in a center run by the Jesuits, the Colegio San Luís. There he studied Philosophy, Mathematics and Physical-Natural Sciences.

In 1721 he obtained the degree of teacher from the University of San Gregorio Magno in Quito, later returning to his city. In Riobamba he began to teach at the same Jesuit college where he had studied in his childhood.

His talent did not go unnoticed in his city. At just 22 years old, he was appointed Ordinary Mayor and, according to his biographers, he developed very beneficial policies for the entire population.

First explorations

From a very young age, Maldonado was interested in knowing the nature that surrounded him. In order to study it on the ground, he carried out a series of explorations to regions, then unknown.

Between 1722 and 1724, he collected data on the geography, fauna and flora of various areas, reflecting his discoveries on his first map, made in 1725.

Maldonado always tried to promote the development of the towns that then made up the Royal Audience of Quito. He explored both the east and the coast, founding some towns and building roads and churches.

All of these activities were paid for, for the most part, by the inheritance he received from his parents. Thanks to this legacy, and to his good work to increase his fortune, he was able to finance his projects.

The most important was the construction of a road from Quito to Atacames, a company that would take him 6 years and that served to facilitate the colonization of Esmeraldas.

Marriage

Maldonado settled again in Riobamba after that first period of exploration. Until 1730 he remained there, managing his properties. Later, he settled in Quito, where he married the daughter of the Governor of Popayán, relating to an important family of the time.

In 1734, he returned to Riobamba again. That year he was the first mayor elected in a local vote, later occupying the position of lieutenant magistrate.

These political activities did not cause him to neglect his true calling. Thus, he presented a project to the Viceroy of Peru to build a road that would link the Royal Audience of Quito with Panama.

Geodesic Mission of France

In 1736 an encounter took place that changed Maldonado's life. France had launched the so-called Geodesic Mission, led by La Condamine, with the purpose of measuring a degree of the Earth's meridian near the equator.

Maldonado and the members of the European expedition struck up a close friendship. The scientist gave his colleagues all possible help to develop his work, both scientific and economic.

Two years later, although he continued to collaborate with the French, Maldonado assumed the position of Governor of Esmeraldas. However, on January 20, 1742, he granted power to his brothers to exercise the government of that region. In 1743 he remarried, since he had been a widower years before.

For a few months he resumed his expeditions, surveying the soil and rivers. Likewise, he made measurements of the elevations of the land, as well as the coasts and distances. With all these data, he began to draw up a topographic map of the region.

Trip to Europe

By that time, Maldonado was already known in Europe thanks to his friends from the French Mission. In 1744 he traveled to the Old Continent, beginning his journey through Spain. In Madrid he printed his Relationship, a work that included all his works and research.

Two years later, the Spanish king, Felipe V, decorated him with the title of Gentleman. In addition, it confirmed him as Governor of Atacames for two generations.

After leaving Spain, Maldonado moved to Paris (France). His friend and colleague Le Condamine gave him access to sessions of the Royal Academy of Sciences, an institution that accepted him as a member in 1747.

It was during his stay in the French capital that he had the Map of the Kingdom of Quito recorded. This work became a reference for the cartography of America and caused great admiration in the scientific community of the time.

Death

That same year, 1747, Maldonado made a tour of the Netherlands. Later, he was invited to participate in the meetings of the Royal British Scientific Society, which had also made him a member.

Pedro Vicente Maldonado arrived in London in August 1748. However, he could not join the scientific institution, since he died on November 17, the victim of a flux in the chest. He was buried in the temple of St. James in the British capital.

Scientific contributions

Pedro Vicente Maldonado is considered by many experts as the most important scientist of the 18th century in much of the American continent. Their contributions in the areas of topography, cartography and the description of new species, allowed a better knowledge of the area.

Charter of the Province of Quito

The most impressive work of Pedro Maldonado was his Geographical Map of Quito. Thanks to the data collected in his explorations throughout the territory, he drew the first map of the country.

This Geographical Chart was considered a masterpiece by scientists of the time. It was described as the best representation of the European colonial territories made to date.

Meridian degree measurement

Although it was a task undertaken by the French Geodetic Mission led by La Condamine, Maldonado's collaboration was essential in order to complete the task.

The purpose of the French expedition was to measure the arc of the Earth's meridian and, in this way, to know exactly the shape of the planet.

La Condamine, while in Quito, decided to go out via Esmeraldas. It was then that he met Maldonado, being impressed by his knowledge and incorporating him into the mission.

Maldonado not only helped them with his knowledge of the terrain they had to go through, but he also accompanied the Europeans on their journeys and even gave them financial help to finish the job.

New road between Quito and Esmeraldas

At the beginning of the 18th century, Esmeraldas was a peripheral region practically isolated from the rest of the Viceroyalty. The lack of communication channels meant that not even the authorities could enforce their ordinances.

Pedro Vicente Maldonado set himself the purpose of creating a road that would connect Quito and Esmeraldas, financed with his own resources and, therefore, without charging anything to the Royal Treasury. In return, he requested the usufruct of the work, as well as the Government of the Province of Esmeraldas for two generations.

The viceregal authorities approved the project and Maldonado was appointed Lieutenant Corregidor de Atacames. According to biographers, Maldonado tried to improve the living conditions of the very poor populations that he encountered during the construction of the road.

The project was completed in 1741. The Council of the Indies inspected the work, praising the builder and the work.

Expedition to the Amazon

Although less known, Maldonado also participated in an expedition to the Amazon River carried out by a delegation of missionaries in 1725.

During the trip, in addition to collecting topographic and flora data, he discovered the rubber tree. In his writings he described the use that the natives gave to this vegetable product.

Plays

As previously mentioned, the figure of Maldonado was one of the most important in the Latin American scientific field of the 18th century.

His main works were the following:

- Author of the First Geographic Map of the province of Quito and its surroundings.

- Author of the first Civil Engineering project, for the construction of the road from Quito to Esmeraldas.

- Author of the great Scientific Report with Chapters on Physics, Astronomy, Geography, and Botany of the then Kingdom of Quito.

References

1. Riobamba stories. Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Retrieved from digvas.wordpress.com
2. Original towns. Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Obtained from pueblosoriginario.com
3. EcuRed. Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Obtained from ecured.cu
4. Revolvy. Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Retrieved from revolvy.com
5. WikiVisually. Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Retrieved from wikivisually.com
6. The Biography. Biography of Pedro Vicente Maldonado Flores (1704-1748). Retrieved from thebiography.us
7. Griffith, John. Pedro Vicente Maldonado. Retrieved from findagrave.com