Melchor de Talamantes Salvador y Baeza was a liberal-minded Peruvian Mercedarian friar. He was born in Lima on January 10, 1765 and died in Veracruz on May 9, 1809. He is considered one of the precursors of the independence of Mexico.
In 1779 he graduated as a theologian doctor from the University of San Marcos. In 1799 he arrived in Mexico City to stay at the main convent of the Mercedarians.
Among the contributions of this friar stands out having provided a defense plan for the kingdom of New Spain.
Boundaries between Texas and Louisiana
In 1807 Viceroy José de Iturrigaray appointed Melchor de Talamantes commissioner to study the limits of Texas with Louisiana.
For this task he gathered documentary pieces, files and reports of all kinds obtained in personal archives and public libraries, such as the Royal University, the Cathedral and the Los Santos school.
The investigative task covered the time of the Inquisition, a period in which it encountered a lot of resistance in the delivery of the requested documents, so much so that the viceroy interceded.
His superiors did not approve of his undisciplined way of working, so he had to change his residence to a house near the convent.
The friar and the liberation of Mexico
On July 23, 1808, Talamantes presented his project for the National Congress of the Kingdom of New Spain in Mexico City.
He proposed that said congress fully assume power, with powers to decide the appointments of civil and ecclesiastical positions, the ordering of commerce and the suppression of ties, mayorazgos and chaplaincies.
Until that moment its purpose was to support Viceroy Iturrigaray, motivating him to give in to the social pressure of the Creole groups. These demanded the convocation of boards and representative assemblies of the cities of the viceroyalty.
On September 15, 1808, a Spanish landowner named Gabriel de Yermo rose, supported by the Audiencia. They deposed the viceroy and arrested all his collaborators and the main members of the town hall.
The following day Melchor de Talamantes was arrested and handed over to the Inquisition. He was accused of "having disturbed the public tranquility by inducing independence through his proclamations and writings."
On March 22, 1809, the judges of the Inquisition presented their report. In this, all the guilt fell on Talamantes.
His cause was instructed together with that of the friar Miguel Zugástegui; both were accused of sedition. Their transfer to Spain was ordered, so they were transferred in chains to San Juan de Ulúa. There they had to wait for a ship that would lead them to their sentence in Spain.
However, yellow fever was raging in the area. Both friars were attacked by illness.
On May 3 Zugástegui died, and a week later, on May 9, 1809, Melchor de Talamantes passed away.
He was buried in the La Puntilla cemetery. Reportedly, only his shackles were removed for burial.
References
- "Melchor de Talamantes" in Wikipedia. Retrieved in October 2017 from Wikipedia at: es.wikipedia.org
- "Fray Melchor de Talamantes - Protomartir de la Independencia" in Historical Figures. Retrieved in October 2017 from the Historical Archive 2010 at: archivoshistorico2010.sedena.gob.mx
- "Talamantes Fray Melchor de" in Political Memory of Mexico. Retrieved in October 2017 from Memoria Politica de México at: memoriapoliticademexico.orgl
- "The national congress of Fray Melchor de Talamantes: First constitutional project of independent Mexico" in History of the patriotic rights of America (2014). Recovered in October 2017 from History of the patriotic rights of America in: scielo.cl
- "The independentist fray Melchor de Talamantes" in Chronicle (August 2010). Recovered in October 2017 from Crónica at: cronica.com.mx
- "Talamantes Salvador y Baeza, Fray Melchor de" in The Web of Biographies. Retrieved in October 2017 from The Web of Biographies at: mcnbiografias.com
- "Posthumous Writings 1808 of Fray Melchor de Talamantes" in Casa del Tiempo. Retrieved in October 2017 from Casa del tiempo at: uam.mx
- "Brief history of Fray Melchor de Talamantes" in Brief Universal History (May 2009). Retrieved in October 2017 from Brief Universal History at: breve-historia-universal.blogspot.com.ar