Person
Mina Larrea, Francisco Javier (1789-1817)Other forms
Navarra (España) 1789-07-01 - 1817-11-11
Javier Mina y Larrea (Navarre, Spain, July 1, 1789-Guanajuato, New Spain, November 11, 1817). He was a Spanish guerrilla and nephew of the General Francisco Espoz y Mina (1781-1836). During the War of Independence, he participated between 1808 and 1809 in the defense of Zaragoza under the command of José Palafox (1775-1847). Later, in 1809, he organized a guerrilla in Navarra and the Central Board appointed him General Commander of Navarre. On May 29, 1810, during the siege of Labiano, he was taken as prisoner, and was imprisoned in the castle of Vincennes until 1813. When he returned to Spain, he confronted the absolutist restoration, and after an attempted of revolt Navarra, he fled to France (1814). With financial support of a group of British traders, in 1816 he embarked with a reduced contingent, and after getting help in the United States and in Haiti, he arrived in Soto la Marina (Mexico) on April 15, 1817. His incursion, that initially did not found any difficulties, revived the Mexican resistance, but because of they did not come to an agreement with the insurgent leaders in the area, his operations were limited to try to reach Veracruz and join Guerrero. On 25 October, after the unsuccessful siege of the city of Guanajuato, he was defeated by the realist. Then, he was arrested and executed on November 11.