PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Alcalá Galiano, Antonio (1789-1865)Other forms

Fechas de existencia:

Cádiz (España) 1789-06-22 - Madrid (España) 1865-04-10

History:

Spanish politician, soldier, jurist and writer. He belonged to a very influential family in the military field. His parents were the sailor Dionisio Alcalá Galiano, and María de la Consolación Fernández de Villavicencio y de la Serna. Antonio was the uncle of the writer Juan Valera and the nephew of the General Captain of the Armed Forces and the Regent of the Kingdom, Juan María de Villavicencio y de la Serna.

After studying in the Royal School "Purísima Concepción de Cabra", Antonio went through the Mediterranean Sea along with his father. In 1806, he joined the Spanish Marine Guards as a cadet, and next year he became an armourer in Sevilla. On 8 November 1808 he married María Dolores Aguilar, and they had a child. Antonio quitted the military career in 1812. He also took part in the conspiracy which ended with the victory of Rafael Riego in 1820 and the announcement of the Constitution of Cadiz, abolished by Ferdinand VII. Antonio was considered a great speaker and supported liberalism during the Trienio Liberal (in English, "Liberal Triennium"). He was also a member of Freemasonry.

After voting against Ferdinand VII in 1823, he had to go into exile to London. Antonio was the Minister of the Navy in 1836 and Minister of Public Works on April 1865.

Moreover, he was elected deputy on 1822 in Cadiz, keeping the same position for ten legislatures as deputy for Cádiz, Pontevedra, Barcelona y Madrid until his death.

Liberal Triennium, 1820-1823

Date of the event: 1820 - 1823