PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Bauzá Cañas, Felipe (1764-1834)Other forms

Fechas de existencia:

Palma (Mallorca, Illes Balears, España) 1764-02-17 - London (England, United Kingdom) 1834-03-03

History:

Spanish naval officer, cartographer, explorer and politician. Son of a humble family, his father, Bartolomé Vicente Bauzá, was a builder master. He was an orphan and began his navy career in 1773 in the Navigation School of Cartagena as apprentice at the Real Escuela de Navegación of Cartagena. In 1782, he took part in the Siege of Gibraltar, in Menorca's battle and in the operations against the North African's plunder (1783-1784). In 1786-1787, Bauzá was under the orders of Vicente Tofiño San Miguel, director of the Academia de Guardiamarinas of Cádiz, when he was part of "Atlas Marítimo de España" uprising's commission.

His professional trajectory was essential to Malaspina when he reclaimed to Antonio Valdes, Minister of the Navy, his participation in the scientific and cartographic expedition known as Malaspina Expedition. All along the scientific trip, he and his partners created lots of cartographic materials.

When he returned to Spain, he resumed his work. In 1787, he was called in to take part in the Cartographic Management, and became the director of the Depósito Hidrográfico of Cádiz. After the Napoleonic Invasion, he continued doing his cartographic work and he cooperated in fortification and defence jobs as the León's square. In 1813, he revealed a plan of the provincial division in 44 subdivisions.

Between 1815-1822, after the constitutional period, he was named director of the Depósito Hidrográfico. At the same time he was chosen as government representative for Mallorca at the Cortes. At the request of Argüelles, he was commissioned with a new division of the Spanish provinces (1820-1821). The life of Bauzá changed completely after the end of the Trienio Liberal (Liberal Triennium) and the intervention of the Hundred Thousands Sons of Saint Louis.

Firstly, he was accused to be mason, so in 1823, he had to go to Gibraltar. After that he emigrated to London, where he died. During that time, he collaborated with Basil Halla, W. H. Smith, Alexander von Humboldt or Francis Beaufort.

He was married to María Teresa de Rávara, and they had two sons: Felipe and Ameli.

He was a member of the Real Sociedad Económica Matritense, the Real Academia de la Historia, the Royal Society, the Royal Geographical Society and the Real Sociedad Marítima of Lisboa. The "Bauzá Collection of Spanish Colonial Mapping" is preserved in the British Library.

Guerra de Independencia Española, 1808-1814

Liberal Triennium, 1820-1823

Date of the event: 1820 - 1823