PARES | Spanish Archives

Identification

Type:

Person

Preferred form:

Díaz de Espada, Juan José (1756-1832)Other forms

Dates of existence/Biographical dates:

Arroiabe (Arrazua-Ubarrundia, Álava, España) 1756-04-21 - La Habana 1832-08-13

History:

Spanish priest. Second bishop of Havana and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.

He studied in Salamanca, where he obtained the degree in Law in the San Bartolomé College, where he later would be a Dean. He received his PhD on Holy Canon in Valencia. From 1903 to 1839, he was the Bishop of Havana, where he freed the Universidad de La Habana from the Dominicans. In 1812, he swore the Constitution of Cadiz, and he supported it during the Trienio Liberal (Liberal Triennium) (1820-1923). He is highly-regarded as the pioneer of the sanitary and urban reform of the Cuban capital, as he ordered and supported the creation of the building of the city cemetery and the vaccine campaign of the doctor Tomas Romay.

Due to the fact that he supported the Spanish liberals in 1824 and presented a risk for the Spanish Crown (Ferdinand VII), he was asked to travel to the Peninsula in order to be judged. However, his health conditions stopped him from travelling.

He died at the age of 76 suffering from a stroke, and he is buried in the Necropolis Christoper Columbus in Havana.

Liberal Triennium, 1820-1823

Date of the event: 1820 - 1823