Joaquín Baldomero Fernández-Espartero y Alvarez de Toro (Granátula de Calatrava, February 27, 1793 - Logroño, Spain, January 8, 1879). He was a soldier and Spanish politician. Regent: From October 17, 1840 to July 23, 1843. Minister of War: from 1837/07/29 to 18/08/1837; from 18/08/1837 to 30/08/1837; from 16/12/1837 to 17/01/1838. Chairman of the Council of Ministers: from 18/08/1837 to 18/10/1837; from 16/09/1840 to 10/05/1841; from 19/07/1854 to 28/11/1854; from 28/11/1854 to 14/07/1856. He belonged to a humble family and was the son of a carriage manufacturer. He completed his studies at the Seminary of Almagra. In 1808, he joined the student body which was created to fight the French, and in 1811 he reached the rank of Lieutenant of engineers. In 1814, he joined the infantry weapon and was garrison in Valladolid until in 1815 and with the rank of Captain he was assigned to the expedition of General Morillo America. He took part in Venezuela and Panama, there he got the rank of Brigadier and after the defeat of Ayacucho in 1824 he was prisoner of Bolivar. Once he was released, returned to Spain 1825. At the outbreak of the first Carlist Civil War, he requested to serve in the Northern provinces in the ranks of Maria Christina?s army. (1806-1878). On May 1, 1834, he was appointed General Commander of the Basque Provinces. As a result of the pronouncements of 1836, General Luis Fernández de Córdoba (1798-1840) resigned from his position as Chief of the Northern Army. Espartero was appointed to this position by the progressive Ministry of Calatrava (September 1836). He directed the Battle of Luchana, which forced the Carlists to lift the siege of Bilbao (December 25, 1836). Thanks to this action, he was awarded with the tittle of Count of Luchana. Espartero won in the siege of Bilbao. After successive military operations and diplomatic contacts, he ended with the Carlist war with the signature of the General Carlist Rafael Maroto (1783-1853) in the famous ?Abrazo de Vergara? ? Embrace of Vergara - or ?Convenio de Vergara? - Convention of Vergara - (August 31, 1839). This convention meant the pacification of the country, and the end of the hopes of the absolutism. For this reason, he was awarded with the title of Duke of the Victory. In 1840, he expressed his opposition to the Regent Maria Christina when she penalized the Law of Local Government, which had been proposed by the Cabinet Pérez de Castro and approved by the Courts. This conflict between the Crown and Espartero encouraged the progressive Juntista movement that erupted on September 1, 1840. As a result of these events, Maria Christina renounced the Regency and went into exile. Espartero was her successor when the Courts (May 8, 1841) voted him as Regent of the Kingdom. Her Regency lasted until 1843. During this period, his Governments encouraged the process of liberalization of the land. He had to deal with different events such as moderate military uprisings that expected the restoration of Maria Christina. The failed attempted of assault the Palace starring by Diego de León (October 7, 1841), two uprisings in Barcelona (November 1841 and 1842) and the opposition of the regulatory leaders of the civil progressivism in the Congress. As a result of all these events, Espartero was forced to renounce the Regency and to take refuge in England (1843). In 1848, he had permission to return to Spain and remained retired in Logroño until 1854, when he joined in the Liberal Revolution. Isabel II conferred him the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, position that executed continuously during the Progressive Biennium. At this time of his Government, he met the Constituent Cortes, from which the Constitution of 1856 came out. It was approved the Law of Disentailment of Madoz (May 1, 1855). After the crisis of 1856, he resigned in favor of the Minister of War, O'Donnel (1809-1867). From 1856 to his death, he shut himself away in Logroño to not participate in the political life.