Mateo de Toro y Zambrano

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Don Mateo de Toro y Zambrano
Don Mateo de Toro y Zambrano

Mateo de Toro Zambrano y Ureta (Santiago, 1727- February 26, 1811) was a Viscount (1769) and later full Count (1771) of the Conquista. He was a Chilean creole and had a career as a soldier under the Spanish Empire after he amassed a fortune in commerce.

In 1810, as the most senior military figure in the Captaincy General of Chile, as well as its Royal Governor, he called a meeting of leading citizens on September 18, 1810. This group would subsequently elect the governing junta similar to those appearing throughout the rebelling Spanish colonies, an action which is generally seen as the first step in Chilean independence process. He was voted the President of this First Government Junta, but his death a year later (he was already 83 years old) precluded him from taking a larger role in the independence of Chile. He died in Santiago de Chile on February 26, 1811.


Preceded by
Francisco Antonio García Carrasco
Royal Governor of Chile
1810
Succeeded by
Mariano Osorio
Preceded by
Junta Created
President of Government Junta
1810-1811
Succeeded by
Juan Martinez de Rozas
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