Maria Santos Corrales

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María Santos Corrales (1797-1881). As the inspiration of Peru’s famous poet and patriot soldier, Mariano Melgar (1790-1815), she is forever immortalized as Silvia in his poetry.

[edit] Biography

María Santos Corrales was born on November 1, 1797 (All Saint's Day) in Arequipa, Peru. She was the daughter of José Corrales y Sanabría and Manuela Salazar. María Santos and Mariano Melgar knew each other due to their kinship - their fathers were first cousins. Their bonds of kinship were reinforced on February 8, 1812 with the marriage of María Santos' brother (Romualdo) and Mariano's sister (María Josefa). Only 14 years old at the time, María Santos rejected any romantic advances by Mariano Melgar (who was 21). Disillusioned, Mariano left Arequipa and eventually joined up with the pro-revolutionary forces. He fought at the battle of Umachiri, where he was captured by the royalist forces and then executed on March 13, 1815.

On November 24, 1819, María Santos Corrales married a veteran of the battle of Umachiri and soldier in arms of Mariano Melgar - Dr. and Col. Manuel Amat y León. Nine children were the fruit of this marriage. María Santos Corrales died on March 8, 1881 in Arequipa, Peru at the age of 83.

[edit] Sources

"Coronel y Dr. Dn. Manuel Amat y León, Biografía Histórica," Artemio Peraltilla Diaz, Arequipa, 17 de Mayo de 1969, Imprenta Editorial “El Sol” – Sucre 306