| The Most Excellent The Duke of Tetuan GE KOGF |
|
|---|---|
| Prime Minister of Spain | |
| In office July 14, 1856 – October 12, 1856 |
|
| Monarch | Isabella II |
| Preceded by | The Duke of la Victoria |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Valencia |
| In office June 30, 1858 – March 2, 1863 |
|
| Monarch | Isabella II |
| Preceded by | Francisco Javier de Istúriz |
| Succeeded by | The Marquis of Miraflores |
| In office September 16, 1864 – July 10, 1866 |
|
| Monarch | Isabella II |
| Preceded by | The Duke of Valencia |
| Succeeded by | The Duke of Valencia |
| Minister of State 1858, 1860-1863 | |
| Minister for War 1854 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 12, 1809 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain |
| Died | November 5, 1867 Biarritz, French Empire |
| Political party | Unión Liberal |
| Spouse(s) | Manuela Barges |
Don Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuan, 1st Count of Lucena, 1st Viscount of Aliaga, Grandee of Spain, (Spanish: Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, I duque de Tetuán, I conde de Lucena, I vizconde de Aliaga, grande de España) (January 12, 1809 – November 5, 1867), was a Spanish general and statesman. He was of Irish paternal descent, a descendant of Calvagh O'Donnell, Rí of Tyrconnell.[1][2]
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He was born at Santa Cruz de Tenerife a son of Carlos O'Donnell y Anethan (b. 1768) and wife Josefa Jorris y Casaviella, and paternal grandson of José O'Donnell y O'Donnell and wife Marie Anne d' Anethan. He had an uncle Francisco and an aunt Beatriz, married to Manuel Pombo y Ante (1769–1829), and had issue.[3]
O'Donnell was a strong supporter of the Cristinos, and backed the regency of Maria Cristina in the 1830s. When General Baldomero Espartero seized power in 1840, O'Donnell went into exile with Maria Cristina, and was involved in an attempted coup against Espartero in 1841. O'Donnell was soon back in power and was sent to Cuba as Captain General in October 1843. He is credited with the massacre of 1844 known as the repression of La Escalera. Thousands of slaves and free-colored people in Cuba ended up in dark dungeons, were tortured and executed in what became known as the 'year of the lash'. In 1854, he made a pronunciamento against the government and was named Prime Minister for a time. He served as War Minister in the Espartero government.
The Crimean War caused a sharp rise in grain prices due to the blockade of Russia, triggering a famine in Galicia in 1854. Riots over the power loom spread through Spain, and General O'Donnell intervened, marching on Madrid. Espartero resigned power in O'Donnell's favor on July 14–15, 1856, and Queen Isabella II asked him to form a government as the 44th Prime Minister of Spain. For his new administration, O'Donnell formed the Union Liberal Party, which was designed to cross the traditional Progressive, Moderate, and Carlist lines. O'Donnell attempted to find a "middle way" for Spain with this new party, advocating laissez-faire policies and confiscating church land. He was shortly dismissed after only a few months in power on October 12, and two years of reaction followed. His first government did lay the groundwork for future progress.
In future governments, he was more careful. O'Donnell's two later administrations worked laboriously to attract foreign investment to improve Spain's railroad infrastructure. He failed to achieve much economic growth, however, and spurred industry only in Navarre and Catalonia, both of which already had substantial industrial centers. He was a proponent of a new and aggressive imperial policy, aimed principally at expanding Spanish territory in Africa, particularly after French successes in Algeria. In the first administration he was twice at the same time the 136th Minister of Foreign Affairs and the 48th Prime Minister of Spain between June 30, 1858 and July 2, 1858, and again as the 138th Minister of Foreign Affairs between October 21, 1860 and January 18, 1863, remaining again solely as Prime Minister until February 26, 1863. His second term as the 53rd Prime Minister started on October 21, 1860.
He took a brief respite from his government in 1860 to command the Spanish army at the battle of Tetuan during its invasion of Morocco, overseeing the capture of Tétouan. He was rewarded for his abilities in the campaign with the title Duque de Tetuán. In 1866 he repressed a revolt led by General Juan Prim, and was subsequently dismissed by the Queen for the brutality of his regime on July 11, 1866.
He was the 103rd Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword.
He was succeeded in his titles by his nephew, son of his brother Carlos O' Donnell y Jorris and wife María del Mar Alvarez de Abreu y Rodríguez de Albuerne, Carlos O' Donnell y Alvarez de Abreu (Valencia, July 1, 1834 – ?), 2nd Duke of Tetuán, 2nd Count of Lucena and also 9th Marquess of Altamira, married in Madrid on June 1, 1861 to María Josefa de Vargas y Díez de Bulnes (Madrid - ?).
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by The Duke of la Victoria |
Prime Minister of Spain 14 July 1856 – 12 October 1856 |
Succeeded by Ramón María Narváez |
| Preceded by Francisco Javier de Istúriz |
Prime Minister of Spain 30 June 1858 – 2 March 1863 |
Succeeded by The Marquis of Miraflores |
| Minister of State Acting 30 June 1858 – 2 July 1858 |
Succeeded by Saturnino Calderón de la Barca |
|
| Preceded by The Duke of Valencia |
Prime Minister of Spain 21 June 1865 – 10 July 1866 |
Succeeded by The Duke of Valencia |
| Spanish nobility | ||
| New creation | Count of Lucena 25 July 1847 – 5 November 1867 |
Succeeded by Carlos O'Donnell |
| Duke of Tetuan 20 April 1860 – 5 November 1867 |
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