History of Peru (1821–1842)
Peruvian Republic República Peruana | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1821–1842 | |||||||||
| Motto: "Firme y feliz por la unión" (Spanish) "Firm and Happy for the Union" | |||||||||
| Anthem: "Himno Nacional del Perú" (Spanish) "National Anthem of Peru" | |||||||||
| Capital | Lima | ||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||||||
| Demonym(s) | Peruvian | ||||||||
| Government | Several | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
• 1821–1822 (first) | José de San Martín | ||||||||
• 1841–1842 (last) | Manuel Menéndez | ||||||||
| Legislature | National Congress | ||||||||
| Historical era | War of Independence | ||||||||
| 28 July 1821 | |||||||||
| 1822–1823 | |||||||||
| 26–27 July 1822 | |||||||||
| 20 September 1822 | |||||||||
| 9 December 1824 | |||||||||
| 28 October 1836 | |||||||||
| 20 January 1839 | |||||||||
| 1839–1841 | |||||||||
| 16 August 1842 | |||||||||
| Currency | Real | ||||||||
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| History of Peru |
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| Peru portal |
The history of Peru between 1821 and 1842 is the period considered by the country's official historiography as the first stage of its republican history, formally receiving the name of Foundational Period of the Republic (Spanish: Época Fundacional de la República) by historian Jorge Basadre. During this era, what became known as the First Militarism (Spanish: Primer Militarismo), a period where several military figures held control of the country, started in 1827 with José de La Mar's presidency, ending in 1844.
The twenty-year period begins on July 28, 1821, when General José de San Martín of the Liberating Expedition of Peru declared the Independence of Peru to a crowd gathered under the balcony of the Casa del Oidor, located at the main square of Lima, until then the capital of the Viceroyalty of Peru. However, Basadre claims that the period only begins, sensu stricto, with the installation of the first Constituent Congress on September 20, 1822.
During this period, the newly formed Peruvian State not only established itself as a proper country, but notably attempted to both expand its territory and preserve its territorial integrity due to the overlapping disputes that arose from the end of the Spanish American wars of independence. To the north, Colombia (which already claimed territory located south of the Caquetá River) declared war on Peru after the latter's military occupation of Bolivia, then under Bolivarian influence. The war concluded without a clear victor through the signing of the Treaty of Guayaquil. After the dissolution of the Greater Colombian state, Ecuador regained its independence and pursued a dispute of its own.
Meanwhile, to the south, another war saw the division of Peru through the establishment of North Peru and South Peru, which shortly after joined Bolivia as the Peru–Bolivian Confederation that was ultimately dissolved in 1839 after a three-year war. With a reunited Peruvian state now reestablished, now president Agustín Gamarra unsuccessfully sought to annex its southern neighbour, which cost him his life during the Battle of Ingavi on November 18, 1841. Gamarra was succeeded by interim President Manuel Menéndez, but his death led to political instability and ultimately served as the beginning of a period of anarchy where multiple generals declared themselves the head of state, beginning with Juan Crisóstomo Torrico on August 16, 1842.