Concept in Definition ABC

The beginning of the end of the Spanish empire in the continent America began in 1810, a time when Spain was immersed in the war against Napoleon and the ideals of the French Revolution. Inspired by the independence of the United States, the Creole elites of Spanish America had generated a weather social rejection of the colonial system.

In the Colombian city of Cartagena de Indias, at that time integrated into the Viceroyalty of Nueva Granada, a meeting of government separated from the authorities of the metropolis. From this moment on, several territories and cities in Colombia proclaimed independence without any kind of coordination or draft collective.

For six years the political landscape turned into chaos with all kinds of conflicts and has gone down in history as the Boba Homeland or the Boba Republic. The person who coined this name was Antonio Nariño, a military man and politician who led one of the nations created in the context of the Patria Boba, the United Provinces of New Granada.

This troubled stage began with the various declarations of independence proclaimed in 1810 and ended with the entry into the city of Santa Fe de Bogotá of the royalist troops and the consequent end of the brief period of independence.

An anarchic setting

The armed conflicts provoked within the ranks of the independentistas generated a situation of all against all. Some sectors wanted to impose their thesis localists seeking privileges in the future management of the territory. Different regional chiefs or caudillos formed armed bands and each village established its independent and sovereign junta. On the other hand, different indigenous groups were organized to defend their territorial interests.

In this chaotic context, historians speak of two different blocs within the party for independence: centralists and federalists. Both shared the ideal of independence of the new nation, but their political approaches were radically opposite.

The two blocks created their own independent territorial framework (the centralists the Free State of Cundinamarca and the federalists the United Provinces of New Granada). The rest of the Colombian territory remained faithful to the Spanish crown.

In this context of disorder, the liberator Simón Bolívar took sides with the federalist side and ended up imposing himself militarily over the Free State of Cundinamarca. It is logical that the metaphor of the Patria Boba was successful.

The end of liberation campaigns

In 1814 King Fernando Vll returned to power in Spain and decided to put an end to the independence process. Thus, a campaign to reconquer the New Granada viceroyalty was organized.

After the initial capture of Cartagena de Indias and the fall of the United Provinces of New Granada, colonial rule was reestablished. In the following years the rebellious forces were punished and this period is known as the era of terror.

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