He Origin of the family The name comes from Vizcaya, Basque Country and it has been documented that the first Bolivar to reach Venezuela was Simón Bolívar (ancestor of the Liberator) in 1589, appointed by King Philip II of Spain Attorney General in The Court in Venezuela. He also worked during the reign of Philip III of Spain in important positions, representing the Crown in Santo Domingo.
The Bolivar Family reached the highest levels within the colonial society of Venezuela. They united in marriage with the most distinguished families of that time.
Simon Bolivar
They owned assets in the Valleys of Aragua and the Aroa Mines. They worked in the highest positions of the public administration.
By the paternal branch, the Liberator has origin of the nobility, warriors and saints. They avoided making use of the nobiliary distinctions to which they were entitled.
Simón Bolívar, before his trip to the Americas, served the Kingdom of Spain in the Flanders region and in Italy.
He was a skilful governor in Caracas and Santo Domingo, having a plan of work cobbled its streets, founding schools and endowing roads.
The dynasty of the Bolivar
Simon Bolivar, the waiter, is the son of the former. He married in Caracas with Beatriz Díaz, daughter of Alonso Díaz Moreno, founder of the city of Valencia - Venezuela.
It can be observed that the ascending line of the Liberator is framed of people who have left traces in the places where they have exercised the power.
Antonio Bolivar, son of Simón Bolívar, the waiter, lived most of his life in the Valleys of Aragua and exercised his military functions in the area.
His son Luis Bolivar was mayor of Caracas in the second half of the 17th century. His son Don Juan Bolivar, grandfather of the Liberator, had a constant career of promotion, reaching the position of governor of the Province of Venezuela.
His father, Juan Vicente Bolivar, developed the military race and reached the rank of colonel. He married Maria Concepción Palacios y Blanco in 1773, from which 5 children were born: María Antonia (1777-1842), Juana Nepomucena (1779-1847), Juan Vicente (1781-1811), Simon Jose Antonio de la Santísima Trinidad (1783-1830) and Maria del Carmen (1785) who died at birth.
Ecclesiastical documents have been found in which the licentious life of Colonel Bolivar has been evidenced, prior to his marriage, in which he is presumed to have been able to leave offspring and by the social conditions of the time, this has not been documented.
Colonel Bolivar in 1781 sent a letter to Francisco de Miranda, expressing his disagreement with the situation of Venezuela before the metropolis and putting itself to the order at the moment that a plan of an insurrection materialized, which was concretized 20 years later Of his death.
By the maternal branch, Feliciano Palacios and Sojo Gedler, great-grandfather of the Liberator, had military career until the degree of captain and was mayor of Caracas in 4 opportunities.
His son, Feliciano Palacios y Sojo y Gil de Arratia, grandfather of the Liberator, had a privileged position in colonial society. The Palacios Family was known for having ample libraries and being part of the cultural activities of Caracas. They were descendants of old families of Spain.
At the time of death of Colonel Juan Vicente Bolivar, his widow Maria Concepcion Palacios took over the family and family patrimony, until his death in 1792.
María Antonia and Juana Nepomucena were married and Don Feliciano Palacios y Sojo and Gil de Arratia, father of María Concepción, was tutor to their grandchildren Juan Vicente and Simón, until his death in 1793. Don Carlos Palacios assumed the guardianship of minors .
In spite of Dona Maria Concepcion's fragile health, she did everything she could to get her family along during the 6 years of widowhood, solving matters related to the heritage of her children. In spite of its economic solvency, it had to go through many inconveniences.
Characteristics of the Bolivar Family
The nobility, the sense of duty, the opportunities to expand the patrimony and the influence in the life of the mantuan society, are the important elements to understand why the ancestors of the Liberator have marked the pattern in the different times that they had to live.
The Liberator disposed of his patrimony for the cause of the independence, fact that brought him great preoccupations but satisfactions to be freed of the Spanish empire to Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. The sacrifice and constant work with his officers made this success possible.
Serving the State in the military, administrative and judicial channels shows an integral formation of the ancestors by maternal and paternal lines of the Liberator.
Also, in the cultural and religious work were very involved. All this proves the intelligence to trace the objectives set.
One of the most notorious properties of the Bolivar Family has been the house located in San Jacinto, owned by Juan de Bolívar - grandfather of the Liberator - since 1711.
It shows the taste of the mantuan society for houses with wide corridors, rooms of various uses, among them an oratory in which they could express their faith inside the house.
This property was unoccupied several times. The family formed by don Juan Vicente and María Concepción resided there from 1773 until the death of the lady in 1792.
The education of the male ancestors of the Liberator had to have private professors in Sciences, Art, Latin, Modern Languages and Philosophy prior to their entrance to the military academy, to come from distinguished families within the society mantuana.
The ladies had their own occupations for their time, such as learning to play a musical instrument, being devout Catholics and everything concerning the management of the home.
The paternal and maternal branches of the Liberator enjoyed a privileged lifestyle, which has made documentary research interesting, allowing us to understand the values and principles with which they were formed and provided contributions in their respective epochs.
References
- De Mosquera, T. (1954). Memory on the Life of General Simón Bolívar. Bogotá, National Printing Office.
- Morales, J. University of Carabobo: The Maracaibera Family of the Liberator.. Recovered from: servicio.bc.uc.edu.ve
- Casanova, E. Literanova: The Burdened Paradise. Recovered from: literanova.eduardocasanova.com
- Polanco, T. Simón Bolívar: Essay of a Biographical Interpretation through his Documents . Mérida, University of Los Andes.
- Masur, G. (2008). Simon Bolivar . Bogotá, Foundation for Research and Culture.
- Sucre, L. (1930). Genealogical History of the Liberator . Caracas, Editorial Elite.
- Molina, L. (2010). Archeology of the Christmas House of Simon Bolivar . Mérida, Universidad de Los Andes
- [Links] Simon Bolivar. Recovered from: embavenez-us.org.