Agustín Gamarra
A Peruvian general and caudillo whose relentless ambition to unite Peru and Bolivia drove his tumultuous presidency and ultimately his death on the battlefield.
1785–1841 (age 56)·President of Peru variously in the 1800s·Birthday: August 27
Biography
Agustín Gamarra was a soldier first and a politician second, a defining figure in Peru's chaotic early republic. A veteran of the wars for independence, he traded his military uniform for the presidential sash but never abandoned a militaristic, expansionist vision for the nation. His two non-consecutive terms as president were marked by constant political strife and his obsessive dream of annexing Bolivia, which he viewed as a natural part of a greater Peru. Governing with an iron fist, he clashed with congress, suppressed dissent, and sought to centralize power. His political maneuvers were as aggressive as his military campaigns, leading to exiles and comebacks. His career ended as it began—on campaign. In 1841, he personally led an invasion of Bolivia, a disastrous venture that culminated in his death at the Battle of Ingavi, a stark symbol of the violent birth pangs of South American nationhood.
#1 When Agustín Was Born
The biggest hits of 1785
Agustín's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1785Born
1790Started school
1798Became a teenager
1801Could drive
1803Could vote
1806Turned 21
1815Turned 30
1825Turned 40
1835Turned 50
1841Died at 56
Key Achievements
- Served as the President of Peru for two separate terms, from 1829 to 1833 and again from 1838 to 1841.
- Fought as a military officer under José de San Martín and Simón Bolívar during the Peruvian War of Independence.
- Authored a controversial constitution in 1839 that greatly strengthened executive power.
- Founded the city of Puerto Pardo (modern-day Puerto Maldonado) in the Peruvian Amazon.
Did You Know?
His nickname was 'El Soldado de la Ley' (The Soldier of the Law).
He is one of the few sitting heads of state to have died in combat against a foreign enemy.
Before becoming president, he served as the Prefect of Cusco.
His remains were repatriated from Bolivia to Peru in 1848 and interred in the Cementerio Presbítero Matías Maestro in Lima.
“Peru's borders must be secured and its internal order imposed by force.”
