Carlos María de Alvear
A brilliant, controversial Argentine general whose ambition and political machinations shaped the early, turbulent years of the revolution against Spain.
1789–1852 (age 63)·2nd Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata·Birthday: October 25
Biography
Carlos María de Alvear was a man of towering ambition and fatal flaws, a central figure in the Argentine War of Independence whose drive for power nearly tore the young nation apart. Born into a wealthy family in the Upper Peru region, he was educated in England and fought with distinction against the British invasions of the Río de la Plata. A charismatic leader, he rose quickly within the revolutionary ranks, playing a key military role in the capture of Montevideo from royalist forces. His election as Supreme Director in 1815 was the peak of his influence, but his authoritarian style and suspected monarchist sympathies sparked immediate revolt. Forced into exile after just three months in power, he spent years abroad, even offering his services to other South American nations. He later returned as a diplomat, but his legacy remains that of a potent military mind whose political overreach exemplified the fractious birth pangs of Argentine nationhood.
#1 When Carlos Was Born
The biggest hits of 1789
Carlos's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1789Born
1794Started school
1802Became a teenager
1805Could drive
1807Could vote
1810Turned 21
1819Turned 30
1829Turned 40
1839Turned 50
1849Turned 60
1852Died at 63
Key Achievements
- Served as the second Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata in 1815.
- Played a leading role in the military campaign that led to the capitulation of royalist Montevideo in 1814.
- Commanded the republican army to victory at the Battle of Ituzaingó during the Cisplatine War in 1827.
- Served as the Argentine Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States in the 1830s.
Did You Know?
He was the father of Torcuato de Alvear, who later became the first Mayor of Buenos Aires.
Alvear was a founding member of the Logia Lautaro, a secret revolutionary society.
His brief tenure as Supreme Director ended with a uprising led by Ignacio Álvarez Thomas.
A major avenue in the Recoleta neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Avenida Alvear, is named in his family's honor.
“The revolution requires a firm hand, not the endless debates of lawyers.”
