Francisco de Miranda was a Venezuelan political, military man, writer, diplomatic, humanist and ideologist considered the precursor of the American emancipation against the Spanish empire. He was born on Caracas Venezuela, on March 28 in 1750. A friend of Americans such as James Madison and Thomas Jefferson, he also served as a General in the French Revolution and was the lover of Catherine the Great of Russia. Although he did not live to see South America freed from Spanish rule, his contribution to the cause was considerable. Because of all the things he did, and all the people he met, he is known as the Universal American. In 1772, Miranda joined the Spanish army and was commissioned as an officer. He fought in Morocco, where he distinguished himself by leading a daring raid to spike enemy cannons. Later, he fought against the British in Florida and even helped send assistance to George Washington before the Battle of Yorktown. Although he proved himself time and again, he made powerful enemies, and in 1783 he narrowly escaped prison time over a trumped-up charge of selling black-market goods. He decided to go to London and petition the King of Spain from exile. Miranda found a great deal of verbal support for his ideas, but nothing in the way of tangible aid. He crossed to France, seeking to confer with the leaders of the French Revolution about spreading the revolution to Spain. He was in Paris when the Prussians and Austrians invaded in 1792, and suddenly found himself being offered the rank of Marshal as well as a noble title to lead French forces against the invaders. He soon proved himself to be a brilliant general, defeating Austrian forces at the siege of Amberes. Although he was a superior general, he was nonetheless caught up in the paranoia and fear of "The Terror" of 1793-1794. He was arrested twice and twice avoided the guillotine through an impassioned defense of his actions.
He is a great symbol of independence for Venezuelan people, with the help of Samuel Ogden, three ships, the Leander, Ambassador, and Hindustan, were supplied, and 200 volunteers were taken from the streets of New York City for the venture. After some complications in the Caribbean and the addition of some British reinforcements, Miranda landed with some 500 men near Coro, Venezuela on August 1, 1806. They held the town of Coro for barely two weeks before word of the approach of a massive Spanish army caused them to abandon the town. Although his 1806 invasion had been a fiasco, events had taken on a life of their own in northern South America. Creole Patriots, led by Simón Bolívar and other leaders like him, had declared provisional independence from Spain. Their actions were inspired by Napoleon's invasion of Spain and detainment of the Spanish royal family. Miranda was invited to return and given a vote in the national assembly. In 1811, Miranda and Bolívar convinced their companions to formally declare independence outright, and the new nation even adopted the flag Miranda had used in his previous invasion. A combination of calamities doomed this government, known as the First Venezuelan Republic. It is hard to determine how much he actually did to bring about the independence of his homeland. He left Venezuela at the age of 20 or so and traveled the world, but by the time he wanted to liberate his homeland 30 years later, his provincial countrymen had barely heard of him. His lone attempt at an invasion of liberation failed miserably. When he had the chance to lead his nation, he arranged a truce so repulsive to his fellow rebels that none other than Simon Bolivar himself handed him over to the Spanish. Most telling, perhaps, is Miranda's place in the hearts of South Americans. He is named "the Precursor" of independence, while Simon Bolivar is "the Liberator." Sort of like a John the Baptist to Bolivar's Jesus, Miranda prepared the world for the delivery and liberation that was to come.
Now, if he were still alive, I would ask him why he was so passionate about helping and risking his life for the freedom of people in different countries around the world, but most important, Venezuela. My question comes from the fact that even though he wasn’t completely Spaniard, he was confortable in his position before invading Latin America, and even before doing so much things in Europe. His family was rich and wealthy so his life would ended up so much better than die in a prison (named La Carraca) betrayed by his own kind.
