José de San Martín

José de San Martín (February 25, 1778 – August 17, 1850) was an Argentine general and liberator, the principal leader of the struggle for independence from Spain in both Argentina and Chile, and subsequently the Protector of Peru.

He was born in Yapeyú, Corrientes, Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata (now Argentina), to an impoverished noble family. He received a military education in Spain and served in the Spanish Army during the Napoleonic Wars. After witnessing the May Revolution in Buenos Aires in 1810, he returned to the Río de la Plata to join the fight for independence.

San Martín quickly rose through the ranks of the revolutionary army and was soon appointed commander of the Army of the North. He led the army to a series of victories over the Spanish Royalists, culminating in the Battle of Salta in 1813. This victory secured the independence of Argentina and opened the way for the liberation of Chile.

In 1817, San Martín crossed the Andes Mountains with an army of over 5,000 men and invaded Chile. He defeated the Spanish Royalists at the Battle of Chacabuco in 1817 and the Battle of Maipú in 1818, securing the independence of Chile.

After the liberation of Chile, San Martín turned his attention to Peru, the last Spanish stronghold in South America. In 1820, he landed in Peru with an army of over 15,000 men and quickly overran the coastal region. He then marched inland and captured the capital, Lima.

In 1821, San Martín declared the independence of Peru and was elected its first president. However, he soon faced opposition from both the Spanish Royalists and the Peruvian Congress. He resigned from the presidency in 1822 and returned to Argentina.

San Martín spent the rest of his life in exile in Europe. He died in Boulogne-sur-Mer, France, in 1850. He is considered one of the greatest heroes of South American independence and is known as the "Liberator of Argentina, Chile, and Peru."