An exploration of women's involvement in the Latin American Wars of Independence

Custodio García Rovira

Gender:Male

Ethnic origen: Unknown

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
The son of Juan de Dios García and Rosa Rovira, and brother of Petronila García Rovira. A lawyer, writer and painter, he was a member of the Triunvirato that briefly governed the republic. He accompanied President Fernández Madrid when he retired to Popayán, as Comandante del Ejército de Reserva. He learned of the defeat at Cuchilla del Tambo and sought refuge in Popayán region along with other leading families. Among these was the Piedrahita family (parents and four daughters). García Rovira decided to flee into the mountains, then through the jungle into Brazil, but fell in love with María Josefa Piedrahita, who was around 16 years old. They were married at an improvised ceremony by Fray Francisco Antonio Florido. He was imprisoned shortly afterwards and taken to Bogotá with Colonel Liborio Mejia, Monsalve and others, where he was executed on 8 August 1816. (Monsalve, 146-147)

He attended Manuela Sanz de Santamaría's tertulias and was hung for his pro-independence activities in 1816. (Monsalve, 24)

References:

Lynch, John (1986) The Spanish American Revolutions 1808-1826
Monsalve, José D (1926) Mujeres de la independencia