Manuela Rozas

Other names/titles:
Gender: F
Ethnic origin: Unknown

Biographical details

She organised tertulias in Santiago de Chile to promote national sovereignty. (Arambel Guiñazú, 37.)

She was from a royalist family; but was greatly influenced by her uncle, Juan Martínez de Rozas (who was pro-independence). She worked, and used the influence of her name and her fortune for the independence cause. She was open about what she did and when questioned she replied, "Are you going to punish me because I love my country?" She was watched scrupulously. It was presumed that she had a cache of arms for the patriots. She was surprised one day by San Bruno who caught her reading a letter from the exiles. She ate the letter without hesitation and with a smile said, "Now you can conduct an autopsy".
After Chacabuco, San Martín went to see her as he wanted to meet all the women who had contributed to the revolutionary cause. They met outside her house (109 calle de la catedral - this today no longer exists) with "un afectuoso abrazo". Rozas remained a patriot throughout her long life. (Grez, 89-91.)

Life Events

Other

1817

San Martín met her in Santiago after the battle of Chacabuco.

References

Arambel Guinazu, Maria Cristina , Martin, Claire Emilie, (2001), Las mujeres toman la palabra: Escritura feminina del siglo XIX. Volume: 1

Grez, Vicente, (1966), Las mujeres de la independencia

Davies, Catherine, Brewster, Claire and Owen, Hilary, (2006), South American Independence. Gender, Politics, Text

Publications

There is no writing by this subject in the database.

Links

Resource id #25 (1)

Resource id #29 (137)

Resource id #33 (58)

Resource id #37 (2)

Gendering Latin American Independence

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