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

Mercedes de Lasala de Riglos

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Buenos Aires, 1834

Mercedes Lasala

Tertulia

Gender:Female

Ethnic origen: Unknown

Events:

Connections:

Biography:
The sister of Eusebia Lasala, she was born in 1763. On 13 April 1782 she married Miguel Fermín de Riglos y San Martín, who was later governor of Mojos and Chiquitos. He died in 1809. She was a fervent patriot who gave funds to San Martín's Andes expedition in 1810. She hosted tertulias in Buenos Aires that were characterised by her religious fervour. In 1823 Rivadavia offered her the presidency of the Sociedad de Beneficencia, which she held until 15 January 1827. She died on 1 January 1837. (Sosa de Newton, 347)

She appears in William Miller's memoirs(?)

She was of Mariquita Sánchez´s circle, a founder member of the Sociedad de Beneficencia and was its first president. (Zavalía Lagos, 137)

She was born in Buenos Aires in 1763, the daughter of Capt. Juan Bautista Lasala and Agustina Fernández Larrazábal. She married Miguel Fermín Mariano de Riglos on 13 April 1782. He was a captain of Dragones of the Fijo regiment and was later governor of Chiquitos, dying in office in 1809. She gave 3 onzas of gold to the Upper Peru expedition in June 1810. She was a founder member of the Sociedad de Beneficencia, was president of the society and remained a member until her death on 1 January 1837. (Carranza, 46-47)

References:

Carranza, Adolfo P. (1910) Patricias argentinas
Sosa de Newton, Lily (1986) Diccionario biográfico de mujeres argentinas
Zavalía Lagos, Jorge (1986) Mariquita Sánchez y su tiempo