Baron de Eroles

Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas y de Valonga, Baron de Eroles
Baron de Eroles from Guerilleros de 1808 (Madrid, 1887)
Born	1784 Talarn, Catalonia, Spain
Died	22 August 1825 Daimiel, Castile-La Mancha, Spain
Allegiance	Kingdom of Spain
Service/branch	Infantry
Rank	Captain General of Catalonia
Battles/wars	Battle of Molins de Rey (1808) Siege of Gerona (1809) Raid of La Junquera (1810) Battle of Montserrat (1811) Battle of Col de Balaguer (1812) Battle of Altafulla (1812) Battle of Roda de Isábena (1812)
Awards	Order of Charles III, Knight Laureate Cross of Saint Ferdinand Order of Saint Louis Légion d'Honneur
Other work	Barcelona Fine Arts Academy Lawyer

Joaquín Ibáñez Cuevas y de Valonga, Baron de Eroles (1784 – 22 August 1825) led a Spanish division against Imperial France in a number of actions during the Peninsular War. A lawyer at the outbreak of war, he took command of guerillas who resisted the French occupation of his native Catalonia. He fought at Molins de Rey in 1808. Captured by the French at Gerona in 1809, he later escaped. By 1810 he led one of four regular divisions of the Army of Catalonia. In November 1810 he destroyed a French convoy at La Junquera. His men were driven off Montserrat Mountain on 25 July 1811. His division wiped out a French column at Col de Balaguer on 18 January 1812. Six days later he was badly beaten at Altafulla when he mistakenly attacked Maurice Mathieu's superior French force in a thick fog. On 5 March he defeated a French force that attacked him at Roda de Isábena. Later in the war he liberated a number of towns from the French.

After the war he was admitted to the Royal Fine Arts Academy of Barcelona. A believer in absolutism, he opposed the Trienio Liberal in 1820 and retired to his estate before fleeing to France. He supported the reimposition of absolutist government by French intervention, called the Hundred Thousand Sons of St. Louis. He was appointed Captain General of Catalonia in 1823 but died in somewhat mysterious circumstances in 1825.