José Antonio Pareja
| Antonio Pareja | |
|---|---|
.jpg) |
|
| Captain General of Chile | |
|
In office 1812–1813 |
|
| Monarch | Ferdinand VII |
| Preceded by | Mateo de Toro Zambrano |
| Succeeded by | Juan Francisco Sánchez |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
7 December 1757 Cabra, Spain |
| Died | 21 May 1813 (aged 55) Chillán, Chile |
| Children | José Manuel Pareja |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Spain
|
| Battles/wars | |
Siege of Melilla
Invasion of Algiers
Anglo-Spanish War
Brigadier José Antonio de Pareja y Mariscal (December 7, 1757 in Cabra, Spain – May 21, 1813 in Chillán, Chile) was a senior Spanish naval officer. He captained the Argonauta during the Battle of Trafalgar (1805) and in 1812 commanded Royalist troops during the Chilean War of Independence (1810–26).
Pareja was born in Cabra, near Córdoba, Spain and was fascinated with the Navy from childhood. He enlisted as a midshipman in 1771 and sailed in several naval task forces, attending many actions. He distinguished himself by taking the islands of St. Peter and St. Antiochus. From February 1778 to May 1782 he commanded a frigate and a private vessel as well as a brig. His wife was Josepha Septien.
In 1782 Pareja had fought with the British fleet and at Melilla, his ships on several occasions landing artillery, ammunition and food and at one point suffering a horrific fire. As commander of the frigate Perla he found himself involved in the naval Battle of Cape St Vincent (February 14, 1797). In the Bay of Algiers a galley under his command fired for eight hours at the Moors.
In 1803 Pareja commanded the ship San Agustin and in February 1805 he acquired the ship of the Prince of Asturias and sailed to Cadiz with the combined fleets of France and Spain under the command of Admiral Villeneuve and Lieutenant General Gravina. There he was given command of the Argonauta. The following October 20 he sailed with the combined fleet of the same generals, and found himself in combat against the English Admiral Lord Nelson at Cape Trafalgar (21 October 1805). Argonauta suffered immense damage and sank the second day of the battle, which led to numerous deaths and injuries, including the injury of the Captain himself. Later that year Pareja was promoted to Brigadier.
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Wikipedia