Pedro Santana

Pedro Santana was born in the border region, in the city of Hincha (today Hinche in Haiti), on June 29, 1801. His father was Pedro Santana Sr, a Dominican of Spanish Canarian descent, and his mother was Petronila Familias, a Mexican of mestizo origin. Both of his parents were landowners in the border zone between the Spanish territory of Santo Domingo and the French territory Saint Domingue.[3][4]

Due to the Haitian revolution and slave revolts of 1804, the Santana family moved to the Cibao valley, specifically in Gurabo, before settling in El Seibo, in the eastern part of the country, where the family dedicated themselves to cattle ranching. In that region his father cut off the head of French governor Jean-Louis Ferrand during the battle of Palo Hincado, and took it as a trophy to the city of Santo Domingo.[3]

Portrait of Santana in 1854.

Santana was the Dominican Republic's president (although he ruled as a dictator) during the years 1844–48, 1853–56, and 1858–61 (when Spain annexed the Dominican Republic as Santana wished). Thereafter, Santana became governor, with the rank of Captain General of the territory. He held those titles until 1862.

Santana had great talent as a military leader, but was unable to leave his dictatorial personality on the battlefield. Though many historians criticise his rule as an economic disaster, Santana was meticulous in conducting public affairs, and obviously a great soldier.

Santana also fought with distinction in the Revolution of July 7, 1857, when Cibao placed their revolutionary army under his command. The Congress of the Dominican Republic awarded Santana the title of “Liberator of the Nation” on July 18, 1849 for his victory in the Battle of Las Carreras.

He is considered a brilliant military strategist, and was a key figure in the successful separation of the Dominican Republic from Haiti. But many historians, such as Nancie L. González and Howard J. Wiarda, think that some of his later actions barred him from becoming a genuine national hero.

• After he drove the Haitian army out of the country in the Dominican War of Independence, he almost immediately moved to eliminate the very Independentists that fought alongside him. Santana felt that the new nation could not survive without being annexed to Spain, which the Trinitarian Independentists did not accept.

• He relentlessly arrested or exiled members of La Trinitaria. The very first person that was forced out of the country was Juan Pablo Duarte, founding father of the new Dominican Republic.

• Santana attacked María Trinidad Sánchez, the first heroine of the Republic and aunt of Francisco del Rosario Sánchez of the Founding Fathers of the nation. She and Concepción Bona made the first national flag. Santana imprisoned her, tortured her, and sentenced her to death when she refused to name "conspirators" against him in the newly independent republic. Exactly one year after the proclamation of Independence (February 27, 1845) María Trinidad Sánchez was executed by a firing squad. This made her the first (but not last) female martyr of the republic.[5]

Santana had two brothers, Ramón (b. 15 June 1801) —his twin brother— and Florencio (b. 14 November 1805) —who was paralytic, mute and mentally ill.[6]

Pedro Santana was engaged to María del Carmen Ruiz, a beautiful damsel who, when returning to her home in El Seybo from a pilgrimage to the sanctuary of Our Lady of Altagracia in Higüey, got her horse frightened with Ruiz flying and crashing against a rock, dying instantly. The death of his fiancée caused Santana a deep depression. His twin brother Ramón convinced Pedro to accompany him to visit his fiancée Froilana Febles, who lived in the town of El Seybo. In his visits to his to-be sister-in-law, Pedro fell in love with his brother's to-be mother-in-law, Micaela Antonia del Rivero, the rich widow of Miguel Febles, who was much older than Pedro. This meant that Froilana Febles became Pedro Santana's sister-in-law and stepdaughter at the same time, while Micaela del Rivero became sister-in-law and mother-in-law of Ramón Santana. The Santana-del Rivero marriage was very unhappy, but it gave Pedro Santana influence and power in the Southeastern region.[6]

He enwidowed and remarried, this time with Ana Zorrilla, who was also a rich widow and a bit older than him. Because of his marriages with mature women, he had no legitimate children.[7]

His brother Ramón died on 15 June 1844 during the Revolutionary war of Independence.[8]

From his brother's marriage to Froilana Febles, he had 3 nephews: Manuel (b. 24 March 1833), Francisco, and Rafael Santana (b. 1834-5), whom inherited many of Santana's properties. From Rafael Santana and his wife Paula Bobadilla is descended Cardinal Octavio Beras and comedian Freddy Beras-Goico.[7][9][10][11] From his niece María de los Ángeles Santana Febles, and her husband Isidoro Durán is descended Minister and former senator José Ignacio Paliza.

Pedro Santana died in the city of Santo Domingo on June 14, 1864, shortly after having been bestowed the hereditary title of Marqués de las Carreras (28 March 1862), in recognition of his victory in the Battle of Las Carreras, by Queen Isabella II of Spain, and was buried in the Ozama Fortress next to the Torre del Homenaje. From 1978 his remains lie at the National Pantheon of the Dominican Republic.

Santana died childless. He bequeathed his properties to his nephews, his godchildren, and his stepchildren. He included a pension to his disabled brother Florencio and his aunt Dominga Familia.

• Dominican Republic Heads of State
• Pedro Santana Familias (in Spanish) by Miosotis de Jesus
• Pedro Santana at Find A Grave