Nicolás de Piérola
| Nicolás de Piérola | |
|---|---|
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| 33rd President of Peru "Supreme Commander-in-Chief" (War of the Pacific) |
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In office December 23, 1879 – November 28, 1881 |
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| Preceded by | Mariano Ignacio Prado |
| Succeeded by | Francisco García Calderón |
| 39th President of Peru | |
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In office September 8, 1895 – September 8, 1899 |
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| Preceded by | Manuel Candamo |
| Succeeded by | Eduardo López de Romaña |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
January 5, 1839 Arequipa, Peru |
| Died | June 23, 1913 (aged 74) Lima, Peru |
| Nationality | Peruvian |
| Political party |
National Party (1882-1884) Democratic Party (from 1884) |
| Spouse(s) | Jesusa de Iturbide |
Jose Nicolás Baltasar Fernández de Piérola y Villena (known as "El Califa" ("The Caliph"); January 5, 1839 – June 23, 1913) was a Peruvian politician and finance minister who served as the 33rd and 39th President of the Republic of Peru, from 1879 to 1881 and 1895 to 1899.
Nicolás de Piérola was born and educated in the southern Peruvian city of Arequipa. He moved to Lima to study theology at the Seminario de Santo Toribio, and later obtained his law degree from the Faculty of Law. His parents died in 1857.
He married Doña Jesusa de Iturbide, believed to be the illegitimate daughter of Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide y Huarte the son of Emperor Agustín de Iturbide of Mexico.
From 1868 to 1871, he became Finance Minister under President José Balta. He requested, from the Parliament, broad powers in order to negotiate with several companies and to get the best possible deal. The result of his negotiations, the so-called "Hires Dreyfus" treaty was signed with a French company, the "Dreyfus Brothers".
The treaty granted the Dreyfus house of Paris the monopoly of the Peruvian guano exports. Though successful at first, he was later accused and impeached under Pardo's administration of misappropriating funds, but was honorably acquitted of dishonest practice after he managed to obtain the support of Congress.
On May 6, 1877, in an attempt to overthrow the government of Mariano Ignacio Prado the ironclad Huáscar was seized at Callao port by followers of de Pierola. Led by the retired Navy Captain German Astete, it took part in the inconclusive Battle of Pacocha in which, at the helm of the monitor "Huáscar", they were forced to flee by two British ships, the "Amethyst" and the "Shah".
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