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He travelled to Spain in 1840 to complete his studies
and he became Licentiate in Laws. From 1842 to 1844
he travelled through France, Belgium, England, Switzerland,
Germany, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Palestine and Egypt.
His mastwership in several languages allowed him to
study history and political institutions from those
countries.
In 1844 he returned to Cuba and settled in Bayamo as
lawyer. He was director of the Philarmonic Society and
of its Section of Declamatioo. In 1849 he was syndic
of Bayamo Town Hall. From 1852 to 1855 he was imprisoned
in three different times. He collaborated in La
Prensa (Havana), El Redactor
(Santiago de Cuba) and La Antorcha
(Manzanillo), where, besides, he was editor.
He played an impoprtant role in Buena Fe (Good Faith)
Lodge, settled in Manzanillo on April, 1868 and began
his conspiracy tasks.
In October 10th, 1868 he uprose in arms against the
Spanish colonialism in his sugarmill La Demajagua, freeing
his slaves and proclaim the Declaración de
Independencia (Declaration of Independence), thus
starting the Ten Years´War. He hoisted another
version of the Cuban flag having the same colours, and
ten days later he made it wave in the seizure of Bayamo.
In October 20th he seized Bayamo, being declared provisional
capital and official site of rhe Revolution Government.
There he settled El Cubano Libre, the newspaper..
In December 27th he signed the Decreet on Slavery which
gave freedom to those slavces presentd by hismasters
to fight for independence, and to those slaves belonging
to owners who were obviously opposed to Revolution.
In April 1869 he was appointed President of the Republic
in Arms by the Assembly
of Guáimaro.
In May 29th, 1870, his son, Oscar is made prisoner
by the Spaniards and shot when Céspedes refused
to negotiate on the basis of his resignation, fact that
proves Céspedes´revolutionary strenght.
In December 31st, 1870 his wife Ana de Quesada became
prisoner of the Spaniards.
In October 27th, 1873, the Chamer of Representatives
deprived Céspedes from his charge of President
of the Republic. He, agreed this with discipline. He
settled in San Lorenzo, Sierra Maestra mountain range,
where he died in unequal combat against the Spanish
troops in February 27th, 1874.
He wrote drama El conde de Montgomery. He
translated El cervecero rey, by D’Arlincour
from French , and Las dos dianas, by Alexander
Dumas and excerpts of Eneida from Latin.
Statue
of Carlos Manuel de Céspedes |
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Carlos Manuel de Céspedes statue in the park
named afet him in Bayamo, Granma.
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