Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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Colombeia: Generalissimo
Francisco de Miranda’s archives
Inscribed 2007
What is it
The sixty-three unique and irreplaceable volumes
of documents, manuscripts, prints and maps
of Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda (1750–1816)
that were organized by Miranda himself.
Why was it inscribed
The archives portray Miranda’s role in notable historical
events including the American War of Independence;
Tsarist Russia in the era of Catherine the Great;
the French Revolution; and the initial struggle for
independence of the Spanish American colonies.
Where is it
Archivo General de la Nación, Caracas, Venezuela
Francisco de Miranda was born and brought up in
Caracas. He was an officer in the Spanish Army during
the Spanish-Moroccan war (1774–75) and at the siege
of Pensacola, in American Florida during the American War
of Independence (1781); he was authorized by Catherine
the Great in 1787 to wear the uniform of a Russian army
officer; and he played a key role as Commander-in-Chief
of the French Armies of the North, under General Charles
� A map of Greece, published in Paris in 1780,
from the Miranda archives.
294 Colombeia: Generalissimo Francisco de Miranda’s archives
Dumouriez (1792), in defence of the French Revolution
during the war against the Prussian-Austrian coalition.
His passion for freedom governed his life. From 1790
he tenaciously promoted Latin America’s independence.
He presented his project before the British government,
travelled to revolutionary France seeking cooperation
for his undertaking and promoted his project among
politicians of the burgeoning American democracy.
Simultaneously, he wrote constitutions, prepared invasion
plans, wrote proclamations, promoted meetings and
raised funds, all for one purpose: the independence of the
territories of Latin America. In 1811, he was appointed
Land and Sea Commander-in-Chief of the Venezuelan
Confederation and led the initial independence campaign
� A map of New York, published in May 1804,
from the Miranda archives.