Ambrosio O'Higgins

Ambrosio O'Higgins (born Ambrose O'Higgins) (1720? - 1801) born in Ballinary, a Townland on the shores of Lough Arrow, in County Sligo, Ireland. Emigrated to Spain and later enrolled in the Spanish Imperial Service, he finally became Viceroy of Peru (The New Extremadura Province, comprising present-day Peru, Chile, Bolivia, Northwest Argentina and parts of Western Brazil) between 1796 and 1801. After a stay in Spain with his Priest uncle, he later moved to La Plata Colony, in present day Argentina, where he tried some commercial ventures, after which he enrolled as Draughtsman and then engineer for the Spanish Imperial Service. Was there where John Garland, another Irish engineer at the Service of Spain, convinced him to move to the neighbouring, and less established , Colony of Chile. He rose quickly through the Service and became Governor General of the General Capitany of Chile. During this time he had a relation with a Creole Lady: Isabel Riquelme, whose family was member of the Spanish ruling class. From this unofficial union, a son was born: Bernardo O'Higgins, who will later became "Supreme Director" of Chile (a title whose practical definition would be close to the ancient Greek concept of "tyrant") after its independence from the Spanish Empire. Though Ambrose never officially recognised this son as his legal heir,he paid for his education in England and left him his possesions in Peru and Chile. In 1796 he was appointed Viceroy of Peru, the richest colony of the whole Empire and thus the most prominent post in all the Spanish America, which he occupied until his death in 1801. As Governor of Chile, one of the most problematic and remote Spanish outpost, he was extremely active, promoting the construction of a definitive road between the capital Santiago and the port of Valparaiso (the layout of which is still in use today), the Government Palace (Casa de la Moneda)in Santiago, the setting up of a reliable postal service between La Plata colony and the General Capitany of Chile, an many others. Towns, places, Bays, and other Spanish discoveries in the Americas where named after his birthplace during his time as Viceroy, such as Vallenar (Spanization of Ballynary), in Chile or Vallenar Bay, in Alaska.