FRANCISCA DE ZUBIAGA DE GAMARRA “LA MARISCALA” - INDEPENDENCE OF PERU

 

Around the world, millions of women have contributed to the independence of their nations, and Peruvian women are not far behind. However, history was not the same for everyone. Our country during and after independence was involved in a political, economic, and social crisis. According to history professor and researcher Alex Loayza Pérez, the line between treason and patriotic action was blurred in that civil war. In Peru, the situation at independence was more complex due to the intervention of foreign armies seeking their benefits, even though many were supporters of values ​​of freedom that encompass the many communities belonging to our country.

So let's talk about an icon and example of a heroine, such as Francisca de Zubiaga de Gamarra, known as La Mariscala, a mestizo (daughter of a Spaniard and a Creole) who lived in the capital away from the fields and mountains. However, despite the life of holiness she led. At the age of 17 she marries General Agustín Gamarra and thus begins an unexpected turn in his life and history. In the middle of the war, she begins to train with pistols, foils, and horsemanship, and more than complementing her husband's decisions, she begins to declare her own and stand out as a triumphant and courageous woman. At the age of 25, she dressed as a soldier and fought in the fields where, after the capture of Paria, she earned the respect of the troops she supervised.

Even in the 21st century, could we find people with such drive? Without a doubt, this woman showed her soul as a leader. When her husband "exercised" the power of the presidency, the estrangements began, and she ended up leaving for Chile. Some even commented that her strong character and toughness led her to lose the support of her people and to be disowned by the society of the time, thus finally dying in foreign lands.

From our perspective, so much firmness, pride, and strength are difficult to assimilate today. How difficult could it have been at that time? Earning the respect and admiration of so many men and standing out against female stereotypes. Without a doubt La Mariscala was and continues to be an icon of our history and of humanity.

Garcia Lopez, A. B. (n.d.). Las heroínas calladas de la Independencia Hispanoamericana. Centro Virtual Cervantes. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://cvc.cervantes.es/literatura/mujer_independencias/garcia.htm

Perez, A. L. (2015, July). Memoria historia. Revista Argumentos. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://argumentos-historico.iep.org.pe/articulos/la-independencia-peruana-memoria-e-historia/

Ramirez, V. (2020, May 18). Francisca Zubiaga. El corazón guerrero de La Mariscala. Fundación BBVA Perú. Retrieved May 27, 2022, from https://fundacionbbva.pe/opinion/francisca-zubiaga-el-corazon-guerrero-de-la-mariscala/