Dr. José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia y Velasco ( Events January 1 - Great Britain as King Charles III and figurehead for Jacobitism. March 5 - Antonio de Ulloa, the first Spanish governor of Louisiana, arrives in New Orleans. March 18 - American Revolution: The British Parliament repeals the Stamp Act which was very unpopular in the British colonies. The persuasion of... 1766– September 20 is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years). There are 102 days remaining. Events 1596 - Diego de Montemayor founded the city of Monterrey, Mexico. 1854 - Battle of Alma - British and French troops defeat Russians in the Crimea 1860 - The Prince of Wales (later King Edward... September 20, 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 3 - One of the predecessor papers to the Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia, The Port Phillip Herald, is founded by George Cavanaugh. January 10 - Uniform penny postage introduced in the UK. January 19 - Captain... 1840) was the first leader of an independent The Republic of Paraguay is a landlocked republic in South America. Lying on both banks of the Paraguay River, it borders Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the northeast and Bolivia to the northwest. The name Paraguay is derived from the Guarani words pará, meaning river and guay... Paraguay, which he ran without outside interference from 1814 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). Events January 14 - Denmark cedes Norway to Sweden in exchange for west Pomerania, as part of the Treaty of Kiel January 29 - French army of Emperor Napoleon I wins the Battle of Brienne January 31 - Gervasio Antonio de... 1814 to 1840.

Although his father, a native of São Paulo, was simply García Rodríguez Francia, the dictator inserted de to style himself "Rodríguez de Francia y Velasco." He is often referred to simply as "Francia".

Born in Yaguarón, he became a doctor of theology and trained for the Catholic priesthood but never entered it. When Paraguayan independence from Spain was declared in 1811, he was appointed secretary to the national There are a number of things that junta (hUn-tah) could refer to: It can be a military dictatorship. See also Military rule. In History of Spain, junta (coming-together) was the name chosen by several local administrations forming in Spain during the Peninsula War as a patriotic alternative to... junta or congress. In 1814 he secured an election that gave him three years of See Absolute Power (book) for the 1996 book by David Baldacci and the Clint Eastwood film. Absolute Power is a British comedy series, set in the offices of Prentiss McCabe, a fictional public relations company (or government-media relations consultancy) in London. It started in 2000 as a Radio series... absolute power to rule as the This is a list of Presidents of Paraguay and holders of its predecessor offices. Consuls Fulgencio Yegros (1811) José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (12 October 1813 - 12 February 1814) Fulgencio Yegros (12 February 1814 - 12 June 1814) José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia (12 June 1814 - 20 September 1840... President of Paraguay. By the end of that term he was in a position to rule for his lifetime, and ran the country with the aid of only three other people. He aimed to found a society on the principles of Jean-Jacques Rousseau Jean Jacques Rousseau (June 28, 1712 - July 2, 1778) was a Swiss-French philosopher, writer, political theorist, and self-taught composer of The Age of Enlightenment Biography of Rousseau The tomb of Rousseau in the crypt of the Panth on, Paris Rousseau was born in Geneva, Switzerland... Rousseau's Social contract is a phrase used in philosophy, political science, and sociology to denote a real or hypothetical agreement within a state regarding the rights and responsibilities of the state and its citizens, or more generally a similar concord between a group and its members. All members within a society... Social Contract and was also inspired by Maximilien François Marie Isidore de Robespierre, (May 6, 1758–July 28, 1794), known also to his contemporaries as the Incorruptible, is one of the best known of the leaders of the French Revolution. He was the leader of the Committee of Public Safety which oversaw the period of... Robespierre and For other uses, see Napoleon (disambiguation). Portrait of Napoléon Bonaparte Napoléon Bonaparte (15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general and ruler of France. He was a general of the French Revolution and became the effective ruler of France in 1799: he was First Consul (Premier... Napoleon. To create such a personal utopia he imposed a ruthless Isolationism is a diplomatic policy whereby a nation seeks to avoid alliances with other nations. Most nations are not in a political position to maintain strict isolationist policies for extended periods of time, even though most nations have historical periods where isolationism is popular. United States Isolationism Main article: United... isolation upon Paraguay, interdicting all external trade, while at the same time he fostered national industries. He became known as a Caudillo is a Spanish (caudilho in Portuguese) word designating a politico-military leader at the head of an authoritative power. The related caudillismo is a cultural phenomenon that first appeared during the early 19th century in revolutionary South America, as a type of militia leader with a charismatic personality and... caudillo who ruled through ruthless suppression and random terror with increasing signs of madness, and was known as "El Supremo".

He outlawed all opposition and abolished higher education (while expanding the school system), newspapers and the postal service. He abolished the The Inquisition was an office of the Roman Catholic Church charged with suppressing heresy. Their actions and interactions with the local governments are subjects of considerable historical inquiry. Origin The Inquisition was a permanent institution in the Catholic Church charged with the eradication of heresies. Unlike many other religions (e... Inquisition and established a A secret police (sometimes political police) force is a police organization that operates in secret to enforce state security. This blanket term generally means keeping the government from being attacked from within (e.g. sabotage, revolution, etc). In countries where rule is by fiat the secret police are often used... secret police force.

Leading a spartan lifestyle, Francia frowned on excessive possessions or festivities. He even returned his unspent salary to the treasury. He closed the borders of the country to both people and trade, reasoning this would prevent a Government debt (public debt, national debt) is money owed by government, at any level (central government, federal government, national government, municipal government, local government, regional government). Its possible to consider this an indirect debt of the tax payers. Government debt can be divided into internal debt, owed to lenders... national debt from forming, but also isolating the country from outside - especially European influences.

Francia later seized the possessions of the The Roman Catholic Church believes its founding was based on Jesus appointment of Saint Peter as the primary church leader, later Bishop of Rome. The Roman Catholic Church is the largest religious denomination of Christianity with over one billion members. It maintains the claim that it is both organisationally and... Catholic Church, Nationalization is the act of taking assets into state ownership. Usually it refers to private assets being nationalised, but sometimes it may be assets owned by other levels of government, such as municipalities. Similarly, the opposite of nationalization is usually privatization, but sometimes it may be municipalization. Nationalization that happens... nationalising the land as communal farms which proved successful. He appointed himself head of the Paraguayan church, for which the Pope Excommunication is religious censure which is used to deprive or suspend membership in a religious community. The word literally means out of communion. Christianity Calvins view on excommunication In John Calvins Institutes of The Christian Religion, he said (4.12.10): For when our Saviour promises that what... excommunicated him.

He made Marriage is a relationship that plays a key role in the definition of many families. Precise definitions vary historically and between and within cultures, but it has been an important concept as a socially sanctioned bond between people who (usually) are in a sexual relationship. Globally, societies that sanction polygyny... marriage subject to high taxation and restrictions, insisting he personally conduct all weddings. To reduce the influence of the Spanish gentry, he forbade them to marry among themselves. He himself had no close relationships, but had a daughter, Ubalde García de Cañete.

Francia's later years were known for their seemingly arbitrary rulings. He ordered all dogs to be shot. Not only did everyone have to raise their hat when he passed, but those without hats had to carry brims to raise.

When Francia died in September 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). Events January 3 - One of the predecessor papers to the Herald Sun of Melbourne, Australia, The Port Phillip Herald, is founded by George Cavanaugh. January 10 - Uniform penny postage introduced in the UK. January 19 - Captain... 1840, his body was fed to caiman and his furniture burnt. His reputation abroad was negative, though Thomas Carlyle, Scottish essayist and historian. This shows the most familar image of the elderly Carlyle as the bearded sage with a penetrating gaze. See below for an image of the young Carlyle Thomas Carlyle (December 4, 1795 - February 5, 1881) was a Scottish essayist and historian, whose work was... Thomas Carlyle, no friend to democracy, found material to admire even in the publications of Francia's detractors and wrote in an 1843 essay "‘Liberty of private judgement, unless it kept its mouth shut, was at an end in Paraguay" but considered that under the social circumstances this was of little detriment to a "Gaucho population... not yet fit for constitutional liberty." A modern reader might consider this faint praise, taken all in all.

There is today a museum dedicated to Rodríguez de Francia in Yaguarón.

External links

• Brief biography of Rodriguez de Francia (http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/paraguay/francia.htm)
• "Paraguay: The Rise of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia" (http://workmall.com/wfb2001/paraguay/paraguay_history_the_rise_of_jose_gaspar_rodriguez_de_francia.html)
• I the Supreme, a novel by Augusto Roa Bastos (b. 1917) is the greatest living Paraguayan novelist. Roa Bastos is best known for I, the Supreme (Yo, el Supremo) (1974), probably the greatest Latin American dictator novel, and Son of Man (Hijo de Hombre) (1960). He is also the author of numerous other novels and stories... Augusto Roa Bastos, has an alternative view.