| Ducoudray Holstein Expedition | |
|---|---|
.png) Map of Puerto Rico | |
| Operational scope | Puerto Rico |
| Location | Puerto Rico |
| Planned | early 1820s |
| Planned by | Henri La Fayette Villaume Ducoudray Holstein |
| Objective | Removal of Spanish forces from Puerto Rico, and declaring the Boricua Republic |
| Date | 1822 |
| Eventual cancellation | |
The Ducoudray Holstein Expedition was an attempt by commercial interests to invade Puerto Rico, and declare it the independent "Republica Boricua" in 1822.[1][2][3]
In the 1820s there was a plot to invade Puerto Rico, declare its independence from Spain, proclaim the Republica Boricua and establish its capital in Mayagüez. This invasion was different from all its precursors since none before had intended to make Puerto Rico an independent nation, and use the Taino name Boricua as the name of the republic. It was also intended more as a mercantile venture than a patriotic endeavor. It was the first time an invasion intended to make the city of Mayagüez the capital of the island.[2]
The enterprise was conceived and carefully planned, organized and directed as a for-profit commercial enterprise by general Henri La Fayette Villaume Ducoudray Holstein,[4] a Germano-French veteran of the Napoleonic wars and of the Bolivarian wars.[4]
- ^ "Carte Geographique, Statistique et Historique De Porto-Rico (1825)" (in French). Retrieved June 1, 2024.
- ^ a b Cedó Alzamora, Federico (2010), Mayagüëz Capital de la Republica Boricua (PDF) (in Spanish) (2 ed.), Mayagüez: Oficina de Publicaciones Históricas, Museo Eugenio María de Hostos, Departamento de Arte y Cultura, Gobierno Municipal de Mayagüez, p. 44
- ^ "A Caribbean Affair". Roosevelt Institute for American Studies. Retrieved January 13, 2024.
- ^ a b "Descendants of Henri Louis Villaume Ducoudray-Holstein". familytreemaker.com. Retrieved November 1, 2010.