View source for Supreme Director of Chile

{{Infobox official post
| post = Supreme Director
| body = Chile
| native_name = Director supremo/Supremo Director
| insignia = 
| insigniasize = 
| insigniacaption = 
| flag = Seal of the Supreme Director of Chile.svg
| flagsize = 
| flagborder = 
| flagcaption = Seal of the "Supreme Director of the Chilean State"
| image = Ohiggins.jpg
| imagesize = 
| alt = 
| imagecaption = '''Longest serving<br>[[Bernardo O'Higgins]]'''<br>16 February 1817 – 28 January 1823
| department = 
| style = [[Excellency|His Excellency]]
| type = 
| status = 
| abbreviation = 
| member_of = 
| reports_to = 
| residence = 
| seat = 
| nominator = 
| appointer = 
| appointer_qualified = 
| termlength = 
| termlength_qualified = 
| constituting_instrument = 
| precursor = President of the National Government Junta of Chile
| formation = 7 March 1814
| first = [[Antonio José de Irisarri]]
| last = [[Ramón Freire]]
| abolished = 9 July 1826
| succession = [[President of Chile]]
| unofficial_names = 
| deputy = 
| salary = 
| website = 
}}

The '''supreme director of Chile''' was the head of state and government of Chile in the periods of 1814 and 1817-1826.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HKV1WRT8ToEC&q=Francisco+de+la+Lastra++first+Supreme+Director+of+Chile+%281814%29.&pg=PA708|title=Supreme Director of Chile|isbn=9780810865426|last1=Bizzarro|first1=Salvatore|date=20 April 2005|publisher=Scarecrow Press }}</ref>

The first supreme director was [[Francisco de la Lastra]], but before him [[Antonio José de Irisarri]] had served for 7 days as interim supreme director, the last person to hold the title was [[Ramón Freire]].

== History of the position ==

=== Old Fatherland (1814) ===
In 1814 due to Royalist advances, the [[:es:Junta_de_Gobierno_de_Chile|National Government Junta]] was dissolved with the intention of establishing a new title which would concentrate all the faculties of the Junta and its President in a single person and therefore help to coordinate more easily the Independentist forces against the Royalists;<ref>{{Cite book |last=de Irisarri |first=Antonio José |title=El Supremo Director del Estado a los pueblos |date=March 8, 1814 |publisher=Imprenta del Estado |location=Santiago, Chile |pages=1 |language=es}}</ref> a [[:es:Senado_Consultivo_(Chile)|Consultative Senate]] was also established.

On March 7 Francisco de la Lastra was proclaimed as the first supreme director but as he was in [[Valparaíso]] and not in [[Santiago]] at the time, the [[Guatemala|Guatemalan]] Antonio José de Irisarri assumed as interim supreme director<ref>{{Cite book |last=de Irisarri |first=Antonio José |title=El Supremo Director del Estado a los pueblos |date=March 8, 1814 |publisher=Imprenta del Estado |location=Santiago, Chile |pages=2 |language=es}}</ref> for seven days, until March 14 when de la Lastra finally arrived at Santiago.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reseña biográfica de Francisco de la Lastra de la Sotta |url=https://www.bcn.cl/historiapolitica/resenas_parlamentarias/wiki/Francisco_De_la_Lastra_de_la_Sotta |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile |language=es}}</ref>

The [[:es:Reglamento_para_el_Gobierno_Provisorio_de_1814|Regulation of the Provisional Government of 1814]] established that:<blockquote>“Article 1°. The critical circumstances of the day compel us to concentrate the Executive Power on a single individual, with the title of Supreme Director, as in him reside all faculties that the Government Junta had since its installation on September 18, 1810.
Article 2°. Therefore his faculties are extensive and unlimited, with the exception of peace treaties, war declarations, the establishment of trade, and taxes or general public contributions, in which necessarily he will consult and reach an agreement with his Senate."<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=March 17, 1814 |title=El Reglamento para el Gobierno Provisorio sancionado en 17 de marzo de 1814 |url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1005389 |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile |language=es}}</ref></blockquote>The supreme director was to last 18 months on the position with possibility of extension by agreement of the Municipality and the Senate.<ref name=":0" />

On July 23, 1814, at 03:00 A.M, former President of the Government Junta general [[José Miguel Carrera]] led a [[coup d'état]] together with the [[Catholic Church|Catholic]] [[Priesthood in the Catholic Church|Priest]], Julián Uribe (who was in command of the artillery) which deposed de la Lastra, abolished de Directorial system and installed a new Government Junta with Carrera as its President.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Julio Bañados Espinosa. La Batalla de Rancagua. Sus Antecedentes y sus Consecuencias |url=http://www.historia.uchile.cl/CDA/fh_article/0,1389,SCID%253D16503%2526ISID%253D489%2526PRT%253D16497%2526JNID%253D12,00.html |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Fuentes documentales y bibliográficas para el estudio de la historia de Chile |publisher=Universidad de Chile |language=es}}</ref>

=== New Fatherland (1817-1823) ===
In 1817 after the Royalist defeat at the [[:es:Batalla_de_Chacabuco|Battle of Chacabuco]] [[Bernardo O'Higgins]] was proclaimed as Supreme Director<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Período 1811-1823 Proceso de Independencia |url=https://www.bcn.cl/historiapolitica/hitos_periodo/detalle_periodo.html?filtros=1,2,3,4,5,6&per=1811-1823&pagina=2&K=1 |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile |language=es}}</ref> ''[[de facto]]'', he became Supreme Director ''[[de jure]]'' once the Provisional Constitution of 1818 was promulgated and confirmed him as such.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=August 10, 1818 |title=Proyecto de Constitución Provisoria para el Estado de Chile publicado en 10 de agosto de 1818, sancionado y jurado solemnemente el 23 de octubre del mismo |url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1005251 |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile |language=es}}</ref>

The Constitution established that:<blockquote>"The Supreme Director will hold the Executive Power in the entire territory. His election has already been confirmed according to the circumstances of what has happened; but in the future it must be done upon the free consent of the provinces, according to the regulation that will be written for that purpose by the Legislature"<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>

=== Organization of the Republic (1823-1826) ===
By the beginning of January 1823, general [[Ramón Freire]] intendant of [[Concepción, Chile|Concepción]] and Chief of the Army of the South marched with his troops towards Santiago, in January 28 O'Higgins renounced as Supreme Director<ref name=":1" /> and a [[:es:Junta_de_Gobierno_de_Chile_(1823)|Provisional Government Junta]] was established, led by [[:es:Agustín_de_Eyzaguirre|Agustín de Eyzaguirre Arechavala]] who previously in 1813 had already served as President of the Government Junta. Freire and his troops were already in Valparaíso, near Santiago were they refused to recognise the new government and marched towards the capital.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Barros Arana |first=Diego |title=Historia Jeneral de Chile. Tomo XIV. |publisher=Imprenta Cervantes |year=1897 |location=Santiago, Chile |pages=5–27 |language=es}}</ref> Eventually Freire was proclaimed as Supreme Director on August 18, he would hold that position until July 9, 1826<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ramón Freire Serrano |url=https://www.bcn.cl/historiapolitica/resenas_biograficas/wiki/Ram%C3%B3n_Freire_Serrano |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile}}</ref> when [[Manuel Blanco Encalada]] became the first [[President of Chile|President of the Republic]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Manuel Blanco Encalada |url=https://www.bcn.cl/historiapolitica/resenas_biograficas/wiki/Manuel_Blanco_Encalada |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile}}</ref>

Under the Directorate of Freire, a [[:es:Constitución_Política_y_Permanente_del_Estado_de_Chile_de_1823|new Constitution]], that of 1823, was promulgated, according to the aforementioned Constitution: <blockquote>"A citizen with the title of Supreme Director administers the State in accordance with the laws and exercises exclusively the Executive Power. It will last for four years: being able to be re-elected a second time by two-thirds of the votes."<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 29, 1823 |title=Constitución Política del Estado de Chile, promulgada en 29 de diciembre de 1823" |url=https://www.bcn.cl/leychile/navegar?idNorma=1005202 |access-date=October 12, 2023 |website=Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile}}</ref></blockquote>

==List==
;Political parties
{{legend2|{{party color|Independent (politician)}}|[[Independent politician|Independent]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|{{party color|Pelucones}}|[[Pelucones]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}<br />
{{legend2|{{party color|Pipiolos}}|[[Pipiolos]]|border=1px solid #AAAAAA}}

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan=2| {{abbr|No.|Number}}
! rowspan=2| Portrait
! rowspan=2| Name<br><small>(Born-Died)</small>
! colspan=3| Term
! rowspan=2| Political Party
! rowspan=2| Election
! rowspan=2| Ref.
|-
! Took office
! Left office
! Duration
{{Officeholder table
| order2            = 1
| image             = Antonio de Irisarri.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Antonio José de Irisarri]]
| born_year         = 1786
| died_year         = 1868
| term_start        = 7 March 1814
| term_end          = 14 March 1814
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1814|03|07|1814|03|14}}
| alt_party         = Independent (politician)
| election          = –
| ref               = <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/irisarri-antonio-jose-de-1786-1868|title=Irisarri, Antonio José de (1786–1868)}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order2            = 2
| image             = Fco. de la Lastra.JPG
| officeholder      = [[Francisco de la Lastra]]
| born_year         = 1777
| died_year         = 1852
| term_start        = 14 March 1814
| term_end          = 23 July 1814
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1814|03|14|1814|07|23}}
| alt_party         = Independent (politician)
| election          = –
| ref               = –
}}
|-
|colspan="9" bgcolor="lightgrey" align=center| '''Spanish Reconquest'''<br>(1814–1817)
{{Officeholder table
| order2            = 4
| image             = FRuizTagle.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Francisco Ruiz-Tagle]]
| born_year         = 1790
| died_year         = 1860
| term_start        = 12 February 1817 
| term_end          = 16 February 1817
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1817|02|12|1817|02|16}}
| alt_party         = Pelucones
| election          = –
| ref               = –
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order2            = 5
| image             = Ohiggins.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Bernardo O'Higgins]]
| born_year         = 1778
| died_year         = 1842
| term_start        = 16 February 1817
| term_end          = 28 January 1823
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1817|02|16|1823|01|28}}
| alt_party         = Independent (politician)
| election          = –
| ref               = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bernardo-OHiggins|title=Bernardo O'Higgins}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order2            = 6
| image             = AgustinEyzaguirre.jpg
| officeholder      = [[Agustín Eyzaguirre]]
| born_year         = 1768
| died_year         = 1837
| term_start        = 28 January 1823
| term_end          = 4 April 1823
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1823|01|28|1823|04|04}}
| alt_party         = Independent (politician)
| election          = [[1822 Chilean parliamentary election|1822]]
| ref               = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thebiography.us/en/eyzaguirre-agustin|title=Biography of Agustín Eyzaguirre (1768-1837)}}</ref>
}}
{{Officeholder table
| order2            = 7
| image             = Ramón Freire.jpeg
| officeholder      = [[Ramón Freire]]
| born_year         = 1787
| died_year         = 1851
| term_start        = 4 April 1823
| term_end          = 9 July 1826
| timeinoffice      = {{ayd|1823|04|04|1826|07|09}}
| alt_party         = Pipiolos
| election          = [[1823 Chilean parliamentary election|1823]]
| ref               = <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thebiography.us/en/freire-y-serrano-ramon|title=Biography of Ramón Freire y Serrano (1788-1851)}}</ref>
}}
|}

==See also==
*[[President of Chile]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Supreme directors of Chile| ]]
[[Category:1810 establishments in the Captaincy General of Chile]]
[[Category:1820s disestablishments in Chile]]