Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano, usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano (June 3, 1770 – June 20, 1820) was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader, born in Buenos Aires. Belgrano was appointed general by the first autonomous government of Argentina. In 1812, he created the national flag of Argentina; it was raised for the first time on February 27 of that year, on an island in the Paraná River, opposite the city of Rosario. He also led the Jujuy Exodus (Éxodo Jujeño), which prepared the ground for victories of the Argentine War of Independence in the northwest of the country. Belgrano was one of the leaders of the Argentine Declaration of Independence (1816-07-09). He proposed that Argentina should have a constitutional monarchy led by an Inca descendant, but this idea did not gain support.
Belgrano's health suffered greatly during his multiple expeditions and campaigns, held in generally bad conditions. At the age of 50 he died of dropsy, very poor and practically forgotten by the national government that he had served.
Commemoration
A monument complex (Monumento Nacional a la Bandera, National Flag Memorial) was built in 1957 in honor of the flag, in Rosario. The Flag Memorial and the park that surrounds it are the seat of national celebrations every Flag Day, on June 20, the anniversary of Belgrano's death. The warship ARA General Belgrano, which was sunk during the Falklands War, was named after him. A small town in the province of Córdoba, Argentina, Villa General Belgrano, is also named after him, as well as "Avenida Belgrano" in the City of Buenos Aires, and part of the avenue that leads to the Flag Memorial in Rosario (Avenida Belgrano). Additionally, there is a northern barrio within Buenos Aires proper that carries the name Belgrano.
