Ambrosio de Funes Villalpando

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Funes and the second or maternal family name is Villalpando.

Ambrosio Villalpando
Secretary of State for War of Spain
In office 14 January 1772 – 15 July 1780
Monarch	Charles III
First Secretary of State	Jerónimo Grimaldi Count of Floridablanca
Preceded by	Juan Gregorio Muniain
Succeeded by	Miguel de Múzquiz y Goyeneche
Captain General of Cuba
In office 8 July 1763 – 27 June 1765
Monarch	Charles III
Viceroy of New Spain	Marquess of Cruillas
Preceded by	Juan Luna
Succeeded by	Diego Manrique
Personal details
Born	1720 Zaragoza, Spanish Empire
Died	15 July 1782(1782-07-15) (aged 61–62) Madrid, Spanish Empire

Ambrosio de Funes Villalpando, count of Ricla (1720 - 15 July 1782), was a captain general of Cuba, from July 1763 to June 1765. Prior to that, he had represented Spain at the court of the Russian Empire.

After returning to Spain, he was appointed as Viceroy of Navarre, Capitan General of Catalonia and, lastly, served Carlos III as his Secretary of War.

Biography

Villalpando entered the Spanish Army, and in 1760 was appointed to represent Spain at the court of Russia. In July 1763, after Great Britain defeated France in the Seven Years' War, it also signed the Treaty of Paris with Spain, settling control of territories in North America. France ceded its territories east of the Mississippi River to Britain, and West Louisiana (and Caribbean islands) to Spain. The count of Ricla took possession of the island of Cuba in the name of the king of Spain as governor and captain general.

Villalpando served in this office until June 1765. During his short administration he improved defenses: repairing the fortifications of the city of Havana, and beginning construction of the great fortress known as La Cabaña. In addition, he improved government administration, organizing the department of finances, the police, the militia, and the hospitals. In 1764 he founded the newspaper La Gaceta de la Havana (Havana Gazette).

After his return to Spain, Villalpando was appointed as Viceroy of Navarra, and Capitain General of Catalonia. During the reign of Carlos III, Villalpando served in the cabinet as Secretary of War.

Villalpando died in Madrid on July 15, 1782, at age 62.

Honors

• One of the most important streets in Havana is named Calle de Ricla in his honor.

References

• This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Wilson, J. G.; Fiske, J., eds. (1900). "Fimes Villalpando, Ambrosio de" . Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. New York: D. Appleton.

External links

• "La Habana". ricla.org. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012. (in Spanish)