Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga : a biografia de um cura em tempos de independência no Prata

Abstract

Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga (1771-1848), natural de Montevidéu, alcançou o maior posto na hierarquia eclesiástica da Banda Oriental durante a primeira metade do século XIX. Entre as diversas atividades com as quais se envolveu, além daquelas referentes à sua condição de sacerdote, realizou estudos naturalistas e atuou na política. Neste período, diversos grupos se revezaram no poder, no território que hoje forma o Uruguai, e Larrañaga manteve seu prestígio e influência junto a maior parte deles. Esta tese investiga a atuação política deste personagem, principalmente no período entre 1811 e 1821, observando as relações que estabeleceu nos três principais contextos em que atuou (eclesiástico, científico e político), procurando entender como conseguiu transitar entre diferentes grupos, mantendo-se sempre no poder.

Dámaso Antonio Larrañaga (1771-1848), was born in Montevideo and he attained the highest office in the ecclesiastical hierarchy in the Banda Oriental during the first half of the 19th century. He got involved in a variety of activities, in addition to those referred to his priestly condition, he carried out some naturalistic studies and was engaged in politics. During this period, several groups took turns in power, in the territory formed by Uruguay nowadays, and Larrañaga maintained his prestigious and influence into most part of them. The aim of this thesis is to investigate Larrañaga's political involvement, especially in the period between 1811 and 1821, regarding the relations that he established in the three main contexts in which he was engaged (eclesiastical, scientific and political), in order to understand how he managed to switch over among different groups, and by this way, he was always in power.