THE ROMANCE OF MIRANDA
This is the romance of Francisco de Miranda of Venezuela, the Flaming Son of Liberty, the Knight-Errant of Freedom, who made Spain tremble.
Romance was in his blood, for Alvaro, his great Spanish ancestor, had won the family coat-of-arms, by rescuing five Christian maidens from pagan Moors. And Miranda’s father, an adventurous, bold Spaniard, had crossed the Atlantic in those dangerous days of pirates to seek his fortune in Venezuela.
So the boy, who was to make Spain tremble, was born in Venezuela, and grew up in the City of Caracas. He liked to read and study. He was given a classical education. But the call of romance and adventure was too loud for him to remain quietly at home. When he was sixteen, he sailed for Spain to try his own fortune.
His father was wealthy, and the boy bought a captain’s commission in the Regiment of the Princess. He studied military science and fought valiantly against Spain’s enemies. He collected books. In fact, he spent a great deal of money bringing books from many countries; only to have some of his precious volumes burned by the Spanish Inquisition, because they taught of Equality, Fraternity, and Liberty.
Then came our American War for Independence. While Washington and the Continental Army were fighting for our Liberty, Miranda’s romantic career as a Knight-Errant of Liberty, began.
For Spain and France were both at war with England. They sent troops to the West Indies to form an expedition to take away from England, Pensacola, in Florida. Miranda, a high-spirited, executive young officer was chosen to accompany the Spanish troops. So for two years he took part in our struggle for Independence.
But he made enemies among the Spanish officials stationed in the West Indies. They accused him of disloyalty to Spain. He was tried, and banished for ten years. Probably he had aroused their suspicion because, while fighting for our Freedom, he had begun to plan for the Independence of Venezuela.
Thus Miranda became an exile from all of Spain’s dominions. Filled with his great idea of Freedom for his Country, he went wandering about Europe armed with papers, maps, and information about Spanish America. He went from Court to Court, from Country to Country—he even visited the United States—trying to persuade some Government to take up the cause of Independence for Spanish America, and to lend him money, men, and arms.
But he found time in the midst of all this roving to become a soldier of France, and to fight for her Freedom during the French Revolution. He had many thrilling adventures, and was imprisoned and escaped. Then he once more took up his wanderings and petitionings.