Eusebio Calonge


Eusebio de Calonje y Fenollet was a Spanish military officer and politician of the Moderate Party. He served as Minister of State, Minister of the Navy, senator, deputy of Zaragoza, Almería and Teruel provinces as well as the Captain General of Aragon, Navarre and Canary Islands.

Biography

A military officer affiliated with the Moderate Party, he fought in the First Carlist War, reaching the rank of colonel. He was forced into exile during the regency of Baldomero Espartero. He returned to Spain in 1843 and served as a deputy in 1845, 1848, 1850, and 1853. Promoted to brigadier general of infantry in 1846, he held the Captaincy General of Navarre from 1852 to 1854. In 1866, he served as Minister of the Navy for three days and, later that year, as Minister of State until September 1867. At the outbreak of the Revolution of 1868, he was commander-in-chief of the armies of Old Castile, the Basque Country, Navarre, and Galicia. After the revolution's success, he was permitted to go to Portugal.
He returned to Spain in October 1870 and was reinstated in the army after swearing allegiance to the constitution, although he remained on reserve status. In 1871, he was condemned by a court-martial to the loss of his post and honors for refusing to swear allegiance to Amadeo of Savoy. After the abdication of Amadeo I and the proclamation of the republic, he declined to return to his post. He was a life senator from 1853 to 1868 and secretary of the chamber in 1858.
In March 1840 he married Joaquina García de Vicuña. They had a son, Eusebio de Calonje y García de Vicuña, who was also a military officer and reached the rank of brigadier general and captain of the Royal Corps of Halberdier Guards.

Political positions

Distinctions