Historedia
AmericasEvent

Gervasio Antonio de Posadas becomes Supreme Director of Argentina

When
1814–1815
Where
Buenos Aires
Episodes
5

Gervasio Antonio de Posadas assumed the office of Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata on 31 January 1814 in Buenos Aires. This transition occurred when the Assembly of Year XIII concentrated executive power in a single person, ending his prior service on the Second Triumvirate. His tenure lasted until his resignation in January 1815, marked by military successes, administrative decrees, and internal political conflicts.

Episodes

  1. 31 January 1814 · Buenos AiresAssumption of Office

    Posadas took office as Supreme Director on 31 January 1814, following the Assembly's concentration of executive power.

  2. 11 February 1814 · Buenos AiresDecree Against Artigas

    Posadas declared Artigas infamous and offered a reward for his capture shortly after assuming office.

  3. 10 August 1814 · Buenos AiresAppointment of San Martín

    Posadas appointed José de San Martín as Governor-Intendant of Cuyo.

  4. 10 September 1814 · Buenos AiresCreation of Provinces

    Posadas decreed the separation of Entre Ríos and Corrientes from the Buenos Aires intendancy.

  5. 9 January 1815 · Buenos AiresResignation and Succession

    Posadas resigned on 9 January 1815 due to military tensions and internal conflict.

Background and detail

Background. Posadas was an Argentine lawyer and statesman who served as a member of the Second Triumvirate from August 1813. The Assembly of Year XIII established the title of Supreme Director, concentrating executive power in a single person. Posadas took office on 31 January 1814, becoming the first holder of this title, which was intended to last for two years.

Administrative Actions. Shortly after assuming office, Posadas issued a decree declaring José Gervasio Artigas infamous and offering a reward for his capture. He also decreed the separation of Entre Ríos and Corrientes from the Buenos Aires intendancy, establishing them as provinces. Additionally, he appointed José de San Martín as Governor-Intendant of Cuyo, a post from which San Martín organized the Army of the Andes.

Military and Resignation. Under Posadas, the revolutionary fleet commanded by Guillermo Brown won decisive actions, leading to the capitulation of Montevideo. Amid military tensions with the Ejército del Norte and internal conflict in the Littoral, Posadas resigned on 9 January 1815. He was succeeded by his nephew Carlos María de Alvear, and later imprisoned after Alvear's fall.

People involved

Sources

  1. Gervasio Antonio de Posadas Wikipedia, revision of 2026-04-05
  2. Supreme Director of the United Provinces of the Río de la Plata Wikipedia, revision of 2026-07-01

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.