Francisco Ruiz-Tagle

He was born in Santiago; the son of Manuel Ruiz de Tagle y Jaraquemada and of María del Rosario Portales Larraín. In his youth and according to the social norms of the time, he also became a militia officer in the "Regimiento del Principe" (Prince's regiment). He married Rosario Larraín Rojas and had nine children.

The son of a royalist family, he was a tepid participant in the Chilean War of Independence, specially during the period of the first Government Juntas. After the Battle of Maipu, he became an ardent independentist and joined the Conservative party. Since 1811, he represented Los Andes in parliament. From 1812 to 1814, he served as senator and president of parliament, and in 1814, he became councilman and mayor of the municipality of Santiago and became the provincial governor on February 13, 1817. He was a member of the Government Junta, as a deputy. In 1822, became superintendent of police of Santiago. He was Finance Minister under Vice President Francisco Antonio Pinto, from July 28, 1828 to July 16, 1829.

In the course of events leading to the Chilean Civil War of 1829, he was part of the Government Junta. The junta nominated him as candidate for the following presidential election and Congress elected him as Provisional President on February 17, 1830, by imposition of José Antonio Rodríguez Aldea, head of the O'Higgins party. Immediately that Ruiz-Tagle took over as president, the principal leaders of the liberal side (Manuel Borgoño, Francisco de la Lastra and Juan Gregorio de las Heras) were eliminated from the army roosters. This guaranteed the restart of the hostilities.

Diego Portales, cousin to Ruiz-Tagle, maneuvered to have the president removed. President Ruiz-Tagle and all the cabinet resigned only six weeks later on March 31, claiming health problems, and José Tomás Ovalle, as Vice President of Chile assumed power on April 1. Under the administration of Manuel Bulnes, Ruiz-Tagle was nominated as privy council. He died on the Chacra Lo Matta of Las Condes on March 23, 1860.

• A History of Chile, 1808-2002, Collier, S., Sater, W.F. (p. 49-50, 53)