Battle of Boyaca – August 7, 2023

 The Battle of Boyacá Day is celebrated on August 7 of every year in Colombia to commemorate the 1819 Boyacá battle and its importance to the South American liberation struggle. It is seen as the victory that laid the foundations for Colombia’s independence from the Kingdom of Spain and is celebrated with parades and festivals that pay tribute to the war that paved the way for Colombia’s sovereignty.

HISTORY OF BATTLE OF BOYACA

The main significance of the Battle of Boyacá was its role in freeing Colombia from Spanish rule. Although Colombia, then named New Granada, declared de facto independence in 1810, it was not until 1819 that the Kingdom of Spain recognized the territory as an independent entity, following the battle.

The Battle of Boyacá took place on the outskirts of Bogotá, the current capital of Colombia, and involved 2,850 soldiers under Simón Bolívar’s command against a slightly smaller army of Spanish royalists sent by Ferdinand VII, King of Spain. In 1815, Ferdinand VII plotted to reconquer South America after Napoleon’s Peninsular War in Spain ended, thereby freeing his armies to take part in the reconquest. However, due to Spain being worn out by the war in Europe, its grip on South America was severely weakened. However, they managed to retake New Granada by reoccupying Bogotá in 1816.

The road to Simon Bolívar’s South American revolutionary victory at Boyacá began in June 1819 and involved one of the most challenging journeys in military history. Doubting that Bolívar’s army could reach them due to the difficulty of traversing the Andes Mountains, the Spanish were caught off guard when Bolívar successfully crossed the Andes with his forces and mobilized attacks against the complacent Spanish at Boyacá. The campaign culminated in the Battle of Boyacá on August 7, where the Spanish army finally surrendered, paving the way for Bolívar to establish independence for the territory of Gran Colombia, which marked the start of his quest to liberate the whole Spanish-controlled South America.

Following the war, Gran Colombia was established, encompassing modern-day Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Venezuela, and Guyana. In 1831, Gran Colombia was disbanded due to political differences among the territories, leading to the independence of Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela. Then in 1863, New Granada adopted the name United States of Colombia, and the name officially changed to the Republic of Colombia in 1886.

Colombia considers July 20, 1810, its de facto independence date, as its official independence day. However, the Battle of Boyacá is celebrated in the country as the moment that true independence for the country was realized.