16 Facts About Leopoldo O'Donnell

Leopoldo O'Donnell y Jorris, 1st Duke of Tetuan, GE, was a Spanish general and Grandee who was Prime Minister of Spain on several occasions.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was born at Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the Canary Islands, a son of Carlos O'Donnell was born on 1768 and and Josefa Jorris y Casaviella.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was a paternal grandson of Jose O'Donnell and Marie Anne d'Anethan.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was of distant Irish paternal ancestry, the 11th generation descendant of Calvagh O'Donnell, Ri of Tir Chonaill, a Gaelic territory in the west of Ulster in the north of Ireland.

Leopoldo O'Donnell had an uncle, Francisco, and an aunt, Beatriz, who married Manuel Pombo y Ante, and had issue.

When General Baldomero Espartero seized power in 1840, Leopoldo O'Donnell went into exile with Maria Christina and was involved in an attempted coup against Espartero in 1841.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was back in power and was sent to Cuba as Captain General in October 1843.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was responsible for the 1844 massacre known as the repression of "La Escalera".

Leopoldo O'Donnell served as War Minister of the Espartero government.

Leopoldo O'Donnell attempted to define moderate policies for Spain with this new party, advocating a laissez-faire approach and confiscating church land.

Leopoldo O'Donnell failed to achieve much economic growth and increased industry only in Basque country and Catalonia, both of which already had substantial industrial centres.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was a proponent of a new and aggressive imperial policy, intended principally to expand Spanish territory in Africa, particularly after French successes in Algeria.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was the 136th Minister of Foreign Affairs and the 48th Prime Minister of Spain between 30 June 1858 and 2 July 1858, and the 138th Minister of Foreign Affairs between 21 October 1860 and 18 January 1863, remaining again solely as Prime Minister until 26 February 1863.

Leopoldo O'Donnell took a brief respite from his government in 1860 to command the Spanish army at the Battle of Tetouan and the Battle of Wad Ras during the Spanish-Moroccan War, overseeing the capture of Tetouan.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was rewarded for his abilities in the campaign with the title Duke of Tetuan.

Leopoldo O'Donnell was the 103rd Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword.