José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois

Who is José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois?

José Álvarez de Toledo y Dubois was a politician and leader of a military force against Spanish rule in Texas.

Álvarez de Toledo was the son of Luis Álvarez de Toledo y Liche, a navy captain of Seville, Spain, and María Dolores Dubois. He was educated at the Escuela Naval de Cádiz and then joined the Spanish Navy in 1806. In 1808 he switched to serving in the British Navy.

Toledo was elected a representative of Santo Domingo to the Cádiz Cortes. However he favored independence for Spain's American possessions and was exiled in 1811. He next went to the United States where James Monroe gave him funds to try and form a revolution in Cuba.

Along with William Shaler, Toledo then was one of the main backers of Jose Bernardo Maximiliano Gutierrez de Lara in his efforts to invade Texas in 1812. Toledo then published papers against Gutierrez after he set himself up as ruler of Texas in San Antonio and the junta displaced Gutierrez and put Toledo in charge.

Toledo took control of San Antonio on Aug. 1, 1813. He was defeated by the Spanish army at Battle of the Medina on Aug. 18, 1813.

Toledo fled Texas. In 1814 he led an unsuccessful attempt to invade Texas from Louisiana.