A far off colony needs to be always reminded that they are not alone. Otherwise they will believe that they have to rely on themselves. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
Todays stamp celebrates the 100th anniversary of Chile’s struggle of independence by showing a battle scene of the decisive battle of the war. Looking back at the struggle as a military campaign makes for a heroic stamp issue, but does not go very far to tell the story of why it happened.
The stamp today is issue A17, a 5 Centavo stamp issued by Chile in 1910 on the 100th anniversary of the Chilean struggle for independence. The stamp features the Battle of Maipu in 1818. According to the Scott catalog the stamp is worth 25 cents used. I think this stamp is somewhat undervalued, as an attractive commemorative that is now over 100 years old. Remember though that stamps were issued at the time more to raise revenue from stamp collectors than be used in mail and clearly Chile has yet to develop enough local collectors who would revel in exploring their countries history through its stamp issues.
A confluence of events lead to Chile seeking independence from Spain. There was a great deal of loyalty personally to Spanish King Ferdinand. However he was forced out by Napoleon, who then put his brother on the Spanish Throne. Joseph Bonaparte commanded no loyalty in the colonies. The loyalty was divided though between Ferdinand and his sister Carlota who was married to the King of Portugal and had gone into exile in Brazil also fleeing Napoleon. By then she was estranged from her husband and began offering herself up as the Queen of La Plata, the rightful ruler of South America. This divided Royalists and put ever more people toward thoughts of independence.
At this same time, the colonial government of Spain in Chile was discredited by the Scorpion scandal. The Scorpion was a British ship off the coast of Chile allegedly whaling but really attempting to smuggle English textiles into Chile. An American Doctor working in Chile agreed to buy the textiles but then decided on a double cross. He contacted the colonial Governor who agreed to provide undercover police for his plan in exchange for a personal share of the profits. The transaction happened but at a set time at an ashore party afterwards, the police assassinated the ships officers and the Scorpion was boarded retrieving the money. With the Governor getting his share no customs were required also defrauding the colony. When the scheme went public, the colonial authority was disgraced and the governor had go into exile in Peru.
After the Portuguese King returned to his throne in Portugal, the hated and separated Queen Carlota was confined to a castle where she conspired with one of her sons to remove her husband as she had done earlier in Brazil. Her style of dress and mannerism became ever more bizarre and it was rumored that her castle was rife with sexual orgyies. She died alone in the castle at age 55 amid rumors of suicide. A long term conniver seems to attract a lot of rumours while confined to castle. Was she in the dungeon, was she in charge of the dungeon?
The Battle of Maipu on the stamp was the decisive battle of the War of Independence. A joint Argentine-Chilean force under Argentine leader San Martin defeated an equally sized force of Spanish troops south of Santiago. There were skirmishes with Spanish Royalists for 5 more years.
Well my drink is empty and so I will open the conversation in the below comment section. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.