José Posada Herrera Street

He has born in Posada de Llanes on March 31 1814 and he died on November 7 1885.

His family was not rich but in spite of poor economic rasensis he studied law in the University of Oviedo and a few years later he taught economy at this same University. Later he became a politician. Between 1839 and 1841, he was deputy in the “Progresive Party”.  Three years later he became a member of the “Moderate Party”, where he took part in the fall of Espartero and the Regency. After that, and for 15 years he didn´t participate in politics much except when he was appointed The Secretary of the “State Council” in 1846 and when he took part in the Vice- Presidency of the Congress in 1853. 

In 1858, he returned to politics, because Istúriz, a president, give him the ministery of the governation. He kept this place in politics in the next cabinet, the large government of Leopoldo O´Donnell (1858-1863). Jose helped O´Donnell to become the president. It was when he recived the nickname of the “The great Elector”.

With the collapse of the government of Leopoldo O´Donnell he became of minority unionist, but two years later O´Donnell save him back the ministery of governation between 1865 and 1866. During this mandate, he conducted politics in an aggressive way sending democrats, progressives and republicans to prision. All appointed that Posada Herrera directed O´Donnell to the head of the politican party, but when he died in 1867, Posada preferred to go to his village, Llanes. But, after the revolution of 1868 he acepted to be the ambassador of the “Santa Sede”, but then he started to take part in the writing of the Constitution of 1869.

After another short retreat, he took part in the writing of the Constitution of 1876, this year he was also the president of the Congress. In 1879 he had another retreat, but this time of the active politics, and then he returned again in 1881, to take the head of the “Consejo del estado”. Two years later he substituted, but it was a short government between 1883 and 1884. After this he retreated deffinetly from politics, going again to his village. He died the 7/09/1885 in thye same place where he was born, Posada de Llanes.

He was a member of the Royal Academy of Moral and Politics Science (1857) and of the Royal Academy Matritense of Jurisprudencia and Legistation (1864), he also wrote some books like “Lecciones de Administración” in 1842 and other biographies about different politicians from Asturias.

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