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Manuel Lapeña
Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo (11 April 1762 – 14 October 1820) was a Spanish Army officer.
Having a reputation for incompetence—he had the nickname Doña Manuela (Lady Manuela)— Lapeña has been harshly criticised by most British historians (Napier, Oman, among others) for his conduct at the battles of Tudela and Barrosa (Chiclana), considering him both pusilanimous and lacking initiative, opinions shared by 19th century Spanish historians such as the Count of Toreno and Gómez Arteche. An ambitious man, he had a talent for diplomacy.
The full-length portrait of Lapeña, painted in 1799 by Goya, was commissioned by the Duchess of Osuna for the palace at her recreational property, La Alameda, Madrid.
Lapeña started his military career in 1777 as a captain in the America Infantry Regiment, then commanded by the future Duke of Osuna.
He then spent 22 months at the Great Siege of Gibraltar before participating in the Invasion of Minorca (1781). He saw further action at the siege at Gibraltar, following which he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1792.
At the start of the War of the Pyrenees, Lapeña joined the Army of Rosellón as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Osuna, seeing action at Mas Deu, at Perpignan, at Truillas and at Boulou.
He was promoted to brigadier in 1793, and marched with his commanding officer to Army of Navarra, where Lapeña was given command of the seven battalions of volunteers that had been raised for the war. Shortly before the end of the war, he was promoted to field marshal (1795).
In 1797 he spent a year in Galicia as second-in-command of the army stationed there in preparation for a war against Portugal. In 1801, he led an infantry brigade in the War of the Oranges, seeing action at Arronches.
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Manuel Lapeña
Manuel de Lapeña y Ruiz del Sotillo (11 April 1762 – 14 October 1820) was a Spanish Army officer.
Having a reputation for incompetence—he had the nickname Doña Manuela (Lady Manuela)— Lapeña has been harshly criticised by most British historians (Napier, Oman, among others) for his conduct at the battles of Tudela and Barrosa (Chiclana), considering him both pusilanimous and lacking initiative, opinions shared by 19th century Spanish historians such as the Count of Toreno and Gómez Arteche. An ambitious man, he had a talent for diplomacy.
The full-length portrait of Lapeña, painted in 1799 by Goya, was commissioned by the Duchess of Osuna for the palace at her recreational property, La Alameda, Madrid.
Lapeña started his military career in 1777 as a captain in the America Infantry Regiment, then commanded by the future Duke of Osuna.
He then spent 22 months at the Great Siege of Gibraltar before participating in the Invasion of Minorca (1781). He saw further action at the siege at Gibraltar, following which he was promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1792.
At the start of the War of the Pyrenees, Lapeña joined the Army of Rosellón as aide-de-camp to the Duke of Osuna, seeing action at Mas Deu, at Perpignan, at Truillas and at Boulou.
He was promoted to brigadier in 1793, and marched with his commanding officer to Army of Navarra, where Lapeña was given command of the seven battalions of volunteers that had been raised for the war. Shortly before the end of the war, he was promoted to field marshal (1795).
In 1797 he spent a year in Galicia as second-in-command of the army stationed there in preparation for a war against Portugal. In 1801, he led an infantry brigade in the War of the Oranges, seeing action at Arronches.