Antonio de Ulloa

Antonio de Ulloa, born on January twelfth, seventeen sixteen, was a prominent Spanish Navy officer whose career spanned the Americas. Renowned for his contributions to science, he became a key figure of the Enlightenment in Spain. Ulloa achieved the rank of vice admiral and served the Spanish Empire in various capacities, including as an administrator in the Viceroyalty of Peru and as the first governor of Spanish Louisiana.

At the young age of nineteen, Ulloa joined the French Geodesic Mission to the Equator, a pivotal expedition that confirmed the Earth’s shape as an oblate spheroid, aligning with Isaac Newton's predictions. Over the course of more than eight years, he collaborated closely with fellow naval officer Jorge Juan, conducting extensive astronomical, natural, and social observations throughout South America. Their efforts also included organizing the defense of the Peruvian coast during the War of Jenkins' Ear, which began in seventeen thirty-nine.

Ulloa's scientific endeavors in South America garnered him international acclaim, particularly for his detailed observations of platinum, which would later be recognized as a new chemical element. After returning to Europe in seventeen forty-five, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of London in seventeen forty-six and became a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in seventeen fifty-one.

From seventeen fifty-eight to seventeen sixty-four, Ulloa served as the governor of Huancavelica in Peru, where he struggled against local administrative corruption while overseeing the mercury mines. Following the Seven Years' War, he took on the role of governor of Spanish Louisiana in seventeen sixty-six. His governance faced significant resistance from the French Creoles of New Orleans, culminating in his expulsion during the Rebellion of seventeen sixty-eight. Despite these challenges, Ulloa remained committed to his naval career, ultimately concluding it as the chief of operations for the Spanish Navy.