How I wish I could read and interpret the Spanish language, probably this text would have been amongst the top two or three I would attempt to translate. This text taken from a book published in 1875 by a former president of the United States of Venezuela, General Guzman Blanco, entitled "Documentos para la Historia de la vida Publica del Libertador de Columbia, Peru y Bolivia", page 33, describes loosely the incident which so impressed King Ferdinand, the Spanish Monarch at that time, that he decided to reward her family with a Royal distinction. As usual the original Spanish text is contained below. Translation assistance initially provided by www.Frengly.com and Google Translate,  a sincere debt of gratitude is owed to a Venezuelan national, now living in Trinidad, Cesar Garban for his invaluable assistance in editing and translating this difficult piece.

1.2 Honors from a King

The grace and honor that the Government of Spain granted their deserving South American subjects were not always fulfilled, or sometimes not published in due course. - An example of this is a case in 1815 when a Royal Order in favor of Madame de Montbrun was not published before September 1819.

The Royal Order of November 27, 1815

The Royal Order

In consideration of the patriotic services that, in the deference of just cause that has been made by Doña Maria del Carmen Zamora, widow of Domingo Montbrun, a fellow citizen of Puerto Cabello, and her manly effort, demonstrated by her defense of the rights of the King in that place having called his sovereign attention on the instance of October 20, 1815, when she did this, according to what has been consulted about her by the Supreme Council of the Indies on the twenty-seven of November last (1815), His Majesty has ordered to communicate to the Quarter Master General of those provinces to attend her son Domingo Jose Leandro Montbrun, entitling him for the employment of the Royal Treasury, for him to consider it even more, that VS as Vice Royal Patron also attends on the same level to her other son Don Jose Maria, reporting about his aptitude and merit so His Majesty can express to him his grace that is his sovereign pleasure, and regarding to her other minor son named Domingo Pedro, his mother must remember his request, when he is within your capacity to serve with utility power.

His Majesty has also resolved to consultation of the Council to ensure that the Governor of Puerto Cabello be made to understand how pleasant to his Majesty the above Doña Maria del Carmen’s excellent services have been, and therefore has deigned to attend and resolved to position her children. By sovereign resolution which I participate to V.S. as a Royal Order to ensure its compliance with fair allocation by the Vice Royal Patron, and to ensure that moving it to the Governor of Puerto Cabello, makes certain satisfactory acquiescence to His Majesty’s intentions for her satisfaction to effect the requisite grace to Domingo Jose Leandro Montbrun, that by this date I communicate the corresponding order. Not reflected in the ministry of my office to comply with this Royal order, rather without doubt, His Majesty dispatches me to reiterate it, as I do it, with special request to V.E. to report back of the punctual obedience to his sovereign acknowledgement.

His Majesty, also considering the great importance of reviving and sustaining in the public mind, giving a distinction to all who, like Dona Maria del Carmen Zamora, have decided to co-operate so openly in the defense of the Crown’s legitimate sovereign rights, as such has awarded the spherical design medal of distinction by Royal Decree on twenty-third of February 1818 to the accredited women who have duly demonstrated devoted and faithful love of royal service, which is a gold medal, Orlean and coe

Original Spanish Text

La gracia y honores que el gobierno de españa concedia á sus servidores americanos, no siempre se cumplian, ni se publicaban á veces oportunamente. – una muestra de esto es, que librada en 1815 una real órden en favor de la señora de montbrun, no fué publicada antes de Setiembre de 1819. La Real Orden de 27 de Noviembre de 1815 Real Orden En consideracion á los servicios patrióticos que en obsequio de la justa causa ha hecho Doña Maria del Carmen Zamoran, viuda de D. Domingo Montbrun, vecino que fué de Puerto Cabello, y al esfuerzo varonil que mostró por la defense de los derechos del Rey en dicha plaza; habiendo llamado de soberana atencion su instancia de veinte de Octubre del año pasado de mil ochocientos quince, en que los hizo presente: conformándose con lo que acerca de ella ha consultado al Supremo Consejo de Indias en veinte y siete de Noviembre ultimo, (1815) se ha servido S.M. mandar que se communiqué órden al Intendente general de esas provincias para que atienda á su hijo D. Jose Leandro Montbrun, destinándole al empleo de Real Hacienda para que lo considere mas á propósito; que V.S. como Vice Patrono Real atienda en iguales terminus al otro hijo Don José Maria, informando de su aptitude y mérito para que pueda S. M. dispensarle la gracia que sea de su soberano agrado; y que por lo que toca á su hijo menor nombrado D. Pedro, recuerde la madre su solicitud cuando se halle en aptitude de poder servir con utilidad. Igualmente ha resuelto S.M. á consulta del mismo Consejo que se prevenga al Gobernador de Puerto Cabello haga entender á la mencionada Doña Maria del Carmen lo gratos que han sido á S.M. sus beunos servicios, y que en consecuencia se ha dignado resolver se atienda y coloque á sus hijos. Cuja soberana resolucion participo á V.S. de Real órden para su cumplimiento en la parte que le corresponde, y á fin de que trasladándola al governador de Puerto Cabello, cumpla con lo que previene S.M. para satisfacionde la interesada; en inteligencia de que con esta misma fecha comunico la órden correspondiente para que tenga efecto la gracia relativa á D. Jose Leandro Montbrun. No constando en dicho ministerio de mi cargo el cumplimiento de esta Real órden, sin duda alguna por haberse extraviado, me manda S.M. repetirla, como le ejecuto, con encargo especial á V.E. de que dé cuenta de la punctual obediencia para su soberano conocimiento. Y considerando además S.M. lo mucho que importa reanimar y sostener el espíritu public, distinguiendo á todos los que, como la Doña Maria del Carmen Zamoran, se han decidido tan abiertamente en cooperar á la defense de los derechos de su legítimo soberano, ha tenido á bien concederla la medalla de distincion que se design en Real Cédula circular de veinte y tres de Febrero de mil ochocientos diez y ocho par alas mujeres que acreditasen en debida forma y con hechos positives su fideliga y amor al Real servicio, cuya medulla es de oro, orleada y coe

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Alan de Montbrun

ademontbrun@gmail.com