Editing Peru (section)

===Independence===
<!--4 paragraphs with no citations--> {{main|Peruvian War of Independence}}
[[File:Batalla_de_Ayacucho_by_Martín_Tovar_y_Tovar_(1827_-_1902).jpg|alt=|thumb|The [[Battle of Ayacucho]] was decisive in ensuring Peruvian independence.|left]]
In the early 19th century, while most South American nations were swept by [[Decolonization of the Americas|wars of independence]], Peru remained a [[Royalist (Spanish American Revolution)|royalist]] stronghold. As the elite vacillated between emancipation and loyalty to the Spanish monarchy, [[Independence of Peru|independence]] was achieved only after the occupation by military campaigns of [[José de San Martín]] and [[Simón Bolívar]].

The economic crises, the loss of power of Spain in Europe, the [[American Revolutionary War|war of independence in North America]], and Native uprisings all contributed to a favorable climate to the development of emancipation ideas among the [[Criollo people|C''riollo'']] population in South America. However, the Criollo oligarchy in Peru enjoyed privileges and remained loyal to the Spanish Crown. The liberation movement started in Argentina where autonomous juntas were created as a result of the loss of authority of the Spanish government over its colonies.

After fighting for the independence of the Viceroyalty of Rio de la Plata, [[José de San Martín]] created the [[Army of the Andes]] and [[Crossing of the Andes|crossed the Andes]] in 21 days. Once in Chile, he joined forces with Chilean army General [[Bernardo O'Higgins]] and liberated the country in the battles of [[Battle of Chacabuco|Chacabuco]] and [[Battle of Maipú|Maipú]] in 1818.<ref>Scheina, 2003, ''Latin America's Wars: The Age of the Caudillo, 1791–1899'', p. 58.</ref> On 7 September 1820, a fleet of eight warships arrived in the port of [[Paracas (municipality)|Paracas]] under the command of General José de San Martín and [[Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald|Thomas Cochrane]], who was serving in the Chilean Navy. Immediately on 26 October, they took control of the town of [[Pisco, Peru|Pisco]]. San Martín settled in [[Huacho]] on 12 November, where he established his headquarters while Cochrane sailed north and blockaded the port of [[Callao]] in Lima. At the same time in the north, [[Guayaquil]] was occupied by rebel forces under the command of Gregorio Escobedo. Because Peru was the stronghold of the Spanish government in South America, San Martín's strategy to liberate Peru was to use diplomacy. He sent representatives to Lima urging the [[Viceroy]] that Peru be granted independence, however, all negotiations proved unsuccessful.

[[File:La Independencia del Perú.jpg|thumb|San Martín proclaiming the independence of Peru. Painting by [[Juan Lepiani]].]]
The Viceroy of Peru, [[Joaquín de la Pezuela, 1st Marquess of Viluma|Joaquín de la Pazuela]] named [[José de la Serna, 1st Count of the Andes|José de la Serna]] commander-in-chief of the loyalist army to protect Lima from the threatened invasion by San Martín. On 29 January, de la Serna organized a [[Coup d'état|coup]] against de la Pazuela, which was recognized by Spain and he was named Viceroy of Peru. This internal power struggle contributed to the success of the liberating army. To avoid a military confrontation, San Martín met the newly appointed viceroy, José de la Serna, and proposed to create a [[constitutional monarchy]], a proposal that was turned down. De la Serna abandoned the city, and on 12 July 1821, San Martín occupied Lima and declared Peruvian independence on 28 July 1821. He created the first Peruvian flag. [[Upper Peru]] (present-day Bolivia) remained as a Spanish stronghold until the army of [[Simón Bolívar]] liberated it three years later. José de San Martín was declared Protector of Peru. Peruvian national identity was forged during this period, as Bolivarian projects for a [[Congress of Panama|Latin American Confederation]] floundered and a [[Peru–Bolivian Confederation|union with Bolivia]] proved ephemeral.<ref>Gootenberg (1991) p. 12.</ref>

Simón Bolívar launched his campaign from the north, liberating the [[Viceroyalty of New Granada]] in the Battles of [[Battle of Carabobo|Carabobo]] in 1821 and [[Battle of Pichincha|Pichincha]] a year later. In July 1822, Bolívar and San Martín gathered in the [[Guayaquil Conference]]. Bolívar was left in charge of fully liberating Peru while San Martín retired from politics after the first parliament was assembled. The newly founded [[Congress of the Republic of Peru|Peruvian Congress]] named Bolívar dictator of Peru, giving him the power to organize the military.

With the help of [[Antonio José de Sucre]], they defeated the larger Spanish army in the [[Battle of Junín]] on 6 August 1824 and the decisive [[Battle of Ayacucho]] on 9 December of the same year, consolidating the independence of Peru and Upper Peru. Upper Peru was later established as Bolivia. During the early years of the Republic, endemic struggles for power between military leaders caused political instability.<ref>Discover Peru (Peru cultural society). [http://www.discover-peru.org/peru-history-independence/ War of Independence] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161021143330/http://www.discover-peru.org/peru-history-independence/|date=21 October 2016}}. Retrieved 28 July 2014</ref>