The cosmopolitan Elizabeth St. Maxent de Unzaga, philanthropist and patron of enlightened education

Abstract

Outline the biography of Elizabeth Saint Maxent de Unzaga is getting into the life a creole woman’s both public and private life, coming from a wealthy and influential family of French origin in the Spanish Louisiana with the general context of the Atlantic Revolutions and the birth of the United States of America in 1776. Elizabeth would occupy a privileged position as consort of an outstanding statesman representing the Spanish Crown, Louis de Unzaga, governor of Louisiana who, soon after, would continue to hold very important positions in New Spain. In Cuba, in the interval between the end of the War of Independence and the signing of the Peace of Treaty with England in 1783, Elizabeth, along with her husband, Captain General, with international diplomacy skills, would be visited by the Prince William, future king of England. As the wife of an enlightened ruler, Elizabeth would carry out a philanthropic work in pursuit of education, not only in the family sphere, but also promoting the creation of the first bilingual public schools, the Ladies of Malaga and that of childcare of orphans. In addition, once she became a widow, she administered the important patrimony.