Томас Сумалакарреги: Баск офицері және Карлистік соғыстардың қаһарманы

Spanish Basque officer

Tomás de Zumalacárregui e Imaz (Basque: Tomas Zumalakarregi Imatz; 29 December 178824 June 1835), known among his troops as "Uncle Tomás", was a Spanish Basque officer who lead the Carlist faction as Captain general of the Army during the First Carlist War. He was occasionally nicknamed the "Wolf of the Amezcoas", making reference to his famous military victory in the region of Navarre. Zumalacárregui is often popularly credited as the inventor of Spanish omelette (or tortilla de patatas), which he allegedly elaborated during the Siege of Bilbao.

Zumalacárregui was born in Ormaiztegi in Gipuzkoa, a Basque province in Spain, on 29 December 1788. His father, Francisco Antonio de Zumalacárregui Muxica, was a lawyer who possessed some property, and the son was articled to a solicitor. His mother was Maria Ana Imaz Altolaguirre. When the Peninsular War began with a French invasion of Spain in 1808 he enlisted in Zaragoza. He served in the 1808 First Siege of Zaragoza, at the Battle of Tudela, and during the 1809 Second Siege of Zaragoza until he was taken prisoner in a sortie. He succeeded in escaping and in reaching his family in Navarre. For a short time he served with Gaspar de Jáuregui, another Gipuzkoan known as "The Shepherd" , one of the guerrilla leaders, who later became a general in the regular army against which Zumalacarregui fought. But Zumalacárregui, who was noted for his grave and silent disposition and his strong religious principles, disliked the disorderly life of the guerrillas, and when regular forces were organized in the north he entered the 1st battalion of Gipuzkoa as an officer. During the remainder of the war he served in the regular army. His brother Miguel Antonio de Zumalacárregui was in Cádiz at the time the Cortes passed the Constitution of 1812, going on to be elected chief deputy of Gipuzkoa. Tomas was then sent with dispatches to the Regency at Cádiz, and received his commission as captain. In that rank he was present at the Battle of San Marcial in August 1813. After the restoration of Ferdinand VII he continued in the army, and is said to have made a careful study of the theory of war.

Zumalacárregui had no sympathy with the liberal principles which were spreading in Spain, and became noted as what was called a servil or strong Royalist. He attracted no attention at headquarters, and was still a captain when the Revolution of 1820 broke out and the Trienio Liberal was established. His brother officers, whose leanings were liberal, denounced him to the revolutionary government, and asked that he might be removed. The recommendation was not acted on, but Zumalacárregui knew of it, and laid up the offence in his mind. Finding that he was suspected (probably with truth) of an intention to bring the soldiers over to the royalist side, he escaped to France. In 1823 he returned as an officer in one of the royalist regiments which had been organized on French soil by the consent of the government. He was now known as a thoroughly trustworthy servant of the royalty, but he was too proud to be a courtier. For some years he was employed in bringing regiments which the government distrusted to order. He became lieutenant colonel in 1825 and colonel in 1829. In 1832 he was named military governor of Ferrol, Galicia. Before King Ferdinand VII died in 1833, Zumalacárregui was marked out as a natural supporter of the traditionalist party, which favoured the king's brother, Infante Carlos, Count of Molina. Petriquillo proceeded to remove the bullet from Zumalacárregui's leg, provoking a great loss of blood and probably an infection. Don Carlos had insisted on sending his own physicians, but they hesitated about the best prognosis to follow, losing precious time and failing to stop Petriquillo from trying his "procedure" (he acted when they were not present) and in their hands the general died on 24 June 1835, not without suspicion of poison and after Petriquillo had hastily left the scene. Zumalacárregui is often popularly credited as the inventor of Spanish omelette (or tortilla de patatas), which he allegedly elaborated during the Siege of Bilbao, as a simple, fast and nutritious dish with which to satisfy the hardships of the Carlist Army. In search of nourishment, he came across a poor housewife who had nothing other than eggs, onion and potatoes. When he mixed it up, he liked the result and fed it to his starving troops. It is said that after this, the tortilla became incredibly popular throughout the rest of the First Carlist War, and is now one of the most renowned dishes in the world. Zumalacárregui was a fine type of the old royalist and religious principles of his people. In 2017 the People's Party of the Basque Country called for a street named after him to be renamed.

Zumalacárregui is the main character of an eponymous Episodio nacional, by Benito Pérez Galdós. He is portrayed as an intelligent man and an excellent strategist who fights for what he believes in.