Eduardo Dato e Iradier

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Eduardo Dato e Iradier bigraphy, stories - Ministers

Eduardo Dato e Iradier : biography

12 August 1856 – 8 March 1921

Eduardo Dato e Iradier (12 August 1856 – 8 March 1921) was a Spanish political leader. He served three times as Spanish Prime Minister: from 27 October 1913 to 9 December 1915, from 11 June 1917 to 3 November 1917, and from 28 April 1920 until his death. Also he held eleven cabinet ministries, and was four times President of the Spanish Congress of Deputies (a role approximating to that of parliamentary Speaker).

Career

Born in A Coruña, Spain, son of Carlos Dato y Granados (himself the son of Carlos Dato Camacho y Marín and wife Cayetana Ruperta Granados y García, de Vivancos e Acosta) and wife Rosa Lorenza Iradier e Arce, of Galician descent, he moved with his family to Madrid while still young. He obtained a degree in Law in 1875 and opened his law office two years later. Elected to the Spanish parliament in 1883, he became Under-secretary for the Ministry of the Interior in 1892.

He held the position of Minister of the Interior and Minister of Justice over the next fifteen years. In 1907, he ran for and won the position of Mayor of Madrid. In 1910, he entered the Academy of Moral and Political Sciences. In 1913 he became Prime Minister of Spain for the first time. In 1915, he left that position, but would return to it for a short while in 1917. He became the 230th Minister for Foreign Affairs from 22 March 1918 to 9 November 1918. Then he moved to the post of Minister of State and stayed there until 1920, when he led the government as Prime Minister again.

Assassination

On 8 March 1921 in Madrid, Dato was shot by Lluís Nicolau, Pere Mateu and Ramon Casanelles, 3 Catalan anarchists, while being driven from the parliament building and in front of the Puerta de Alcalá. This was the second murder of a Spanish prime minister in less than a decade; in 1912 Jose Canalejas had been killed similarly.

Decorations

He also received the following decorations: the Chain of the Order of Charles III, Knight Grand Cross of the First Class of the Order of St. Gregory the Great of the Holy See and Grand Cross of the Order of Christ of Portugal. He was also made the 340th Grand Cross of the Order of the Tower and Sword of Portugal. After his death and for that impeadment and in his honour, his wife was granted the title of 1st Duchess of Dato.

Marriage and children

He married María del Carmen de Barrenechea y Montegui, Dame of the Order of Noble Dames of Queen Maria Luisa of Spain and Grand Cross of the Order of Beneficence of Spain, of Basque descent (- Madrid, 1926), daughter of Juan José de Barrenechea e Urdampilleta (himself the son of Pedro de Barrenechea y Zubea and wife María Ignacia de Urdampilleta y Lagarto) and wife Micaela Montegui y Mercaide (herself the daughter of José Manuel Montegui and wife María de la Concepción Mercaide), and had three daughters:

  • Isabel Dato y Barrenechea, 2nd Duchess of Dato, unmarried and without issue
  • María del Carmen Dato y Barrenechea, 3rd Duchess of Dato (Madrid, 6 December 1885 – 1954), married to Eugenio Espinosa de los Monteros y Bermejillo, and had issue, two sons
  • María de la Concepción Dato y Barrenechea (Madrid, 2 May 1890 – Madrid, 16 September 1973), married in Paris, 25 April 1922 to Ernesto de Zulueta e Isasi, of the Marquesses of Álava Viscounts of Casa Blanca (Bilbao, 26 April 1892 – Madrid, 9 September 1969), a Spanish Diplomat, and had issue