Patriot (Spanish American Revolution)

Patriots was the name the peoples of the Spanish America, who rebelled against French control during the Spanish American wars of independence, called themselves. They supported the principles of the Age of Enlightenment and sought to replace the existing governing structures with Juntas. At first they declared themselves loyal to Ferdinand VII, who was captive of Napoleon Bonaparte and who seemed a supporter of the new ideals because of his conflict with his father, the absolutist Charles IV. However, when Ferdinand VII was restored to power and began the Absolutist Restauration, most patriots in South America decided to support independence instead.