If you’ve ever enjoyed a stroll around Senglea’s waterfront you will surely have stumbled upon the bust of a man called Juan Bautista Azopardo. Although not often mentioned in Maltese history, Juan is considered a hero in Argentina for his role in the Argentine War of Independence and consequently as the founder of the Argentine Navy.
Juan was born in Senglea on 19th February 1922 to Rosina and Salvatore Azopardo. He showed great promise as a student and was granted a scholarship to study naval architecture in Toulon, France.
He started off his naval career as a privateer, participating in maritime warfare under commission of war, and initially served under the French and British fleets. Later he was commissioned by The Netherlands and Spain, the latter of which saw him engage in conflict against British forces.
His involvement with South America kicked off in the early 19th century. At the time, he was collaborating with the Spanish and patriotic forces, headed by a French Knight of Malta, Santiago de Liniers, when the the first British invasion of Argentina hit in 1806. The British forces were repelled, but a second invasion followed a year after, and his valor and gallantry saw him earn the titles of Captain of the City Regiments and subsequently Lieutenant Colonel of the urban Militias, granted to him by the Spanish Royal Government.
The 1809 revolt saw him lose his post on order of Viceroy Cisneros, the latter of which was also removed from his post during the May Revolution in the following year. In 1810, Juan was inducted into the Argentine revolutionary forces by President Saavedra of the Junta, where he founded the Argentine Navy and assumed command of the schooner Invincible, which coincidentally was the same title bore by his hometown Senglea.
His squadron battled against the Spanish fleet, but being outnumbered, he suffered a defeat and was captured. He was accused of inciting rebellion against Spain and was subsequently imprisoned in a cell in Ceuta, where he remained for some years. He was eventually freed in the aftermath of the revolution of General Riego, which ended with the liberals taking power in Spain and ordering the freedom of all political prisoners.
Juan received a hero’s welcome upon his return to Argentina and was appointed the Buenos Aires Harbor Master. He was later involved in the war against Brazil under the post of Colonel of the Navy, but he eventually retired, opting instead to spend his last years with his wife Maria Sandalia Perez Rico and son Luis Alberto.
Juan passed away on 23rd October 1848 and continues to be honoured in Argentine national and naval circles to this day, with several important naval bases named in his honour. Part of the Senglea Marina in Malta is also named after him.