José Marina Vega | |
Office: | High Commissioner of Spain in Morocco |
Term Start: | 1913 |
Term End: | 1915 |
Predecessor: | Felipe Alfau Mendoza |
Successor: | Francisco Gómez Jordana |
Office2: | Minister of War |
Term Start2: | October 1917 |
Term End2: | November 1917 |
Term Start3: | March 1918 |
Term End3: | November 1918 |
Office4: | Senator of the Kingdom |
Term Start4: | 1919 |
Term End4: | 1923 |
Birth Place: | Figueres, Spain |
Birth Date: | 13 April 1850 |
Death Place: | Madrid, Spain |
Nationality: | Spanish |
Occupation: | Military officer, politician |
Allegiance: | Kingdom of Spain |
Branch: | Spanish Army |
Rank: | Lieutenant General |
Battles: | Third Carlist War Second Melillan campaign |
Serviceyears: | 1863–1915 |
José Marina Vega (13 April 1850 – 30 January 1926) was a Spanish military officer and politician. Leader of the military operations in Melilla during the 1909 Melilla Campaign, he later served as High Commissioner of Spain in Morocco (1913–1915) and as Minister of War (1917 and 1918).
Born on 13 April 1850 in Figueres, province of Girona,[1] he is sometimes reported to be born in 1848,[2] as his father (a captain of the Spanish Armed Forces) declared him to be 2 years older in his application to the military. He moved as child to Luzon (Philippines). Returned to Peninsular Spain, he joined the Battalion of Hunters Llerena as cadet in 1863.[3] He fought in the Third Carlist War.[4] With a military career in infantry, and promoted to colonel in 1893, Marina was destined to places such as Philippines and Cuba. He was promoted to the rank of brigader general in 1896.[5] He was promoted to Divisional general in July 1900.[6] Following a brief spell as civil governor in Barcelona (1899),[7] he was destined to Melilla in 1905.
At the helm of the military in the North African city, Marina Vega commanded the operations in the Melilla hinterland in retaliation to the attacks of Riffian tribesmen during the so-called Melilla War, including the in July 1909, that, taking place simultaneously with the Tragic Week riots in Barcelona, prompted a dismay in the Spanish public opinion. He was promoted then to Lieutenant general.[8]
Appointed as High Commissioner of Spain in Morocco in replacement of Felipe Alfau Mendoza, he served from 1913 to 1915.[9]
He served two times as Minister of War (1917 and 1918) in cabinets presided by Eduardo Dato and Antonio Maura. Appointed as senator for life in 1919,[10] he died on 30 January 1926 in Madrid (Calle de Zurbano, 6).[11]