Miguel Ricardo de Álava y Esquivel was a Spanish General and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Spain in 1835. He was born in the Basque Country, at Vitoria-Gasteiz, in 1770. Álava holds the distinction of having been present at both Trafalgar and Waterloo, fighting against the British at the former and with them at the latter.
Portrait by George Dawe, 1818
Portrait of General Álava, Museo de Bellas Artes de Álava
The Duke of Wellington leads his generals at the Battle of Waterloo. Álava, with the Order of Santiago in his chest, is the second from the right
Equestrian statue of the General in the Monument to the Battle of Vitoria (1813), Vitoria, Spain
Vitoria-Gasteiz is the seat of government and the capital city of the Basque Country and of the province of Álava in northern Spain. It holds the autonomous community's House of Parliament, the headquarters of the Government, and the Lehendakari's official residency. The municipality—which comprises not only the city but also the mainly agricultural lands of 63 villages around—is the largest in the Basque Country, with a total area of 276.81 square kilometres (106.88 sq mi), and it has a population of 253,093. The dwellers of Vitoria-Gasteiz are called vitorianos or gasteiztarrak, while traditionally they are dubbed babazorros.
Image: Vitoria Plaza de la Virgen Blanca, Escultura vegetal Vitoria Gasteiz !
Image: Gasteiz, Euskal Herria
Image: Vitoria Gasteiz Vieille Cathédrale
Image: Vitoria Salburua Ataria 04 edited