José de san martín and simón bolívar

Argentine general

José de San Martín was an Argentine general and the prime leader of the southern part of South America's successful struggle for independence from Spain.

Year of birth controversy

Juan García del Río, a close friend of San Martín, wrote a brief biography of him in 1823, stating that he was born in 1778. The historian Bartolomé Mitre, author of "Historia de San Martín y de la emancipación sudamericana took the date as correct, and it remained canonical since then.^[1] However, later investigations would generate doubts about the accuracy of the year.

Why is jose de san martin important

No record of his baptism have been found so far. In his marriage, in 1812, he declared being 31 years old, meaning he would have been born in 1781. However, such a date has been rejected, as San Martín joined the Regiment of Murcia on July 21, 1789, and he couldn't have done so being just eight years old, as twelve was the minimum age required to do so.^[1]