Manuel José Joaquín del Corazón de Jesús Belgrano (3 June 1770 – 20 June 1820), usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano, is an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, and military leader.

He takes part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and creates the Flag of Argentina.

He is regarded as one of the main Libertadores of the country.

Belgrano was born in Buenos Aires, the fourth child of Italian businessman Domingo Belgrano y Peri and Josefa Casero.

He comes into contact with the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment while at university in Spain around the time of the French Revolution.

Upon his return to the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata, where he becomes a notable member of the criollo population of Buenos Aires, he tries to promote some of the new political and economic ideals, but finds severe resistance from local peninsulars.

This rejection leads him to work towards a greater autonomy for his country from the Spanish colonial regime.

At first, he unsuccessfully promotes the aspirations of Carlota Joaquina to become a regent ruler for the Viceroyalty during the period the Spanish King Ferdinand VII is imprisoned during the Peninsular War (1807–1814).

He favors the May Revolution, which removes the viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros from power on 25 May, 1810.

He is elected as a voting member of the Primera Junta that takes power after the ouster.

As a delegate for the Junta, he leads the ill-fated Paraguay campaign.

His troops are defeated by Bernardo Velazco at the battles of Campichuelo and Paraguarí.

Though he is defeated, the campaign initiates the chain of events that leads to the Independence of Paraguay in May 1811.

He retreats to the vicinity of Rosario to fortify it against a possible royalist attack from the Eastern Band of the Uruguay River.

While there, he creates the flag of Argentina.

The First Triumvirate does not approve the flag, but because of slow communications, Belgrano will only learn of that many weeks later, while reinforcing the Army of the North at Jujuy.

There, knowing he is at a strategic disadvantage against the royalist armies coming from Upper Peru, Belgrano orders the Jujuy Exodus, which evacuates the entire population of Jujuy Province to San Miguel de Tucumán.

His counteroffensive at the Battle of Tucumán results in a key strategic victory, and it is soon followed by a complete victory over the royalist army of Pío Tristán at the Battle of Salta.

However, his deeper incursions into Upper Perú lead to defeats at Vilcapugio and Ayohuma, leading the Second Triumvirate to order his replacement as Commander of the Army of the North by the newly arrived José de San Martín.

By this time, the Asamblea del Año XIII has approved the use of Belgrano's flag as the national war flag.

Belgrano then goes on a diplomatic mission to Europe along with Bernardino Rivadavia to seek support for the revolutionary government.

He returns in time to take part in the Congress of Tucumán, which declares Argentine Independence (1816).

He promotes the Inca plan to create a constitutional monarchy with an Inca descendant as Head of State.

This proposal has the support of San Martín, Martín Miguel de Güemes, and many provincial delegates, but is strongly rejected by the delegates from Buenos Aires.

The Congress of Tucumán approves the use of his flag as the national flag.

After this, Belgrano again takes command of the Army of the North, but his mission is limited to protecting San Miguel de Tucumán from royalist advances while San Martín prepares the Army of the Andes for an alternate offensive across the Andes.

When Buenos Aires is about to be invaded by José Gervasio Artigas and Estanislao López, he moves the Army southwards, but his troops mutiny in January 1820.

Belgrano dies of dropsy on 20 June 1820.

His last words reportedly are: "¡Ay, Patria mía!"

("Oh, my country!

).