The Hostess of San Carlos Palace was the unofficial position held by the wives of the presidents in the now-defunct states of Gran Colombia, New Granada, the Granadine Confederation, and the United States of Colombia. This role is considered the precursor to the role of First Lady of Colombia, which was formalized in 1886 with the founding of Colombia. Although the president's spouse was neither elected nor received compensation, the Hostesses of San Carlos Palace played significant roles in Colombian society at that time.

For 89 years, twenty-one women, including the president's wives and partners, served as hostesses at the San Carlos Palace, a position derived from republican tradition and based solely on the prominence and influence of the individual. This role was the subject of debate on two occasions: first, when Manuela Sáenz, Simón Bolívar's partner, was accused of being the president's mistress while still married to Captain James Thorne; and second, when Soledad Román de Núñez was rejected by Bogotá's upper class because her husband, Rafael Núñez, remained married to his first wife, Dolores Gallegos.

List PortraitNameTenurePresidentManuela Sáenz 16 February 1819 – 27 April 1830Simón BolívarMaría Josefa HurtadoMay 12, 1833 – April 1, 1835Joaquín MosqueraDolores Vargas ParísSeptember 4, 1830 – April 30, 1831Rafael UrdanetaSixta Pontón de SantanderOctober 7, 1832–April 1, 1837Francisco de Paula SantanderMaría Antonia del CastilloApril 1, 1837 – April 1, 1841José Ignacio de MárquezAmelia Mosquera ArboledaApril 1, 1841 – April 1, 1845Pedro Alcántara HerránMariana Benvenuta de MosqueraApril 1, 1845 – April 1, 1849Tomás Cipriano de MosqueraMaría Dorotea DuránApril 1, 1849 – April 1, 1853José Hilario LópezTimotea Carvajal de OabandoApril 1, 1853 – April 17, 1854José María ObandoMaría Mercedes CabalVelasco Madriñán, Luis Carlos. Efraín y María: historia y leyenda. Editado por Impr. Márquez, 1954August 7, 1855–August 7, 1857Manuel María MallarinoEnriqueta Vásquez de OspinaMay 22, 1857−March 31, 1861Mariano Ospina RodríguezSofía Mosquera de ArboledaJuly 10, 1861−July 18, 1861Julio Arboleda PomboMariana Benvenuta de MosqueraJuly 18, 1861−April 8, 1864Tomás Cipriano de MosqueraAna Roma de MurilloApril 8, 1864−April 1, 1866Manuel Murillo ToroHermelina Concha de GutiérrezApril 1, 1968−April 1, 1870Santos GutiérrezSinforosa Florez MateusApril 1, 1870−April 1, 1872Eustorgio SalgarAna Roma de MuerilloApril 1, 1872−April 1, 1874Manuel Murillo ToroTadea Triana SilvaApril 1, 1874−April 1, 1876Santiago Pérez ManosalvaLastenia Díaz MurilloApril 1, 1976−April 1, 1878Aquileo ParraDolores Carvajal MurilloApril 1, 1878−April 1, 1880Julián Trujillo LargachaSoledad Román de NúñezApril 1, 1880−April 1, 1882Rafael NúñezDolores Orbegozo de ZaldúaApril 1, 1882−December 21, 1882Francisco Javier ZaldúaMercedes González de OtáloraDecember 21, 1882−April 1, 1884José Eusebio OtaloraSoledad Román de NúñezApril 1, 1884−April 1, 1886Rafael Núñez

See also

First Lady List of first ladies of Colombia

Notes

References