Antonio de Ulloa entered the Real Compañía de Guardias Marinas in 1733, setting the stage for a career that spanned astronomy, geodesy, and colonial governance. As a naval officer, he integrated scientific precision with imperial service, participating in global missions that fundamentally reshaped European understanding of the Earth’s physical structure and the distribution of mineral resources during the eighteenth century.
The Geodesic Mission
At nineteen, Ulloa joined a French Academy of Sciences expedition to the equator in present-day Ecuador. The project aimed to determine the Earth’s shape by measuring the length of a meridian arc. While the Cartesians hypothesized a prolate spheroid, Ulloa’s observations helped confirm the planet was an oblate spheroid, flattened at the poles. During this eight-year assignment, he faced significant administrative opposition, including an attempted arrest in 1737 by the president of the Real Audiencia de Quito, which forced him to seek protection from the Viceroy of Peru.
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During his travels throughout the Viceroyalty of Peru from 1736 to 1744, Ulloa documented a range of natural and astronomical phenomena. While inspecting gold panning operations in the Chocó region of Colombia, he identified the properties of a metal he termed platina, providing the first detailed European account of what is now recognized as the chemical element platinum. Additionally, he recorded a rare atmospheric optical phenomenon, known as Ulloa’s halo, while stationed on Mount Pambamarca.
Military and Administrative Career
Ulloa’s professional life extended into high-level colonial administration and naval command. He served as governor of Huancavelica, Peru, and superintendent of local mercury mines, where he attempted to mitigate administrative corruption. In 1766, he was appointed the first governor of Spanish Louisiana. His tenure met with severe resistance from local French Creoles, culminating in his expulsion during the 1768 rebellion. Despite these political challenges, he continued his naval service, ultimately attaining the rank of admiral and acting as chief of operations for the Spanish Navy.
Recognition and Legacy
Following his return to Europe in 1745, Ulloa received significant intellectual recognition. His work secured his membership in the Royal Society of London in 1746, followed by inductions into the French Academy of Sciences, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Prussian Academy of Sciences. He was also a member of the Order of Santiago. He remained active in scientific and military life until his death in 1795 at Isla de León.
Fast facts
- Born: 1716, Seville
- Died: 1795, Isla de León
- Military Rank: Admiral
- Role: Governor of Louisiana (1766-1768)
- Notable Discovery: Platinum
- Citizenship: Kingdom of Spain
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of Ulloa's work with platinum?
He provided the first detailed description of the metal in European scientific literature after observing it in Colombian gold mines.
Why was Ulloa expelled from Louisiana?
His 1766 appointment as the first Spanish governor faced strong resistance from local French Creoles, leading to his expulsion in 1768.
Achievements
- Fields of research: astronomy and geodesy
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