Ribera y Espinoza is in charge of Paraguay. Heavy taxes imposed by the Spanish provoke a popular revolt, which he suppresses by numerous executions. 1810: Royalism declines in South America as the king of Spain is deposed by Napoleon. May Revolution breaks out in the Viceroyalty. Governor of Paraguay Bernardo de Velasco remains loyal to the Crown and rejects revolution of Buenos Aires. Independence 1810 - 1811: Buenos Aires starts Paraguay campaign. Argentine general Manuel Belgrano leads an army of 1100 troops to capture royalist Asunción, and defeats a small force of Paraguayans at the Battle of Campichuelo but is defeated in Battle of Paraguarí and Tacuarí. 1811, May 14 - Military and political uprising in Asuncion against governor Velasco. A three-man ruling junta, which includes Velasco, is created. This is the beginning of the independence of Paraguay. 1811, June 17 - National Congress meets for the first time. Velasco removed from all power and a five-man junta led by Fulgencio Yegros created. 1813 - National Congress creates the First Consulate with Fulgencio Yegros and Francia as consuls. 1813, October 12: Republic of Paraguay proclaimed. Francia era 1814: Francia elected to the post of Supreme dictator. 1816: Francia elected to the post of Supremo dictator (El Supremo) for life. 1820 - 1821: Plot against Francia discovered. Independence leaders arrested. Caballero commits suicide in his cell and Yegros is executed. Spaniards of Asunción arrested and forced to pay 100,000 Pesos. 1824: Property of clergy confiscated. 1828: All private land confiscated. Education made compulsory. 1836: First public library opens. 1840: Francia dies. Manuel Antonio Ortiz leads the Provisional junta. Lopez dictatorships 1841: Mariano Roque Alonzo assumes power, creates the Second Consulate with Carlos Antonio López. 1842, November 25: Official Act of Independence proclaimed. 1844: Carlos Antonio López elected President, establishes his dictatorship. 1862: Carlos Antonio Lopez dies and his eldest son Francisco Solano López is appointed President. 1864: Lopez declares war on Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. Paraguayan War begins. 1865: Battle of the Riachuelo. Paraguayan navy destroyed. Remaining ships scuttled in the River Yhaguy. 1866: Battle of Tuyutí. Largest battle ever fought on South American soil. Allied advance halted by Paraguay at Curupayty. 1867: Fall of Humaitá. Allies begin march on Asunción. 1868: Paraguay defeated at the Battle of Avay. Paraguayan army begins to collapse. 1869, January 1: Allied armies occupy Asuncion, occupy Paraguay until 1876. 1869: Paraguayan army defeated at the