1922 Encyclopædia Britannica/Moret y Prendergast, Segismundo

MORET Y PRENDERGAST, SEGISMUNDO (1838-1913), Spanish politician, was born at Cadiz June 2 1838. He was educated at the Central University, Madrid, and became professor of political economy, continuing at the same time his studies in jurisprudence. In 1863 he was elected Liberal deputy for Almaden and took part in the revolution of 1868, afterwards representing Ciudad Real in the Constituent Assembly of 1869 and becoming noted for his eloquence. He took office under Gen. Prim in 1870 first as Colonial Secretary and later as Finance Minister. He was for a few months in 1872 Spanish ambassador to Great Britain, and after resigning this post accepted the directorship of a large London bank. A year later he returned to Spain. He was again elected deputy for Ciudad Real in 1879, rallied to the monarchy in 1882, represented Orgaz from 1886 to 1890, was Minister for Foreign Affairs under Sagasta in 1885 and again in 1893-4, Minister of the Interior 1885-8, and Minister of Colonies 1897. In this capacity he advocated the grant of autonomy to Cuba and Porto Rico, and he was opposed to the war with America of 1898. He rose to be head of the Liberal party and became Prime Minister in 1905, but fell in 1906, though he was called back to office for an ephemeral spell of three days in that year and again in 1909 for a few months. Failing to keep together his unruly hosts he took refuge in the post of president of the Chamber, in which office he died at Madrid Jan. 28 1913.