Ramón Castilla y Marquesado was a Peruvian military man, statesman and politician who became president of Peru twice: from 1845 to 1851 and from 1855 to 1862. In 1863 he also assumed the provisional presidency for a few days, due to the death of President Miguel de San Román He ruled in total for 12 years, being the president who spent more years in republican Peru, after Augusto B. Leguía. He is considered the first progressive and innovating president of the Peruvian Republic, and according to the historian Jorge Basadre, the Republican period in Peru really began with him, since his predecessors had devoted more time to wars and civil strife. His important reforms in politics and society of his time confirm these assertions.
The most remembered of his works is the manumission of black slaves, officially decreed in 1854. But he also gave the law of freedom of the press, abolished the Indian tribute, abolished the death penalty, founded the diplomatic service. Reformed the public administration, established the budget, paid the external and internal debt. Organized the Council of Ministers, creating its presidency, initiated educational reform abandoning the colonial molds. Modernized the army. He created a respectable naval force. His mandate coincided with the introduction of several technical advances in Peru such as the telegraph, gas lighting, and railroads. Ramón Castilla also initiated the development of the Peruvian Amazon, among other works. He is considered as the patron of the Cavalry Weapon of the Peruvian Army.