General francisco de miranda con su esposa

Venezuelan military leader (1750–1816)

For the film of his life, see Francisco de Miranda (film).

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Miranda and the second or maternal family name is Rodríguez de Espinoza.

Sebastián Francisco de Miranda y Rodríguez de Espinoza (28 March 1750 – 14 July 1816), commonly known as Francisco de Miranda (Latin American Spanish:[fɾanˈsiskoðemiˈɾanda]), was a Venezuelan military leader and revolutionary who fought in the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolution and the Spanish American wars of independence.

He is regarded as a precursor of South America's liberation from the Spanish Empire, and remains known as the "First Universal Venezuelan" and the "Great Universal American".

Born in Caracas in the Viceroyalty of New Granada into a wealthy family, Miranda left to pursue an education in Madrid in 1771 and subsequently enlisted in the Spanish army.

In 1780, following Spain's