When did Cundinamarca exist?

Cundinamarca existed 1811–1816. On this map it is drawn 1814.

How large was Cundinamarca?

At its greatest extent drawn on this map, Cundinamarca covered about 225,000 km². That is the largest area the border data gives it across the years it is drawn, not necessarily its greatest extent in history.

South America · Independence and the wars of liberation

Cundinamarca

1811–1816

See it on the map → Wikipedia ↗

Existed: 1811–1816
Shown on the map: 1814
Peak area: 225k km²
Region: South America

Overview

The Free State of Cundinamarca was one of the earliest independent states to emerge in what is now Colombia during the "Patria Boba" ("Foolish Fatherland") period. Centered on Santa Fe de Bogotá, it was established in 1811 after the independence movement began in 1810. Its most prominent leader was Antonio Nariño, translator of the Rights of Man and a champion of centralist government.

History

Cundinamarca embodied one side of the era's defining conflict: Nariño's centralists (who favored a strong unitary state governed from Bogotá) versus the federalists of the rival United Provinces of New Granada, based in Tunja, who favored a loose federation of sovereign provinces. This rivalry led to open civil war between the patriot factions — a fatal division that critically weakened the independence cause.

Decline and legacy

The disunity left New Granada vulnerable to the Spanish reconquest. Pablo Morillo's royalist expedition (from 1815) systematically retook the region; Bogotá fell in 1816, and the Free State of Cundinamarca was extinguished, with many patriot leaders executed during the ensuing "Reign of Terror." Independence would only be secured years later by Bolívar's 1819 campaign. Cundinamarca survives today as the name of the Colombian department surrounding Bogotá.

Common questions

What was Cundinamarca?: The Free State of Cundinamarca was one of the earliest independent states to emerge in what is now Colombia during the "Patria Boba" ("Foolish Fatherland") period. Centered on Santa Fe de Bogotá, it was established in 1811 after the independence movement began in 1810.
When did Cundinamarca exist?: Cundinamarca existed 1811–1816. On this map it is drawn 1814.
How large was Cundinamarca?: At its greatest extent drawn on this map, Cundinamarca covered about 225,000 km². That is the largest area the border data gives it across the years it is drawn, not necessarily its greatest extent in history.
Who ruled Cundinamarca?: Cundinamarca embodied one side of the era's defining conflict: Nariño's centralists (who favored a strong unitary state governed from Bogotá) versus the federalists of the rival United Provinces of New Granada, based in Tunja, who favored a loose federation of sovereign provinces. This rivalry led to open civil war between the patriot factions — a fatal division that critically weakened the independence cause.
How did Cundinamarca end?: The disunity left New Granada vulnerable to the Spanish reconquest. Pablo Morillo's royalist expedition (from 1815) systematically retook the region; Bogotá fell in 1816, and the Free State of Cundinamarca was extinguished, with many patriot leaders executed during the ensuing "Reign of Terror."

Sources

This compendium cites its sources once for the whole document rather than per territory. It names English Wikipedia, Encyclopaedia Britannica and the World History Encyclopedia as the basis of these profiles, supplemented by academic and museum sources and, for recent events, by reputable news outlets. The article this entry is anchored on:

Wikipedia — Cundinamarca en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cundinamarca

This entry was last updated 12 September 2026.

This entry was researched and drafted with AI from the sources above, and has not been reviewed by a historian. How entries are made

Text available under CC BY-SA 4.0: reuse it with a credit to The World Through Time and a link to this page. Passages drawing on the Wikipedia articles listed above are also licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 by their contributors.

Border geometry for the map itself comes from Cliopatria v0.12 (Seshat Global History Databank, CC-BY-4.0).

See Cundinamarca in its world

Open the atlas at 1814 and every neighbour, rival and successor is on screen with it — then drag the slider and watch what happens next.

Open the map at 1814 →