Bernardo O'Higgins accepted the position instead, and became the leader of an independent Chile. He was granted dictatorial powers as Supreme Director on 16 February 1817. On 12 February 1818, Chile proclaimed itself an independent republic. Throughout the war with the royalists, O'Higgins had engaged in an ongoing feud with José Miguel Carrera. After their retreat in 1814, O'Higgins had fared much better than Carrera, who found little support forthcoming from San Martín, O'Higgins' political ally. Carrera was imprisoned to prevent his involvement in Chilean affairs; after his escape, he ended up taking the winning side in the Argentine Federalist war, helping
Bernardo Antonio de' Medici Bernardo Antonio de' Medici Bernardo Antonio de' Medici (1476 – 1552) was an Italian bishop and diplomat. He was considered as one of the leading ambassadors of Cosimo I de' Medici. He was the son of Antonio de' Medici and Selvaggia di Felice del Beccuto. He was bishop of Forlì between 1528 and 1551, before being transferred to the diocese of Cassano on 23 October 1551. In 1537 Cosimo I gave him the delicate mission of getting confirmation of his right to the duchy (which had passed to him after Alessandro de' Medici's death) from Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.