Manuel Jos Joaqun del Corazn de Jess Belgrano y Gonzlez (3 June 1770 20 June 1820), usually referred to as Manuel Belgrano (Spanish pronunciation: [mnwel elano]), was an Argentine economist, lawyer, politician, journalist, and military leader. He took part in the Argentine Wars of Independence and created the Flag of Argentina. He is regarded as one of the main Libertadores of the country.

Belgrano was born in Buenos Aires, the fourth child of Italian businessman Domingo Belgrano y Peri and Mara Josefa Gonzlez Casero. He came into contact with the ideas of the Age of Enlightenment while at university in Spain around the time of the French Revolution. Upon his return to the Viceroyalty of the Ro de la Plata, where he became a notable member of the criollo population of Buenos Aires, he tried to promote some of the new political and economic ideals, but found severe resistance from local peninsulars. This rejection led him to work towards a greater autonomy for his country from the Spanish colonial regime. At first, he unsuccessfully promoted the aspirations of Carlota Joaquina to become a regent ruler for the Viceroyalty during the period the Spanish King Ferdinand VII was imprisoned during the Peninsular War (18071814). He favoured the May Revolution, which removed the viceroy Baltasar Hidalgo de Cisneros from power on 25 May 1810. He was elected as a voting member of the Primera Junta that took power after the ouster.

As a delegate for the Junta, he led the ill-fated Paraguay campaign. His troops were defeated by Bernardo de Velasco at the battles of Campichuelo and Paraguar. Though he was defeated, the campaign initiated the chain of events that led to the Independence of Paraguay in May 1811. He retreated to the vicinity of Rosario, to fortify it against a possible royalist attack from the Eastern Band of the Uruguay River. While there, he created the flag of Argentina. The First Triumvirate did not approve the flag, but because of slow communications, Belgrano would only learn of that many weeks later, while reinforcing the Army of the North at Jujuy. There, knowing he was at a strategic disadvantage against the royalist armies coming from Upper Peru, Belgrano ordered the Jujuy Exodus, which evacuated the entire population of Jujuy Province to San Miguel de Tucumn. His counter-offensive at the Battle of Tucumn resulted in a key strategic victory, and it was soon followed by a complete victory over the royalist army of Po Tristn at the Battle of Salta. However, his deeper incursions into Upper Per led to defeats at Vilcapugio and Ayohuma, leading the Second Triumvirate to order his replacement as Commander of the Army of the North by the newly arrived Jos de San Martn. By then, the Asamblea del Ao XIII had approved the use of Belgrano's flag as the national war flag.

Belgrano then went on a diplomatic mission to Europe along with Bernardino Rivadavia to seek support for the revolutionary government. He returned in time to take part in the Congress of Tucumn, which declared Argentine Independence (1816). He promoted the Inca plan to create a constitutional monarchy with an Inca descendant as Head of State. This proposal had the support of San Martn, Martn Miguel de Gemes, and many provincial delegates, but was strongly rejected by the delegates from Buenos Aires. The Congress of Tucumn approved the use of his flag as the national flag. After this, Belgrano again took command of the Army of the North, but his mission was limited to protecting San Miguel de Tucumn from royalist advances while San Martn prepared the Army of the Andes for an alternative offensive across the Andes. When Buenos Aires was about to be invaded by Jos Gervasio Artigas and Estanislao Lpez, he moved the Army southwards, but his troops mutinied in January 1820. Belgrano died of dropsy on 20 June 1820. His last words reportedly were: "¡Ay, Patria ma!" (Oh, my country!).

The Argentine War of Independence (Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de Argentina) was secessionist civil war that fought from 1810 to 1818 by Argentine patriotic forces under Manuel Belgrano, Juan José Castelli and José de San Martín against royalist forces that fought for preserve the integrity of the Spanish crown. On July 9, 1816, an assembly met in San Miguel de Tucumán, declared the independence with provisions for a national constitution.