HALEN, or FIALEM, DON JUAN VAN, Count of Peracnmpos (1790-1864). A Spanish general and patriot of Belgian descent, born on the Isla de Leon. He entered the navy when he was fifteen, and was present at the battle of Trafal gar. He took part in the rising against the French at Madrid (May 2, 1808), and at Ferrol was captured, but joined the French Army and became an artillery officer under Joseph Bona parte (1809): In 1813 he went to Barcelona in Sachet's staff, joined a Spanish patriotic society, and treacherously surrendered MonzOn, and Mequinenza. Two years afterwards he was accused . of complicity in a conspiracy against Ferdinand VII., and was imprisoned, but almost immediately released, and made a lieutenant. Again, in 1817, he was involved in Torrijo's plot, was put in the prison of the Inquisition, but escaped and fled to Russia. In 1821 he returned to Spain and'fought under Mina. He took part in politics and was promi
nent in the Belgian Revolution of 1830, being placed at the .liead of the insurgent forces, but soon after the expulsion of the Dutch from Brus sels he quarreled with De Potter and resigned. Once more in Spain (1834), he was appointed Cordova's adjutant, and served with success against the Carlists (1836). In 1840 he was made Captain-General of Catalonia. In 1842 he put down the uprising in Barcelona. but the opposition to Espartero had grown too strong in 1843, and he escaped to England in July. He returned to Spain in 1850, and in 1854 became president of the Supreme Navy and Army Court. He wrote Relacien de su caudiridad en los cala bozos de la InquisiciOn, su evasion y emigracion (1827), and Les quatre journees de Bruxelles (1831).