Tomás de Zumalacárregui
Spanish General
Died when: 46 years 177 days (557 months)Star Sign: Capricorn
Tomás de Zumalacárregui e Imaz (Basque: Tomas Zumalakarregi Imatz; 29 December 1788 – 24 June 1835), known among his troops as "Uncle Tomás", was a Spanish Basque officer who lead the Carlist faction as Captain general of the Army during the First Carlist War.
He was occasionally nicknamed the "Wolf of the Amezcoas", making reference to his famous military victory in the region of Navarre.
Zumalacárregui is often credited as the inventor of Spanish omelette (or tortilla de patatas), which he elaborated during the Siege of Bilbao, as a simple, fast and nutritious dish with which to satisfy the hardships of the Carlist Army.
In search of nourishment, he came across a poor housewife who had nothing other than eggs, onion and potatoes.When he mixed it up, he liked the end result and fed it to his starving troops.
It is said that after this, the tortilla became incredibly popular throughout the rest of the First Carlist War, and is now one of the most renowned dishes in the world.
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