Jose de Solano y Bote, 1st Marquess of Socorro was a Spanish Navy officer, nobleman and colonial administrator. He served an extensive career in the Spanish Navy starting at the age of 16 until his death in 1806. Shortly after joining the Navy in 1742. During this charge Solano spent seven years traveling the Orinoco River and its tributaries as well as making several trips to Bogota in pursuit of additional funding from the Viceroy to support his efforts. When he concluded his assignment he was promoted to the rank of Capitan de Navio in 1761. In 1762, after war broke out with Britain, he took command of Rayo, a ship of the line built in Havana. Solano was governor of Venezuela from 1763 to 1770 and later Governor and Captain General of Santo Domingo. He commanded a Spanish squadron during the American Revolutionary War. For his role in the Siege of Pensacola where he came to the aid of Governor Bernardo de Galvez in March 1781, Solano was promoted to lieutenant general in 1782. He became the General Captain of the Armada in 1804.