The city of Ambato was founded in its present location on 6 December 1698 as the Seat of Ambato, on the request of Ambateños to theRoyal Audience of Quito. For the next century, Ambato grew slowly into an important mountain center. The city was to play a pivitol role in the Ecuadorian War of Independence. On October 9, 1820, the citizens of Guayaquil, along with help from a number of Venezuelans and Colombians, declared independence from the Spanish monarchy. The group raised an army (known as the Junta de Guayaquil), and began to move against Spanish forces in Quito. On their way to Quito, Ambato was one of the first cities liberated. The city formally declared its separation from Spain on 12 November 1820.
After liberating Ambato, the Junta de Guayaquil then turned their attention to Quito. Under the command of Colonel Luis Urdaneta, the army had liberated most of the central highland region, but Quito and the northern highland region were still under the authority of the Royal Audience. Field-Marshal Melchor Aymerich, acting President and commander of the Royalist army took swift action and ordered forces to march on the Urdaneta's army stationed in Ambato. Urdaneta's army met the Royalists, led by Colonel Francisco Gonzaelz at the First Battle of Huachi just outside of Ambato on 22 November 1820 and were soundly defeated. Urdeneta retreated and Gonzalez entered Ambato
A year later, the reformed patriots, under Antonio José de Sucre, left their position in Babahoyo to retake the highlands. In September 1821, the forces left the city, marching to reconquer Guaranda. On 12 September 1821, Sucre met the same fate as Urdeneta in the Second Battle of Huachi. Aymerich's forces defeated Sucre in the same plains that now form the neighborhood of Huachi, just southeast of downtown Ambato. Sucre returned to Guayaquil once more.
In 1822, the tide began to turn for Ambato and the rest of the towns in the central mountains. After two
