Simon Bolivar was born to a wealthy creole family in Caracas, Venezuela. His father died when he was three, and his mother died when he was nine.After the death of his parents he was sent to Spain where his uncle and tutor exposed him to enlightenment writers such as Voltaire, who were major inspirations to the French Revolution. Bolivar finished his studies and returned to Venezuela in 1807, shortly after Napoleon named Joseph Bonaparte king of Spain and its colonies. Bolivar then started a campaign to liberate Venezuela and other Latin American countries from Spanish control. Bolivar and his followers invaded Venezuela on May 14,1813, which marked the beginning of the "admirable campaign". The admirable campaign was a military action to liberate Venezuela. Bolivar's campaign in South America freed Venezuela, Columbia, Bolivia, and Peru.