Agustín de Iturbide (1783-1824) was the first emperor of the Mexican Republic. This caudillo played an essential role in the independence of Mexico from the Spanish Empire.
Before joining the ranks of the independence movement, he had escalated military positions by suppressing the revolts of the main insurgent leaders.
In addition, he was one of the architects of the Plan of Iguala. This plan established the guidelines for the separation of the nation from Spain.
Among the guidelines of this plan stands out the fact that it required the country to be independent and governed by a European prince or by a Mexican.
After several maneuvers, Iturbide managed to proclaim him emperor. However, the reign of Augustine I lasted less than a year.
Military career
Agustín de Iturbide came from a noble Basque family that emigrated to Michoacán in the mid-18th century.
Like many Creoles, Iturbide became an officer in a viceregal regiment at the age of 14.
The future Mexican emperor successfully fought the insurgent movement of Miguel Hidalgo of 1810.
He was promoted to the rank of colonel after he defeated the guerrillas in the Bajío area. By the end of 1813 he had been appointed the regional commander general of this area.
However, his personal ambitions suffered a setback when Spanish officials blocked his promotion. After several accusations of inappropriate behavior, he was relieved of troop command.
Iguala Plan
In 1820 a military revolt placed Spain under a liberal regime. Several Creole aristocrats saw this as a threat to their interests, and began to contemplate the possibility of independence.
Iturbide was then in command of the royal forces that persecuted the liberal revolutionary Vicente Guerrero. He decides to change and join the independence movement, and gains the support of the insurgent leader.
At the beginning of 1821 Iturbide presented his Plan of Iguala, also known as the Plan Trigarante.
This 23-article statement details a conservative program based on three guarantees: religion, independence, and togetherness.
The idea was to preserve the colonial system, replacing the Creoles with Spanish in government positions.
Its aspiration was to constitute an independent monarchy, conserving the privileges of class and of the Church. In this way, he won the support of a large part of the Creole population.
Months later the new Spanish viceroy in Mexico realized that he could not challenge the ancestry of the Mexican leader.
Then he signed the Treaty of Córdoba that confirmed the independence of Mexico. It also stipulated that, pending the selection of a monarch, this country would be governed by a junta headed by Iturbide.
He entered Mexico City in triumph on September 27, 1821.
The reign of Agustín de Iturbide
In 1822 Iturbide was crowned emperor of the Mexican nation. After several confrontations with Congress, he dissolved it.
By December 1822, Iturbide's opposition strengthened after Antonio López de Santa Anna proposed the Plan of Veracruz, which called for the reinstatement of the Constituent Congress.
On March 19, 1823, Iturbide abdicated, leaving first for Italy and then for England.
After a year, he returned to Mexico with his family, unaware that Congress had ordered his death. Although he was initially greeted with enthusiasm, he was later captured and executed.
References
- Kirkwood, JB (2009). The History of Mexico. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.
- Encyclopædia Britannica. (2011, May 04). Equal Plan. Retrieved on December 7, 2017, from britannica.com
- Werner, M. (2015). Concise Encyclopedia of Mexico. New York: Routledge.
- Encyclopedia of World Biography. (s / f). Agustín de Iturbide. Retrieved on December 7, 2017, from encyclopedia.com
- The Famous People. (2017, October 26). Agustín de Iturbide Biography. Retrieved on December 7, 2017, from thefamouspeople.com