We explain what the Iturbide Empire was, how it originated and its political and economic measures. In addition, its extension and its end.
What was the Iturbide Empire?
The Iturbide Empire, also called the First Empire of Mexico, was A monarchical government led by the Agustín de Iturbide military leader, which lasted a few months: between July 21, 1822 and March 19, 1823. Despite its short duration, this government was of the utmost importance in the history of Mexico because it was the first independent and sovereign government of the country.
Agustín de Iturbide was an outstanding military and a central character in Mexican politics during the War of Independence. First it served in the realistic army (in defense of the Spanish monarchy) and then joined the insurgents and favored the independence of Mexico.
Although he was chosen by a congress, during his short government, Iturbide He won a multitude of enemies due to his misguided economic measures and the dissolution of Congress. His government was overthrown by a rebellion that reinstated the Congress, dissolved the Empire and declared a Republic to Mexico.
See also: History of Mexico
History of the Iturbide Empire
The Mexican Independence War
The War of Independence of Mexico was a long political and military process that began in 1810 and ended in September 1821. This conflict It originated in the Viceroyal of New Spainwhich was part of the Spanish colonies in America and formed the current Mexican territory and other regions of the south and north.
When in 1808 the troops of France invaded Spain and dismissed King Ferdinand VII, the Creoles of New Spain refused to recognize the French authority, so in the beginning The movements that claimed popular sovereignty did it as an act of loyalty towards the legitimate king of Spain. However, over the eleven years that war lasted, the interests of various groups joined and guided the struggle towards the objective of declareing Mexico as an independent state.
After the union of the insurgents (independence led by Vicente Guerrero) with the conservative groups (former realistic ones led by Agustín de Iturbide, who decided to support independence because they rejected the liberal constitution of Cádiz), The Iguala Plan was proclaimed, which declared the independence of Mexico.
See also: independence from Mexico
Origin of the Iturbide Empire
The Iguala Plan, also called the three guarantees plan, was proclaimed by Agustín de Iturbide on February 24, 1821, and It contained three principles: the independence of Mexico, the union of all the Creoles and Spaniards of New Spainand the supremacy of the Catholic religion. These three ideas were represented in the colors of the flag: green, red and white.
The Iguala Plan established Mexico as an independent country And, more specifically, as a constitutional or moderate monarchy offered by the crown to King Ferdinand VII or some of his relatives. However, the Spanish crown did not recognize Mexican independence until 1836.
Iturbide commanded the trigrator army to expand the principles of the Plan of Iguala throughout the territory of New Spain. On August 24, 1821, he signed together with the Superior Political Chief of New Spain, Juan O’Donojú, the Treaties of Córdoba who agreed to retire the Spanish troops, although later the crown rejected the agreement of independence.
The trigrator army entered Mexico City on September 27, 1821 and the next day the independence act of the Mexican Empire was signed, drafted by a government provisional board. Then a Congress was formed that chose Iturbide as Emperor of Mexico. On July 21, 1822 he was crowned with the name of Agustín I.
Who was Agustín de Iturbide?
Agustín de Iturbide (1783-1824) was a Mexican military and political who served as Emperor of Mexico between July 21, 1822 and March 19, 1823. At the beginning of the War of Independence, Iturbide fought alongside the realistic forces that fought against the insurgents who sought the independence of Mexico.
However, in 1820 the political situation in Spain changed due to the triumph of a liberal revolution that restored the Constitution of Cádiz and threatened to harm the interests of the clergy and the aristocracy of Mexico. For this reason, in the last years of the war conservatives (among them, Iturbide) changed positions and supported the objective of independence.
The independence of Mexico was achieved in 1821 after the following facts that had Iturbide as the protagonist:
- The union of insurgents and conservatives, which was consumed in the hug of Acatempan between Vicente Guerrero and Iturbide.
- The proclamation of the Plan of Iguala, which established the independence of Mexico although proposed as a monarch to a Spanish king.
- The Treaties of Córdoba, in which it was agreed, together with the viceregal authority, the withdrawal of the Spanish troops.
- The entrance of the trigratante army commanded by Iturbide in Mexico City.
- The drafting of the Independence Act of the Mexican Empire by a Government Provisional Board.
Since during the Iturbide war he stood out as a military leader, His disagreements with insurgent sectors and Congress representatives favored that a soldiers riot and other popular sectors put on his side and asked to be named Emperor. The majority of the deputies agreed to the lawsuit and Agustín de Iturbide was Coronado Emperor.
Geographic extension of the Iturbide Empire
During the Iturbide Empire, Mexico had its greatest geographical extension. This was due to the fact that the provinces that had declared independence with respect to Spain, especially those that were part of the Kingdom of Guatemala, who made up almost all of Central America, were simultaneously.
In this way, in addition to Mexico, they were included within the borders of the California, New Mexico and Texas Empire, and the entire Central American territory to Costa Rica, in the south. Its total area became 4 and a half million square kilometersalthough its population did not exceed 7 million inhabitants. Although it contained around 30 cities, for the most part the population was rural and made up of Creoles, Spanish, indigenous and mestizos.
The territorial organization was based on a provincial administrative division, and when the Iturbide Empire fell, a good part of the territories to the south and north separated or independent throughout various stages that caused a significant reduction in the territory of Mexico.
Economic difficulties of the Iturbide Empire
After independence, Mexico was going through a severe economic crisis due to eleven years of wars and revolts. Its economic situation included scarcity of resources, debts derived from forced loans, a little integrated domestic market, Spaniards who had taken their wealth, a poor connection between the different territories of the empire and little labor product of the casualties of the war. The economic activities in which Mexico had stood out in the colonial era (agriculture and mining) were in crisis.
The Iturbide government tried He turned to the emission of excess paper that, as a consequence, lost value. In addition, to cover military and bureaucratic expenses, he continued to demand forced loans that increased the discontent of broad sectors of the Mexican population.
The economic policies carried out by Iturbide and the disenchantment after the initial optimism were some of the reasons that expanded the opposition arch that sought to dismiss the emperor.
Political conflicts in the Iturbide Empire
Agustín de Iturbide was Coronado Emperor of the Mexican Empire in July 1822after being chosen by Congress, but within a few months he dissolved this body for lack of support. Instead established a National Institute Board. This allowed him to govern without mediation or parliamentary control, but earned him a lot of enemies.
To avoid being expressed, discontent, Iturbide eliminated press freedom and maintained a strong control over publications. Who despite everything continued to express their political opposition were arrested.
Some of Iturbide opponents were their enemies since the years of the War of Independence. Among them were Nicolás Bravo, Vicente Guerrero and Guadalupe Victoria, who had been insurgents who fought against the realistic army. Also The defenders of the Spanish Crown were demonstrated against Iturbide, who wanted a Bourbon representative to govern, and the Republicans (some of them former insurgents), who wanted to establish a republic in Mexico.
Iturbide too harvest enemies among whom his companions had beensuch as Antonio López de Santa Anna, discontent with the failed economic decisions of Iturbide and his policy contrary to political participation and parliamentary functioning.
Mata house plan and end of the Iturbide Empire
From the beginning of the Iturbide government Revueltas and conspiracies decided to overthrow the emperor. Many of these movements were intended to establish a Republic in Mexico and restore Congress.
On December 2, 1822, the Mexican politician and military Antonio López de Santa Anna spoke in Veracruz against Iturbide already favor of the proclamation of the Republic. The emperor sent his military forces and began a period of clashes that culminated when the generals of his own troops, influenced by Masonic lodges, joined the Mata house plan proclaimed by Santa Anna on February 1, 1823.
This document established that Congress should be restored and set the basis for the project of a Mexican State that would cease to be a monarchy and become a republic.
Iturbide restored Congress and on March 19, 1823 abdicated. He then exiled along with his family, first in Italy and then in England. Meanwhile, the Central American territories became independent from Mexico. In 1824 a Constituent General Congress wrote the Federal Constitution of the United Mexican States, which officially replaced the monarchy with a representative and federal republic.
In April 1824 Iturbide He was declared a public traitor and enemy On the part of the Congress and, when he returned to Mexican territory in July of that year, he was arrested and shot in Padilla (Tamaulipas) on the 19th.
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References
- “AGN remembers the first Mexican empire” General Archive of the Nation (2018). Government of Mexico.
- “Agustín de Iturbide” in British Encyclopedia.
- “History of Mexico” von Wobeser, G. (coord.) (2014). Economic Culture Fund.
- “July 19, 1824, execution of Agustín de Iturbide in Tamaulipas” in Government of Mexico.
- “Flag Day of Mexico, homeland symbol of Mexican people” in CNDH.
- “The Empire: 1821-1823” in Miguel de Cervantes Virtual Library.
