Agustín de Iturbide

Agustín de Iturbide
Primitivo Miranda · Public domain · source
Name	Agustín de Iturbide
Title	Emperor of Mexico

Agustín de Iturbide was a Mexican General and Politician who played a crucial role in the Mexican War of Independence against the Spanish Empire, alongside Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and José María Morelos. He is best known for his leadership in the Army of the Three Guarantees and his subsequent rise to power as the Emperor of Mexico, with the support of the Mexican Congress and the Catholic Church in Mexico. Iturbide's life and career were marked by his interactions with notable figures such as Ferdinand VII of Spain, Alexander I of Russia, and Simón Bolívar. His experiences were also influenced by significant events, including the Peninsular War and the Congress of Vienna.

● Early Life and Career

Agustín de Iturbide was born in Valladolid, Michoacán, New Spain, to a family of Basque descent, and was educated at the Colegio de San Francisco de Sales in Mexico City. He began his military career in the Spanish Army, serving under Félix María Calleja del Rey and participating in battles against the insurgents led by Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and José María Morelos during the Mexican War of Independence. Iturbide's early life was also influenced by his relationships with Manuel de Gómez Pedraza, Guadalupe Victoria, and Antonio López de Santa Anna, who would later become prominent figures in Mexican politics. His experiences during this period were shaped by the Treaty of Córdoba and the Plan of Iguala, which aimed to establish Mexican independence from Spain.

● Military Campaigns

Iturbide's military career spanned several campaigns, including the Siege of Cuautla and the Battle of Azcapotzalco, where he fought against the insurgents led by José María Morelos and Vicente Guerrero. He later joined forces with Vicente Guerrero and together they issued the Plan of Iguala, which called for Mexican independence from Spain and the establishment of a monarchy with a Catholic monarch. Iturbide's military campaigns were also influenced by the Napoleonic Wars and the Latin American wars of independence, including the Chilean War of Independence and the Argentine War of Independence. His interactions with notable military leaders, such as Hernán Cortés, Miguel de San Román, and José de San Martín, also played a significant role in shaping his military career.

● Emperor of Mexico

In 1822, Iturbide was crowned Emperor of Mexico with the support of the Mexican Congress and the Catholic Church in Mexico, and he took the title of Agustín I of Mexico. During his reign, he established the Imperial Mexican Order of Guadalupe and the Imperial Mexican Order of the Eagle, and he also oversaw the creation of the Mexican Imperial Army. Iturbide's reign was marked by his interactions with notable figures, including Pope Pius VII, King Louis XVIII of France, and Tsar Alexander I of Russia. His experiences as emperor were also influenced by significant events, such as the Congress of Verona and the Monroe Doctrine. However, his reign was short-lived, and he was overthrown in 1823 by a coalition of liberals and conservatives led by Antonio López de Santa Anna and Guadalupe Victoria.

● Exile and Death

After his overthrow, Iturbide went into exile in Europe, where he lived in Italy, France, and England. He was eventually invited to return to Mexico by the Mexican government, but he was arrested and executed by firing squad in Padilla, Tamaulipas, on July 19, 1824. Iturbide's exile and death were influenced by the Bourbon Restoration and the July Revolution in France, as well as the Greek War of Independence. His interactions with notable figures, such as King George IV of the United Kingdom, Pope Leo XII, and Simón Bolívar, also played a significant role in shaping his experiences during this period.

● Legacy

Agustín de Iturbide's legacy is complex and multifaceted, with some regarding him as a hero of the Mexican War of Independence and others viewing him as a power-hungry dictator. He is remembered for his role in achieving Mexican independence from Spain and for his establishment of the Mexican Empire. Iturbide's legacy has been influenced by the Mexican Revolution and the Cristero War, as well as the Latin American wars of independence and the Spanish American wars of independence. His interactions with notable figures, such as Benito Juárez, Porfirio Díaz, and Emiliano Zapata, have also shaped his legacy in Mexican history. Today, Iturbide is remembered as a key figure in Mexican history, and his legacy continues to be debated by historians and scholars around the world, including those at the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the University of Texas at Austin.