Date of Birth: 27 September 1783
Royal House: Iturbide
Spouse: Ana María, daughter of Isidro Huarte y Arrivillaga and Ana Manuela Muñiz y Sánchez de Tagle
Royal House: Iturbide
Spouse: Ana María, daughter of Isidro Huarte y Arrivillaga and Ana Manuela Muñiz y Sánchez de Tagle
Reign: 1822 — 1823
Summary: Born in Michoacán to a privileged family of Spanish landowners, Agustín led a fairly easy life, entering Catholic seminary in the late 1790s where he was no better than his peers. He then began working at a hacienda where he acted as overseer. His sadistic behavior was first noted here, when he was spotted cutting off toes of chicken before slaughtering them. In 1802, he joined the royal army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. In 1805, he married a daughter from the wealthy Tagle family. When the first uprisings against Spanish rule occurred in 1809, it is possible that Agustín was involved in the conspiracy against the royal army. The possibility escaped the notice of the Spanish, though, who elevated Agustín to the rank of colonel in 1813 after he distinguished himself in battle. In 1815, he was personally responsible for the capture and execution of rebel general José María Morelos. Immediately after his victory over Morelos, Agustín was relieved of duty pending investigation into cruel tactics and policies. A year later, though, he was back in active service, and by 1820, he was the general in charge of southern New Spain. When Vicente Guerrero rose up that same year, Agustín began to realize that this new enemy may be beyond his ability to defeat.
It took a threat to the Bourbon monarchy in Spain to convince Agustín de Iturbide that becoming a leader in the Mexican Independence movement would be a better choice. When republicans took over Spain in 1820, Iturbide joined with other Mexican revolutionaries in inviting King Ferdinand VII over to Mexico to create an independent Mexican state separate from Spain. Ferdinand declined the offer, banned any member of his family from taking the Mexican throne, and proclaimed México's absolute attachment to the Spanish crown. With no other option available to him, Agustín joined Guerrero and went to war with Spain.
On Mexico City on September 27th, 1821, Agustín marched on México City and proclaimed the start of the First Mexican Empire. Ferdinand was again invited over to rule the now-independent Mexico. In the meanwhile, Iturbide was proclaimed provisional president. Spain rejected the Treaty of Córdoba and forbade any member of the Spanish royal family from becoming emperor. Spain once again became Mexico’s enemy.
In the confusion, Iturbide declared himself Emperor Augustine I of Mexico, but this action was not popular with Mexico’s republicans. In response, Iturbide dissolved the national congress to solidify his rule, but no foreign power would work with the new empire. Mexico began to suffer and Iturbide was not able to stop the opposition. El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras all seceded from the Mexican Empire to become the United Provinces of Central America. Then, on February 1st, 1823, Iturbide was forced to abdicate the Mexican throne by a rebellious congress. The country began its long progress toward a republican state, and Iturbide sailed to Europe as an exile.
Iturbide’s final stand came the next year. Concerned with reports of a new Spanish attempt to retake Mexico, Iturbide returned from his exile. He was welcomed enthusiastically but the government arrested him within days. It was decided that for returning from exile, Iturbide would be executed. His final words were “¡Mexicanos! I die with honor, not as a traitor; do not leave this stain on my children and my legacy. I am not a traitor, no.” He was executed by firing squad on July 19th, 1824, the first and only native Emperor of Mexico. His memory was revived a decade later when his dying wish was granted: Iturbide was reinterred in the Mexico City Cathedral as a hero of the revolution that freed Mexico from Spanish tyranny. [Much of this article was published under the title "El Jorge Washington de México" in the October 2010 issue of XOXOR: La Gran Revita...!!!]
Summary: Born in Michoacán to a privileged family of Spanish landowners, Agustín led a fairly easy life, entering Catholic seminary in the late 1790s where he was no better than his peers. He then began working at a hacienda where he acted as overseer. His sadistic behavior was first noted here, when he was spotted cutting off toes of chicken before slaughtering them. In 1802, he joined the royal army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. In 1805, he married a daughter from the wealthy Tagle family. When the first uprisings against Spanish rule occurred in 1809, it is possible that Agustín was involved in the conspiracy against the royal army. The possibility escaped the notice of the Spanish, though, who elevated Agustín to the rank of colonel in 1813 after he distinguished himself in battle. In 1815, he was personally responsible for the capture and execution of rebel general José María Morelos. Immediately after his victory over Morelos, Agustín was relieved of duty pending investigation into cruel tactics and policies. A year later, though, he was back in active service, and by 1820, he was the general in charge of southern New Spain. When Vicente Guerrero rose up that same year, Agustín began to realize that this new enemy may be beyond his ability to defeat.
It took a threat to the Bourbon monarchy in Spain to convince Agustín de Iturbide that becoming a leader in the Mexican Independence movement would be a better choice. When republicans took over Spain in 1820, Iturbide joined with other Mexican revolutionaries in inviting King Ferdinand VII over to Mexico to create an independent Mexican state separate from Spain. Ferdinand declined the offer, banned any member of his family from taking the Mexican throne, and proclaimed México's absolute attachment to the Spanish crown. With no other option available to him, Agustín joined Guerrero and went to war with Spain.
On Mexico City on September 27th, 1821, Agustín marched on México City and proclaimed the start of the First Mexican Empire. Ferdinand was again invited over to rule the now-independent Mexico. In the meanwhile, Iturbide was proclaimed provisional president. Spain rejected the Treaty of Córdoba and forbade any member of the Spanish royal family from becoming emperor. Spain once again became Mexico’s enemy.
In the confusion, Iturbide declared himself Emperor Augustine I of Mexico, but this action was not popular with Mexico’s republicans. In response, Iturbide dissolved the national congress to solidify his rule, but no foreign power would work with the new empire. Mexico began to suffer and Iturbide was not able to stop the opposition. El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras all seceded from the Mexican Empire to become the United Provinces of Central America. Then, on February 1st, 1823, Iturbide was forced to abdicate the Mexican throne by a rebellious congress. The country began its long progress toward a republican state, and Iturbide sailed to Europe as an exile.
Iturbide’s final stand came the next year. Concerned with reports of a new Spanish attempt to retake Mexico, Iturbide returned from his exile. He was welcomed enthusiastically but the government arrested him within days. It was decided that for returning from exile, Iturbide would be executed. His final words were “¡Mexicanos! I die with honor, not as a traitor; do not leave this stain on my children and my legacy. I am not a traitor, no.” He was executed by firing squad on July 19th, 1824, the first and only native Emperor of Mexico. His memory was revived a decade later when his dying wish was granted: Iturbide was reinterred in the Mexico City Cathedral as a hero of the revolution that freed Mexico from Spanish tyranny. [Much of this article was published under the title "El Jorge Washington de México" in the October 2010 issue of XOXOR: La Gran Revita...!!!]
Date of Death: 19 July 1924
Successor: Agustín II Jerónimo (as pretender)
Successor: Agustín II Jerónimo (as pretender)
Other Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Symmachus, pope of Rome (514)
- Uda, emperor of Japan (931)
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