The Mexican War of Independence: From Insurgency to Empire
In early 1820, was practically finished, only some groups of insurgents kept up the fight in the southeast of the Viceroyalty, mainly in the mountains of the current state of Guerrero. They were led by Vicente Guerrero, Guadalupe Victoria and Pedro Ascencio, among others, however, were not considered cause for extreme alarm for the government of New Spain. The movement that had begun Hidalgo, who were currently operating, there was no correlation, however, external events in political, profoundly alter the course of events.
In 1820, already expelled the French from the Iberian peninsula, a liberal revolution forced the Spanish king Fernando VII to recognize and swear the liberal Constitution of Cadiz, which affected not only Spain but also to territories under his rule, because in sooner or later they would apply the law, which particularly annoyed the privileged classes in New Spain, including the higher clergy. When Spain was sworn in Cadiz Constitution and liberal reforms were implemented, the viceroy of New Spain, Juan Ruiz de Apodaca had to do the same, leading the Catholic Church, threatened in their privileges and properties were available to act for independence to save their interests.7
But not only the clergy saw their interests affected, large planters, merchants, mine owners and especially the military leaders were threatening the privileges they had acquired in the shadow of the Spanish despotic monarchy.
These groups took up the idea of independence of the insurgents, only with a different ideal. To protect their interests, even at the expense of his loyalty to the Spanish crown.
The idea was gaining strength and followers. With the support of the aristocracy, the army and the clergy, Canon Matias Monteagudo, was responsible for organizing and leading a conspiracy that took place in the temple of the Profesa Mercy, whose purpose was to end all vestiges of the old insurgency, independence from Spain and form of government to establish an absolute monarchy, which had guaranteed the privileges of.
To that end, it was agreed to appoint Agustin de Iturbide as head of the military. This character roomía be distinguished by a dogged pursuer of the insurgents. Student and friend of Felix Maria Calleja, had ceased to have participation from 1816, perhaps to the constant appeals that Apodaca had with him, or maybe to the disgust that caused his removal from office of Viceroy Calleja his friend and protector. The fact is that after 1820, he returned to active duty, starting the battle against guerrilla insurgents in the south, military success did not correspond to the initial hopes and resurfaced friction between Iturbide and the Viceroy in connection with certain prices and accounts . Apodaca military councils Michoacan disliked the leader: ‘Your Excellency will not. Official Excellency Lord more blindly follow its precepts than Iturbide, nor who more clearly, sincerity and good will you manifest what you find in business, just as the conceived ‘later claimed: “I am convinced that Your Excellency harjustice to believe, I can not say my feelings mistake, nor settle the false facts as true, let alone do not seem services’ 8 Despite these protests, in early 1821, had already begun negotiations with Vicente Guerrero, ignoring the provisions of the Conspiracy of Profesa. Taking advantage of the broad powers that it had placed in his person, February 24, 1821 published in Iguala an independence plan, based on three guarantees were religion, unity and independence. The troops who had commissioned joined that plan on March 2, also vowing to respect the Catholic religion and preserve the union between Europeans and Americans, continue to obey to Ferdinand VII, provided that they take and swear to the constitution that should be done by courts to be formed in this empire. 9
The draft Iturbide was similar to that proposed by the conspirators of the professed, not exclusionaa the Spanish mainland as proposed by Hill at the start of the movement in 1810, only those who were against the new regime, otherwise retain their property and privileges. The case of the insurgents, often seen as dramatic, Guerrero and others joined Iturbide revolutionary because it represented the last opportunity to achieve independence, and although the ideals of struggle only partly fulfilled, for although it was essential for them , so was changing the social situation that existed in the colony from three hundred years.
Of the absolutist opposition arose only encountered by the army chief Trigarante. The Apodaca, he considered himself betrayed by Iturbide, whom he believed his side did not second the motion and instructed the command of the few troops loyal to the Spanish leader Linan, for the defense of the viceroyalty. Iturbide was branded as a rebel enemy of the Constitutionion, unfaithful to the sovereign and the laws of the monarquía.1 0 However the movement was rapidly growing in strength, adding among others, the royalists Negrete, Bustamante and Santa Anna, and in less than seven months, the disintegration of the royalist army was complete, the towns gradually fell off peacefully, except for some like Córdoba, Jalapa, and the Hacienda de San Miguel, where the insurgent was killed in combat Pedro Ascencio.
On August 2, Iturbide burst in Puebla, where he surrendered the garrison who ran Ciriaco del Llano. The third day of the month, came Don Juan de O’Donoju, the last Viceroy sent by Cortes to New Spain, who was apprehended in the city of Cordoba, Veracruz. O’Donoju Iturbide met on August 24, with whom he agreed in a treaty that ended its dependence on Spain, the independence was recognized, there would be a constitutional monarchical moderate or prince Ferdinand Spanish reinarían.11 Day September 27, 1821, Iturbide entered Mexico City, headed Trigarante army.
He was born, and considering everything that seemed to promise: popular government, rapid economic growth, social equity, cultural regeneration, national greatness and above all to the dominion of Spain, in the country, began a long struggle for power, are two ideologies sought to impose on a project that was still undetermined. In the governing junta was formed at the behest of Agustín de Iturbide own, composed of 38 members, were among others the same O’Donoju, that the King of Spain had ordered the government of the Colony, the Bishop of Puebla Monteagudo, Ascarate, Espinosa de los Monteros, Guridi y Alcocer, Fagoaga, etc.. The regency under the Plan of Iguala and the Treaty of Cordoba, was headed by Iturbide and integrated O’Donoju, Manuel de la Barcena, Isidro Yanez, Manuel Velazquez León.12
Agustin de Iturbide, explained in his memoirs that sought to gather in the assembly to men of every party that enjoyed high reputation. This did not stop the groups revealed a deep division when choosing a form of government. The Europeans, mainly Spanish and Creole to high position, openly expressed his sympathy for the constitutional monarchy, proposing in the first instance of Mexico offer the throne to Ferdinand VII.
Knowing that Ferdinand would hardly govern Mexico, proposed the advent of a European prince, preferably Bourbon House. These groups were called “Bourbon” on the other hand, the extremist advocates of the republican form of government and the heirs of the insurgents, Guerrero and Victoria at the evident attitude of Iturbide to access the government believed the monarchy more dangerous than the Iturbide vainly invoked the Prince of Bourbon and therefore momentarily joined the Scottish lodge, their former adversaries to oppose the party iturbidista.13
The creation of the Congress, the situation worsened after being unveiled on 24 February 1822 stated that the Catholic religion would be the sole and exclusive form of government while there would be a moderate constitutional monarchy, whose name would be to Mexican Empire.