Mexican Empire

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The Mexican Empire was the name of modern Mexico on two non-consecutive occasions in the 19th century when it was ruled by an emperor.

First Mexican Empire

Territories of the First Mexican Empire (1821-1823).

The First Mexican Empire was short lived, lasting only eighteen months, from 28 September 1821 to 19 March 1823 and having only one emperor, Agustín de Iturbide. When Emperor Napoleon of France put his brother, Joseph, on the Spanish throne in 1808, ties between Spain and her American colonies weakened, and the movement for Mexican independence grew stronger.

The Mexican War of Independence began in 1810 and continued until 1821, when rebel troops entered Mexico City after the Treaty of Córdoba was signed, whereby Spain's representative, Juan O'Donojú, recognized Mexico's independence. In that year, General Agustín de Iturbide, a Mexican-born criollo who originally fought for the pro-Spanish royalists but switched his allegiance to the insurgents in the final phases of the war, was elected head of a provisional junta government and of a regency that held the imperial power that the Spanish crown once had. On the night of 18 May 1822, a mass demonstration led by the Regiment of Celaya, which Iturbide had commanded during the war, marched through the streets and demanded that their commander-in-chief accept the throne. On 19 May 1822, the Sovereign Congress named him emperor, and on 21 May 1822, issued a decree officially confirming this appointment, which was officially a temporary measure until a European monarch could be found to rule Mexico.

Achievement of arms of the First Mexican Empire

Iturbide's official title was "By Divine Providence and the National Congress, First Constitutional Emperor of Mexico" (Spanish: Por la Divina Providencia y por el Congreso de la Nación, Primer Emperador Constitucional de México). His coronation took place on 21 July 1822, in Mexico City. The territorial area of the Mexican Empire of 1821 was about 5,000,000 square kilometers, including everything from the Oregon–California border at 42nd latitude N, to the boundary with Panama (at that time, part of Colombia). Most of the countries of Central America were part of Mexico—they became a separate federal republic after the empire collapsed.

As factions in the Congress began to sharply criticise both Iturbide and his policies, the emperor decided on 31 October to dissolve it. This enraged the commander of the garrison at Veracruz, Antonio López de Santa Anna, who with his troops rose up against Iturbide and declared a republic on the 1 December. (Santa Anna himself would later serve as president for several terms, once during the Secession of Texas and again during the disastrous U.S.-Mexican War.) Fearing for his life as the rebellion grew stronger, the emperor ordered the dissolved Congress to reassemble on the 4 March 1823. He presented his abdication to them at a night-time session on 19 March 1823. He fled to Italy shortly after. In April 1824 the Congress, having already declared his administration void, declared Iturbide a traitor. When he returned to Mexico in July 1824 he was arrested on arrival in Soto la Marina, Tamaulipas, and executed.

Second Mexican Empire

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Territories of the Second Mexican Empire (1864-1867).

Following the Emperor Agustin's abdication, Mexico became a republic. In 1833 Santa Anna was elected President and three years later he lost the vast state of Texas to Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto. Nonetheless, Santa Anna led the Mexican forces into a disastrous and ill advised war with the US in 1846 and went on to lose half of all Mexico’s territory. In 1853 under what is known as the Gadsden Purchase, he sold 77,000 square kilometres of Mexico (all of Southern New Mexico and Arizona) to the US for $10 million, pocketing most of the proceeds for himself. Finally in 1855 Santa Anna was overthrown. Between 1822 and 1860 there were more than fifty changes of President and the actual form of government was changed no less than ten times. These fluctuated between total anarchy and outright dictatorship. In the same period there were over 140 military coups.

Achievement of Arms of the Second Mexican Empire.

In 1860 Benito Juarez became president. Juarez suspended all repayments on foreign debts, with the exception of those owing to the United States. The suspension led to the principal creditors, Britain, France and Spain, sending a joint expeditionary force, which occupied the port of Vera Cruz in December 1861. Juarez repaid most of the outstanding interest and agreed to honour the debts. Britain and Spain withdrew, their claims having been honoured. But France continued the war marching inland and occupying Mexico City.

The France of Napoleon III had a more ambitious goal in mind than merely the recovery of her debts. Napoleon III, heavily influenced by his romantically minded wife the Empress Eugenie, was bent on reviving the Mexican monarchy. He wanted to place a monarch on the throne who would promote the interests of France. The idea was not a new one but there was a new impetus. Prior to 1861 any interference in the affairs of Mexico by any of the European powers would have been viewed as a challenge to the mighty United States and no one wanted to provoke a conflict with them. However by 1861 the USA was embroiled in it’s own bloody conflict, the civil war. The war at home made the government in Washington powerless to intervene. And so encouraged by the Empress Eugenie, who saw herself as the champion of the emasculated Catholic Church in Mexico, Napoleon III took advantage of the situation.

Pretender to the Imperial Throne of Mexico

Since the deposition of Maximilian I as Emperor of Mexico, there has been a pretender line of accession to the throne, through his adopted sons - the grandsons of Agustin I. The current Pretender to the throne of Mexico is Maximilian von Götzen-Iturbide, born in 1944. He is not a male-line descendant, but inherited his claim following the death of his grandmother Maria Josepha Sophia de Iturbide, who was the daughter of Salvador de Iturbide y de Marzán, Emperor Maximilian's adoptee. Maximilian von Götzen-Iturbide resides in Australia. Should this entire line fail, along with all other descendants of Agustín de Iturbide, the next likely successor might be the emperor's sister, Doña Josefa.

Line of succession to the Imperial Throne of Mexico

Head of the Imperial house of Mexico: Don Maximilian von Götzen-Itúrbide (b. 1944)

1. Don Ferdinand Leopold Maximilian Gustav Salvatore von Götzen-Itúrbide (b. 1992)
2. Doña Emanuela Charlotte Maria Helena von Götzen-Itúrbide (b. 1998)
3. Doña Emanuela von Götzen-Itúrbide (b. 1945)
4. Nicholas MacAulay (b. 1970)
5. Edward MacAulay (b. 1973)
6. Augustin MacAulay (b. 1977)
7. Patrick MacAulay (b. 1979)
8. Philip MacAulay (b. 1981)
9. Camilla MacAulay (b. 1972)
10. Gizella MacAulay (b. 1985)

See also

• Mexican War of Independence
• Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire
• Mexican Imperial Orders
• Imperial Crown of Mexico
• List of Emperors of Mexico

External links

• Imperial House of Mexico
• Mexican Empire