This is an old revision of this page, as edited by TownDown (talk | contribs) at 00:19, 11 August 2009 (Reverted to revision 307202304 by TownDown. (TW)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 00:19, 11 August 2009 by TownDown (talk | contribs) (Reverted to revision 307202304 by TownDown. (TW))(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)| Mexican EmpireImperio Mexicano | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1864–1867 | |||||||||
.svg)
Flag | |||||||||
| Motto: Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (Spanish for "Equity in Justice") | |||||||||
.svg) Territory of the Second Mexican Empire upon establishment | |||||||||
| Capital | Mexico City | ||||||||
| Common languages | Spanish | ||||||||
| Government | Constitutional monarchy | ||||||||
| Emperor | |||||||||
| • 1864-1867 | Maximiliano I | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
| • French Intervention | 1861 | ||||||||
| • Maximilian I accepts the crown | April 10 1864 | ||||||||
| • Emperor executed | June 19 1867 | ||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | MX | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Second Mexican Empire was the name of Mexico under the regime established from 1864 to 1867.
Description
Following the Emperor Agustin's abdication, Mexico became a republic and as expected things got progressively worse. 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. Having learnt nothing from his defeat here, 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 actually 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 the appalling Santa Anna was overthrown. Things continued to go from bad to worse and became so bad that even among his opponents, many regretted the passing of Agustin and the Empire, which in comparison had been a sea of calm. 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, a record that has yet to be surpassed.
In 1860 after yet another bitter civil war, with the backing of the United States, a ruthless and unprincipled radical native Indian lawyer by the name of Benito Juarez seized power. Juarez immediately instigated a bloody anti clerical policy and confiscated much of what was left of the church’s wealth. He also suspended all repayments on foreign debts, with the exception of those owing to the United States, to whom after all he owed his coming to power. 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 fearing the worst gave in and 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.
French influence
The France of Napoleon III had more ambitious goal in mind than merely the of recovery of her debts. Napoleon III heavily influenced by his romantically minded wife the Empress Eugenie, was bent of 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.
Napoleon III saw the opportunity to make France the great civilizing influence in the Western Hemisphere as well as enabling her to capture the South American markets. To give him further encouragement, there was his half brother, the Duc de Morny, who was the largest single holder of Mexican bonds and whose value was zero as long as Juarez as in power. The candidate for the throne chosen by Empress Eugenie was the Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian brother of the Austrian Emperor. Aged 30 at the time, Maximilian was tall, romantic, very elegant and liberal. In other words quite the opposite of his conservative and practical brother Franz Josef. He was so different that rumours abounded that he was actually the son of the Duke of Reichstadt The Young Eagle and son and heir of Napoleon I. The Young Eagle had lived at the Austrian court until his untimely death at the age of 21 in the year of Maximilian's birth. He had been a particular favourite of Maximilian's mother who was utterly devoted to him. Whether this claim was true or not it might well have influenced Napoleon III in the choice of candidate. After all, if it were true they were cousins.
Aspects;
- The figure of Emperor Maximilian of Mexico is usually portrayed as a tragic one. His fate was indeed tragic but far more than that his life was also heroic. He was a man who lived in the shadow of being the younger son. He wanted a serious role, one he could dedicate his life and energies too. He found it in Mexico.
- Brought in as figurehead for the interests of France he proved to be anything but. His interests became that of Mexico and the Mexican people. When the French realized that they had bitten off more than they could chew and had anyway miscalculated as far as Maximilian was concerned they withdrew. Maximilian did not.
- While his coming to power through the auspices of a foreign power, namely France, was something many could not and do not forgive, Maximilian really belongs in the realms of Mexico's heroes not only for what he did but also for what he didn't do. He saw himself in every sense as Mexico's Emperor not France's. Having accepted the role it was his duty to accept their fate, for better or worse.
Chronology
- 1832: Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian born on 6 July, the second son of Archduke Franz Karl and his wife Sophie in Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna.
- 1851: Begins career in the Imperial and Royal Navy with the rank of lieutenant.
- 1856: The construction of his castle of Miramar near the Adriatic port of Trieste began.
- 1857: Ferdinand Max appointed the governor-general of the northern Italian provinces of Lombardy-Venetia. On the 27th July marries the Princess Charlotte of Belgium in Brussels.
- 1859: On the 19th April relieved of his post as governor-general. War breaks out between France and Piedmont-Sardinia.
- 1861: Napoleon III suggests Maximilian as a candidate for the throne of Mexico.
- 1863: In October a Mexican delegation arrives at Miramar to offer Maximilian and Charlotte the crown. Maximilian makes his acceptance conditional on a national plebiscite in his favour.
- 1864: On the 14th April Maximilian and Charlotte leave Miramar on board the Austrian ship NOVARA to sail to Mexico.
- 1865: End of the American civil war. Pressure on France to respect the Monroe Doctrine.
- 1865: Maximilian adopts Don Agustin and Don Salvador.
- 1866: Napoleon III orders the withdrawal of French troops from Mexico. The Emperor Maximilian refuses to desert his Mexican supporters. Charlotte sails to Europe to plead for help, growing persecution mania robs her of her senses. Republican troops on the advance in Mexico.
- 1867: Maximilian and his Imperial troops besieged in the town of Querétaro. The town falls through betrayal after 72 days. On 19 June the Emperor Maximilian and two loyalist generals executed by a republican firing-squad on the Hill of the Bells.
- 1868: On the18th January the body of Maximilian laid to rest among his ancestors in the Imperial Crypt of the Capuchin Church in Vienna.
Territorial division
The Empire was divided into departments;
See also
- First Mexican Empire
- French intervention in Mexico
- Mexican Imperial Orders
- List of Emperors of Mexico