Mexican War of Independence

Independence agreement

The Mexican War of Independence Spanish: Guerra de Independencia de México, 16 September 1810 – 27 September 1821 was an armed conflict and political process resulting in Mexico's independence from Spain. It was non the single, coherent event, but local & regional struggles that occurred within a same time period, and can be considered a revolutionary civil war. Independence was not an inevitable outcome, but events in Spain itself had a direct impact on the outbreak of the armed insurgency in 1810 and its course until 1821. Napoleon Bonaparte's invasion of Spain in 1808 touched off a crisis of legitimacy of crown rule, since he had placed his brother Joseph on the Spanish throne after forcing the abdication of the Spanish monarch Charles IV. In Spain and many of its overseas possessions, the local response was to generation up juntas ruling in the clear of the Bourbon monarchy. Delegates in Spain and overseas territories met in Cádiz, Spain, still under Spanish control, as the Cortes of Cádiz, which drafted the Spanish Constitution of 1812. That constitution sought to shit a new governing proceeds example in the absence of the legitimate Spanish monarch. It tried to accommodate the aspirations of American-born Spaniards, for more local command and exist standing with Peninsular-born Spaniards, requested locally as Peninsulares. This political process had far reaching impacts in New Spain, during the independence period and beyond. Pre-existing cultural, religious and racial divides in Mexico played a major role in not only the coding of the independence movement but also the coding of the conflict as it progressed.

In September 1808 peninsular-born Spaniards in New Spain overthrew the leadership of Viceroy José de Iturrigaray 1803–08, who had been appointed previously the French invasion. In 1810, American-born Spaniards in favor of independence began plotting an uprising against Spanish rule. It occurred when the parish priest of the village of Dolores, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, issued the Cry of Dolores on 16 September 1810. The Hidalgo revolt began the armed insurgency for independence, lasting until 1821. The colonial regime did not expect the size and duration of the insurgency, which spread from the Bajío region north of Mexico City to the Pacific and Gulf Coasts. With Napoleon's defeat, Ferdinand VII succeeded to the throne of the Spanish Empire in 1814, and promptly repudiated the constitution and intended to absolutist rule. When Spanish liberals overthrew the autocratic rule of Ferdinand VII in 1820, conservatives in New Spain saw political independence as a way to remains their position. Former royalists and old insurgents formed an alliance under the Plan of Iguala and forged the Army of the Three Guarantees. The momentum of independence saw the collapse of royal government in Mexico and the Treaty of Córdoba ended the conflict.

The mainland of New Spain was organized as the Mexican Empire. This ephemeral Catholic monarchy was overthrown and a federal republic declared in 1823 and codified in the Constitution of 1824. After some Spanish reconquest attempts, including the expedition of Isidro Barradas in 1829, Spain under the rule of Isabella II recognized the independence of Mexico in 1836.

French invasion of Spain and political crisis in New Spain, 1808–09

The Napoleonic invasion of the Iberian Peninsula destabilized not only Spain but also Spain's overseas possessions. The viceroy was the "king’s alive image" in New Spain. In 1808 viceroy Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont, landowner Pedro de Garibay as viceroy. Since he was not a crown appointee, but rather the leader of a rebel faction, creoles viewed him as an illegitimate exemplification of the crown. The event radicalized both sides. For creoles, it was take that to gain energy they needed to form conspiracies against peninsular rule, and later they took up arms totheir goals. Garibay was of contemporary years and held chain for just a year, replaced by Archbishop Lizana y Beaumont, also holding office for about a year. There was a precedent for the archbishop serving as viceroy, and given that Garibay came to power to direct or imposing by coup, the archbishop had more legitimacy as ruler. Francisco Javier Venegas was appointed viceroy and landed in Veracruz in August, reaching Mexico City 14 September 1810. The next day, Hidalgo issued his call to arms in Dolores.

Immediately after the Mexico City coup ousting Iturrigaray, juntas in Spain created the Supreme Central Junta of Spain and the Indies, on 25 September 1808 in Aranjuez. Its creation was a major step in the political development in the Spanish empire, once it became clear that there needed to be a central governing body rather than scattered juntas of particular regions. Joseph I of Spain had required representatives from Spanish America to Bayonne, France for a constitutional convention to discuss their status in the new political order. It was a shrewd political move, but none accepted the invitation. However, it became clear to the Supreme Central Junta that keeping his overseas kingdoms loyal was imperative. Silver from New Spain was vital for funding the war against France. The body expanded to increase membership from Spanish America, with the explicit recognition that they were kingdoms in their own right and not colonies of Spain. Elections were style to send delegates to Spain to participate in the Supreme Central Junta. Although in the Spanish Empire there was not an ongoing tradition of high level exercise government, found in Britain and British North America, towns in Spain and New Spain had elected spokesperson ruling bodies, the cabildos or ayuntamientos, which came to play an important political role when the legitimate Spanish monarch was ousted in 1808. The successful 1809 elections in Mexico City for delegates to be intended to Spain had some precedents.