House of Iturbide

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
House of Itúrbide
Coat of Arms of the First Mexican Empire.svg
Country Mexico
Titles Emperor of Mexico
Founder Agustín I
Current head Maximilian von Götzen-Itúrbide
Founding 19 May 1822
Deposition 19 March 1823
Cadet branches Habsburg-Itúrbide

The House of Itúrbide is the former Imperial House of Mexico. It was founded by Agustín de Itúrbide in 1822 when the newly independent Mexican congress confirmed his title of Agustín I, Constitutional Emperor of Mexico.[1][2][3][4] He was baptized with the names of Saints Cosmas and Damian at the cathedral there.[5][6]

After Mexico was declared and recognized as an independent state, Itúrbide was backed and influenced by Mexico's conservatives who favored an independent Mexico with a monarch from one of the European royal families as head of state. When no European royals accepted Mexico's offer (as Spain still had hopes of taking Mexico back), Itúrbide was persuaded by his advisers to be named Emperor in the manner of Napoleon I. [7][8][9]

On 11 May 1823, the ex-emperor boarded the English ship Rawlins, en route to Livorno, Italy (then part of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany,[3] accompanied by his wife, children and some servants. There he rented a small country house and began to write his memoirs. However, Spain pressured Tuscany to expel Itúrbide, which it did, and the Itúrbide family moved to the United Kingdom.[1] Here, he published his autobiography “Statement of Some of the Principal Events in the Public Life of Agustín de Itúrbide” When he was exiled, Itúrbide was given a government pension, but Congress also declared him a traitor and “outside of the law,” to be killed if he ever returned to Mexico. Whether he was aware of this second part is in dispute.[3][6][8][10]

After his departure, the situation in Mexico continued to worsen. Reports of a probable Spanish attempt to retake Mexico reached Itúrbide in the U.K.[6] He continued to receive reports from Mexico as well as advice from supporters that if he returned he would be hailed as a liberator and a potential leader against the Spanish invasion.[6] Itúrbide sent word to congress in Mexico City on 13 February 1824 offering his services in the event of Spanish attack. Congress never replied.[10] More conservative political factions in Mexico finally convinced Itúrbide to return.”[4]

Itúrbide returned to Mexico on 14 July 1824,[8] accompanied by his wife, two children, and a chaplain.[10] He landed at the port of Soto la Marina on the coast of Nuevo Santander (the modern-day state of Tamaulipas). They were initially greeted enthusiastically, but soon they were arrested and escorted by General Felipe de la Garza, the local military commander, to the nearby village of Padilla.[5] The local legislature held a trial and sentenced Itúrbide to death. When a local priest administered last rites, Itúrbide supposedly said, "Mexicans! 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 19 July 1824.[4]

Children of Agustín de Itúrbide[1]

The family continues today as House of Habsburg-Itúrbide after the adoptive sons of Maximilian I of Mexico. The family holds no recognition from the Mexican government, nor does it serve in protocolary events.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "Casa Imperial - Don Agustin de Iturbide" (in Spanish). http://www.casaimperial.net/augustin_es.htm. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 
  2. ^ House of Habsburg-Iturbide
  3. ^ a b c Hamue-Medina, Rocio Elena. "Agustin Iturbide". Archived from the original on 23 May 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080523125230/http://www.e-mexico.gob.mx/wb2/eMex/eMex_Agustin_Iturbide. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 
  4. ^ a b c "Agustin de Iturbide (1783-1824)". Archived from the original on 30 May 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080530084139/http://www.elbalero.gob.mx/historia/html/gober/a_iturbide.html. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 
  5. ^ a b Rosainz Unda, Gorka. "Agustín de Iturbide, Libertador de México" (in Spanish). Euskonews. http://www.euskonews.com/0227zbk/kosmo22701.html. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 
  6. ^ a b c d Raggett, Kari. Iturbide, Agustin de. Historical Text Archive. http://historicaltextarchive.com/sections.php?op=viewarticle&artid=540. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 
  7. ^ Vazquez-Gomez, Juana (1997). Dictionary of Mexican Rulers 1325-1997. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated,. ISBN 9780313300493. 
  8. ^ a b c Kirkwood, Burton (2000). History of Mexico. Westport, CT, USA: Greenwood Publishing Group, Incorporated. ISBN 9780313303517. 
  9. ^ Ibañez, Alvaro (2005-02-12). "Mexico en sus Banderas/Bandera del Imperio de Iturbide" (in Spanish). Notimex. Mexico City: Reforma. 
  10. ^ a b c Manfut, Eduardo P.. "Coleccion de Documentos Historicos – Don Agustin de Iturbide" (in Spanish). http://www.manfut.org/cronologia/iturbide.html. Retrieved 2008-11-10. 

[edit] External links

House of Itúrbide
First Empire declared Ruling House of Mexico
19 May 1822 – 19 March 1823		 Vacant
Next held by:
House of Habsburg-Iturbide
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=House_of_Iturbide&oldid=478547491"
Personal tools
Namespaces

Variants
Actions
Navigation
Interaction
Toolbox
Print/export
Languages