Saturday, September 1, 2012

Agustin On The Throne Of Mexico

Some men are born into royalty; others take it by force after years of battle. Agustin de Iturbide, the first Emperor of Mexico, did neither. His motivations for declaring himself monarch of the newly independent nation are mysterious; some argue that it was a last-ditch attempt to save a nation, and others saw it as an opportunistic power grab. Either way, he was crowned in July 1822.

As Emperor, Iturbide's sovereignty extended over almost all of Central America, right down to the northern parts of Panama; it also stretched northward over several modern U.S states, including California, Texas, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. Right from the start, the monarch was consumed with controversy. Unhappy with the betrayal were the republicans and the peasants; their hopes for a free and democratic republic were dashed when Iturbide became Emperor. The noble class soon tired of Agustin after he finally won over their support; his self-appointment as emperor was a serious break with colonial tradition.

The new congress was also seriously opposed to the emperor; many members belonged to Masonic lodges, and they were vocally pro-republican. Congress was shut down by Iturbide when they started to challenge his authority, and he brought in loyal cronies in their place. Many important politicians turned against the crown as his reputation became worse.

Mexico suffered quite badly under the turmoil. The declaration of independence had infuriated King Ferdinand of Spain, even though the nobles had intended to give him the monarchy. But his renewed influence in the Old World, combined with Iturbide's egotistical coronation, meant that Mexico became a pariah. No European nation dared to recognize its independence, and most of them severed economic ties.

The local resources were quickly running out as well. Iturbide, hoping to increase his popularity with the nobles, abolished several colonial taxes on their lands; he refused to tone down his own lavish lifestyle, however, and also insisted on keeping high wages for his large army. A negative 40% property tax on hacienda owners was imposed once money became an issue. But soon Iturbide couldn't afford to pay the military; he tried to censor the press to prevent criticism, but the move only fueled the anti-Agustin fire.

Some people called for Iturbide to abdicate the throne to start a constitutional republic, including the military leader Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. A united constitution was formed in 1823 when most Central American countries decided on self-governance. Iturbide had no choice as an army marched on his doors; his empire was nullified and he was forced to flee the country after less than ten months on the throne.


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