Did you know that there was once an Emperor of Mexico? There were two in fact, but the first one is particularly interesting because it was the first form of government created immediately following Mexico's independence from Spain. The leader was Agustin de Iturbide, a man whose legacy is complex and difficult. Before understanding how he took the crown, it's important to examine his roots.
Agustin had a complicated role in history, like many other individuals. He was just one of many ruthless military dictators that came to rule Mexico, and modern day citizens look on him, for the most part, as a villain; others see him as a conservative politician with the nation's best interests at heart. Agustin's formative years are important, if one wishes to comprehend the man's actions and his viewpoint during his later years. Examination of the scant records about Agustin's prewar life reveals a man obsessed with his lineage, who exhibited more than a few odd psychological tics.
Iturbide was born in 1783 in Valladolid, the capital city of the state of Michoacan. Agustin's father, Joaquin, was part of a family of the Basque gentry; as a younger son, he had come to New Spain to seek his fortune. Agustin grew up in a wealthy household, as the Iturbides owned several haciendas when he was growing up. Agustin's mother, Maria, was not from such a noble background; the rumors about her background dogged her son during his entire adult life. There are some reports that she was a mestiza, a child of mixed indigenous and European blood; other sources insist that she was of pure Spanish blood. In the 1700s, a mixed-heritage bloodline could make a world of difference in terms of economic success and military rank.
In any case, throughout his life, the young Agustin insisted that he was a criollo, a pure Spaniard born in Mexico. After failing to distinguish himself as a student, the teenage boy worked as an overseer at one of the family haciendas. He had a reputation for peculiar behavior, even though he was a very good horseman; he had a tendency to torture the chickens by mutilating their feet, and showed a few other slightly sadistic tendencies.
Bored with farm life, Iturbide enrolled in the royalist army; he was already a full lieutenant at twenty-three years of age. Although he was a fierce fighter, he also had a reputation for increasing his wealth by using his authority. In 1805, Agustin married Ana Maria de Huarte y Muniz, the daughter of another prosperous Valladolid family. The couple bought their own hacienda and settled down, but trouble was brewing in New Spain--and the winds were blowing against the noble land-owning Europeans.
In 1810, the peasant class fought for their independence from Spain, and their uprisings erupted into full scale war. While Agustin was a member of the royalist army, he may have been involved in the initial plans to declare independence; the conspiracy took place in his home town of Valladolid. Although Agustin was promoted to the rank of general in the insurgent's army, he turned down the position to fight against the rebellion. It seemed as though Iturbide would remain on the side of Royalist Spain, however, his journey was only just beginning.
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