= Subscribers only Front Page By Index By Subject By Area By Back Issue By Author: A - L M - Z Columnists: Ilya Adler Ron Barnett Tony Burton Erin Cassin Karen Hursh Graber J. Brad Grieve Maggie van Ostrand Alvin Starkman James Tipton Marvin West Archive - Index
	Participate Get my mail Get the NEWS Get the Weather Take a Survey Find a Hotel Find a Job Use the Calendars Find a Sponsor Find a book Find a Mexico Site (2400+) Add a Mexico Site Find a house - Agents Find a house - Ads Use the Classifieds Find a trip Personals
	General Forum Live, Work or Retire Traveling in Mexico Michoacán Ajijic - Lake Chapala Guanajuato & San Miguel de Allende Yucatan Peninsula The Mexican Kitchen Learning Spanish Construction in Mexico Technical Mexico Mexico Business The Practice Forum
	Live, Work, Retire A Day in the Life Business in Mexico Destinations Did You Know? Driving & Routes Mexican Food General Info History & Traditions Immigration Insurance/Medical Maps The People Photo Index Real Estate Visas & Legal Destinations: Full Index Travel & Tours Mexico's Beaches Mexico Outdoors Cities: Ajijic/Chapala Guadalajara Mazatlán States: Chihuahua Colima Michoacán Oaxaca Veracruz Zacatecas Culture: The Arts Christmas Day of the Dead Easter Ethnic Origins Festival Dates History The Huichol Kyron Gallery The Maya Traditions Las Virgenes
	Search: All Products Books Popular Music Classical Music Video DVD Toys/Games Electronics Software Hardware Lawn/Patio Kitchen Keywords:
	For New Readers! About Us Privacy Policy Advertising Writing for us Link to us Copyright Awards Press Demographics Browsing Tips Email the WebJefe

COMPLETE ARTICLE

Itúrbide, Spain, born, Mexico, Spanish, army, Father Hidalgo, government, Creole, plan, Agustín Itúrbide, Constitution, Monarchy, Mexican, rebels, Church, Colony, Crown, freedom, launching, success, Iguala, Republics, Viceroy, revolt, command, cousin, haciendas, despite, career.

Historians dismiss Agustín Itúrbide with a few lines and most Mexicans have never heard of him.

Factually, he was the one who cut the chains that bound Mexico in servitude to Spain.

It called for an Independent Mexico and set forth principles that were to later become the foundation of the Mexican Constitution.

He certainly received support and some ideas from Vicente Guerrero who had kept insurgency alive after the death of both Father Hidalgo and his successor, José María Morales.

While Father Hidalgo is credited with launching the drive for freedom from Spain, his efforts were really focused on breaking the hold of the "born in Spain Gachupines" literally "spur wearers."

There is some evidence that what he actually envisioned was a Mexico, free from Spain, but still owing allegiance to the Spanish Crown, specifically Ferdinand VII. Elimination of this "born in Spain" elite who dominated those of pure Spanish descent, born in the Colony, was almost as important a goal as true independence.

Itúrbide's career, despite being a Creole, marks him as a man of exceptional ability.

In later years Itúrbide was to say that he felt that the program of the rebels was too destructive and divisive to succeed.

Despite his Creole background, he rose rapidly in the forces loyal to the Crown as they moved against the rebels and in 1816 was made a General and given command of the Army of the North.

Already committed to a coupe d'état against the Government, rather than attacking the rebels, he met with the rebel leader and convinced him to join him.

COMPLETE ARTICLE

	Published monthly. ISSN #1028-9089 For MexConnect.Com LLC & Conexión México S.A. de C.V. © Mexico Connect 1996-2007