ITURBIDE, AUGUSTIN DE (1783-1824), emperor of Mexico from May, 1822 to March, 1823, was born on Sept. 27, 1783, at Valladolid, now Morelia, in Mexico. He joined the provincial regiment of his native city in 1797. In 1810 Hidalgo offered him a flattering post in his revolutionary army, but he refused and joined the royalists. In Dec. 1813, Iturbide, now a colonel, and Gen. Llano defeated Morelos, the successor of Hidalgo, in the battle of Valladolid, thereby dealing a crushing blow to the revolt. In consideration of his services, the govern ment placed him in command of the military district of Guana juato and Michoacan, but in 1816 grave charges of extortion and violence led to his recall.
In 1820, when Ferdinand VII. of Spain was compelled to acknowledge once more the Constitution of 1812, Iturbide be came associated with the conservatives in Mexico in a revolu tionary movement. Iturbide issued Feb. 24, 1821, the famous Plan de Iguala for a Mexican empire. His plan conciliated all classes of society as Hidalgo's had never done. The military chieftains Santa Anna, Nicolas Bravo and Vicente Filisola sup ported him. In March 1821, Veracruz acknowledged his leader ship, Valladolid was captured in May, and in June, Queretaro. In July the viceroy was withdrawn and on Aug. 24, 1821, Gen. Juan O'Donoja, the new representative of the king, seeing the futility of struggle, signed the treaty of Cordoba that gave Mexico her independence. In September Iturbide entered the City of
Mexico; in Feb. 1822, the Spanish Cortes refused to sanction the treaty of C6rdoba; and on May 19, Congress proclaimed Iturbide Augustin I. of Mexico. His regime proved arbitrary and extrava gant, and in Dec. 1822,' Santa Anna issued a pronunciamiento against him.
On March 19, 1823, Iturbide abdicated, and on May II, sailed for Leghorn, Italy. Congress declared all matters appertaining to the election, coronation and administration of the late emperor null and void. In Dec. 1823, Iturbide moved to London; in Feb. 1824, he offered his services to the Mexican Congress; and on May I I , ignorant of a decree of death awaiting his reappearance in Mexico, sailed from England, landing near Soto la Marina on July 15. He was recognized, captured and shot, by order of the State of Tamaulipas, at Padilla, on July 19, 1824. In 1838 Con gress ordered his remains removed to Mexico City where they lie in the cathedral with those of Hidalgo and other leaders.