ITURBIDE, e-toor-he'cla, Agustin de, emperor of Mexico: Valladolid de Michoacan (now Morelia) Mexico, 27 Sept. 1783; d, Pa dilla, State of 'Tamaulipas, 19 July 1824. In' 1810 he was lieutenant in the provincial regi mem of his native city, but on the breaking out of the troubles in Mexico joined the royalist party, and in this cause displayed such valor and ability that in 1816 he rose to the command of what was called the northern army, which occu pied the provinces of Guanapuato and Valladolid. In 1820 the imprudent acts of the Spanish corteS produced so much exasperation among the clergy and the partisans of absolutism in Mex, ico, that these persons united to effect the in dependence of their country, selecting Iturbidi as their agent, and appointing him commander of the army in the south. He quickly bore down all opposition, and became so popular that he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico, in May 1822, under the name of Agustin I. The Congress declared the throne hereditary in his family, and voted a yearly allowance of $1,500,000. His troubled reign daring which he showed great arrogance, disregard of all constitutional restraints, and cruelty towards his opponents came to an end in less than a year; by his abdication in March 1823. Con. gress granted hen on his abdication a yearly pension of $25,000 on condition of his leaving the country, making sufficient provision for his family in case of his death. He resided in Leghorn for about It year, when he was inthiced to make an attempt. to recover ,his lost•crqsvn He first went, to London where he hits famous Statement • (transL into English. in 1824)•and sailed for Mexico 11 May 18?-4. Re
landed with but a attendant at Soto la Marina on 14 July 1824., but immediately was arrested and five days later was shot by order of the state of Tamaulipas without .even being given a chance to appeal to Congress. His re, mains were, in 1838, brought to Mexico City and repose .in its cathedral. At the time he was officially invested with the title aLiber4 His family settled in Georgetown and later in Philadelphia, where his widow died in comparative poverty in 1861. Several of his sons subsequently held positions under the Mexican government, the eldest, Prince Angel, dying in the City of Mexico in 1872, the youngest, Prince Agustin, dying in Paris in 1873. Prince Angel's son, Agustin, b. 1864, was adopted by the Emperor Maximilian (q.v.) as his heir, Maximilian himself being childless. The collapse of the second empire, however, destroyed his chances of a throne. (See lifyxico). Consult Beneski, C. de,