José Mariano Michelena
José Mariano Michelena | |
---|---|
Agustín I | |
Succeeded by | Federal Republic Guadalupe Victoria |
Personal details | |
Born | Valladolid, New Spain | July 14, 1772
Died | May 10, 1852 Morelia, Mexico | (aged 79)
Occupation | Soldier |
Signature | |
José Mariano Michelena (sometimes José Mariano de Michelena) (July 14, 1772, Valladolid, Michoacán – May 10, 1852, Valladolid) was a Novohispanic and later Mexican, soldier and politician. He was among the early conspirators seeking to achieve Mexican independence, and also introduced coffee to Mexico.
Early career
From a comfortable and distinguished family, José Mariano Michelena attended the University of Mexico, graduating as a lawyer. In 1806 he enlisted in the infantry regiment La Corona, with the rank of lieutenant. In the encampment at Jalapa (Veracruz), he became friends with Ignacio Allende, Juan Aldama and other New Spanish military officers who later joined the insurgency against Spain. After Jalapa, he was in Mexico City, and on October 15, 1808, he was sent to Valladolid to recruit men for the regiment.
Conspiracy of Valladolid
In Valladolid he joined a group of independence conspirators, including his brother Nicolás, Captains
This conspiracy was uncovered by the Spanish authorities on December 21, 1809. The conspirators were arrested and confined in the convent of El Carmen. Archbishop
War in Spain
With the later outbreak of the insurrection under Father
He continued serving in the army, and in 1820 he was named deputy to the Cortes (parliament) for Michoacán.
Return to Mexico
On learning of the successful conclusion of Mexico's war of independence, he returned to that country in 1822. He entered the Mexican army with the rank of brigadier general and was a deputy to the Constituent Congress.
He fought against Emperor
Supreme Executive Power
After Iturbide's abdication, the Congress chose a triumvirate consisting of Generals Pedro Celestino Negrete, Nicolás Bravo and Guadalupe Victoria to exercise executive power until presidential elections could be held. However, Bravo and Victoria were absent, and Michelena and Licenciado Miguel Domínguez were chosen as temporary substitutes. Michelena was the leader of the triumvirate while he held the position (1822–24). He was in effect acting president of Mexico.
He voided the Treaty of Córdoba and the Plan of Iguala. With the return of Bravo, Michelena turned over the office to him, on January 31, 1824. He was subsequently nominated as minister plenipotentiary to Great Britain. He created the Mason "Rito Yorkino".
Later career and death
He traveled to Rome, Greece, Palestine and Arabia. From Arabia he brought coffee plants, which he grew in his hacienda near Uruapan. This was the first successful coffee cultivation in Mexico. Later he was a delegate to the Congress of America in Panama, called by Simón Bolívar.
He was of the federalist party, opposed to one unitary national government, which did not stop him from serving as minister of war in the national cabinet (April 24, 1837 to October 19, 1837) during the Centralist Republic of Mexico. He was also governor of Michoacán. He was a Mason, helping to establish the York Rite in Mexico. He died in 1852 in his native city of Valladolid.
See also
References
- ISBN 9780804778305.
- (in Spanish) "Michelena, José Mariano," Enciclopedia de México, v. 9. Mexico City: 1987.
External links
- (in Spanish) Short biography at the Wayback Machine (archived March 12, 2007)