Today in 1810 the Mexican π²π½ priest Father Miguel Hidalgo rang his church bell and gave the Grito de Dolores, an event considered the beginning of the long struggle for Mexican independence. Padre Hidalgo would become a national icon and hailed as the βFather of Independenceβππ» 
This sparked what was essentially a race war by the mixed blood majority population against the Spanish-born ruling minority. It was also this uprising that cemented the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe as the preeminent symbol of Mexican nationalism. The war, however, was finally lostππ»
Padre Hidalgo π²π½ was defeated by the Spanish and the Mexican criollos, defrocked and finally executed by firing squad for treason to the Spanish crown. However, the fire π₯ he lit would not be extinguished. However, the racial aspect would have to change to gain independence ππ»
Every regime of Mexico π²π½ ever since independence has celebrated Padre Hidalgo as Padre de Independencia and repeated the Grito de Dolores on 16 September (yes, Maximilian too) as the beginning of the beginning of modern Mexico π²π½.
Father JosΓ© Maria Morelos took up the Mexican π²π½ revolutionary banner after the execution of Fr Hidalgo in 1811. He too was ultimately defeated, defrocked and executed by the Spanish in 1815. One of his children was Juan Almonte, famous for his service under Santa Anna & Emp. Max
Vicente Guerrero π²π½ became a rebel leader under Father Morelos and after his death became leader of the movement. By 1816 he was commander of the revolutionary forces and was eventually the only one left standing, refusing an offer of amnesty brought by his loyalist father.
Guerrero presided over a significant change in the struggle for Mexican π²π½ independence. The mixed-race and native rebels had always been defeated by the Spanish and Spanish-blood Mexicans. However Guerrero appealed to the criollo leader, Iturbide, to join forces against Spain.
The fate of Spanish rule in Mexico π²π½ was sealed by the Abrazo of Acatempan, the embrace of the two leaders of different races Guerrero and Iturbide, the revolutionary and the conservative. A liberal government in Spain caused Mexican elites to join the movement for independence.
Juan O'DonojΓΊ was the last Spanish πͺπΈviceroy of Mexico π²π½but the country was already practically in the hands of the Guerrero-Iturbide coalition for independence when he arrived. He backed their movement and used his authority to withdraw most Spanish troops from Mexico π²π½
Today, his birthday, September 27, 1821 General AgustΓn de Iturbide marched into Mexico City at the head of his βArmy of the Three Guaranteesβ π²π½, the coalition forces of left and right represented by Guerrero, Iturbide and Guadalupe Victoria.
π²π½The Army of the 3 Guarantees (unity, independence & religion) was an uneasy coalition of forces who only really agreed on breaking away from Spain. Their plan eliminated the racial class system but still preserved the existing social order leaving the form of govt undetermined.
May 19, 1822 crowds gathered in the street in front of Palacio de Iturbide to proclaim the general Emperor of Mexico π²π½. Protesting that he was answering the public call, he accepted. However, his former partners Guerrero and Victoria were not pleased.
The situation was further complicated by King Fernando VII regaining control in Spain πͺπΈ, ending the regime Mexican elites had objected to, and making it clear he did not agree to an independent Mexico π²π½ and desired bringing it back within the Spanish empire.
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