Agustín I of Mexico

Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu (Spanish pronunciation: [aɣusˈtin de ituɾˈbiðe] ; 27 September 1783 – 19 July 1824), commonly known as Agustín de Iturbide and later by his regnal name Agustín I, was a Mexican army officer and politician who served as the first Emperor of Mexico from 1822 until his abdication in 1823.

A criollo from a family of Valladolid's landed gentry, Iturbide entered the royal Spanish army in 1805 and became one of the most important commanders in the Mexican War of Independence, repeatedly defeating the insurgent forces from 1810 to 1815, culminating in the capture and execution of José María Morelos in 1815. He was dismissed from command in 1816 for corruption and cruelty towards the insurgent forces, but was reinstated in 1820 to defeat Vicente Guerrero. However, fearing the onset of republicanism following Spain's restoration of the liberal constitution of 1812, Iturbide allied with the insurgents under the plan of Iguala of 1821, which aimed to turn Mexico into a monarchy, with Roman Catholicism as its official religion and the abolition of the racial caste system and slavery. The new Army of the Three Guarantees quickly defeated the Spanish forces, and on 27 September 1821 Iturbide marched into Mexico City; the next day, Mexico was proclaimed an independent empire.

Iturbide was proclaimed president of the Regency in 1821. The refusal by Ferdinand VII of Spain to accept the Mexican crown paved the way for Iturbide to assume the mantle of emperor on 21 July 1822. His reign was turbulent, characterized by the political conflict with former insurgents, progressives and loyalists to Ferdinand VII, economic troubles and fears of a Spanish invasion. His dissolution of Congress on 31 October 1822 precipitated a military revolt in December led by Antonio López de Santa Anna, Guadalupe Victoria and Guerrero. With his forces defecting to the rebels, Iturbide decided to abdicate on 19 March 1823. In May 1823 he went into exile in Europe. When he returned to Mexico in July 1824, he was arrested and executed by a local legislature.