Mexican Imperial Orders
Encyclopedia
pano.jpg)
Mexican Empire
The Mexican Empire or rarely Gran Mexico was the name of modern Mexico on two brief occasions in the 19th century when it was ruled by an emperor. With the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire from Spain in 1821, Mexico became an independent monarchy, but was soon replaced with the...
. Those were the Order of Guadalupe, the Order of the Mexican Eagle and the Order of Saint Charles.
All three were abolished after the fall of the Second Empire and the execution of Maximilian I in 1867. Today, the 1917 Constitution of Mexico bans the creation and award of titles of nobility
Mexican nobility
Mexican nobility refers to the titled nobles and untitled gentry families of Mexico. Most of the descendants of these families still live in Mexico today, but some can be found in Europe and other countries....
and other hereditary honours in Article 12. Additionally, Article 37 strips of Mexican citizenship
Mexican nationality law
Mexican nationality is defined in the 30th article of the Constitution of Mexico. The 32nd article establishes that a separate nationality law is to regulate the exercise of the rights given by Mexican legislation to those Mexicans that also possess another nationality and to establish the norms to...
those who accept titles that require allegiance to a foreign government or monarch. Foreign awards that do not require allegiance to a foreign government can be accepted after being approved by the Mexican Congress.
Order of Guadalupe
The Order of Guadalupe (originally: "National Order of Our Lady of Guadalupe") was established by Emperor Agustín IAgustín de Iturbide
Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Aramburu , also known as Augustine I of Mexico, was a Mexican army general who built a successful political and military coalition that was able to march into Mexico City on 27 September 1821, decisively ending the Mexican War of Independence...
of Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
in the fall of 1821, although its statutes would not be published until February 1822. It was originally divided in two classes: Grand Cross and Numerary Member
Numerary
Numerary is a civil designation for persons who are incorporated in a fixed or permanent way to a society or group: regular member of the working staff, permanent staff, or member, distinguished from a supernumerary....
. After the death of the Agustin I the Order fell out of use and remained inactive for 30 years until Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , often known as Santa Anna or López de Santa Anna, known as "the Napoleon of the West," was a Mexican political leader, general, and president who greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government...
convinced Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
Pius IX to recognize it in 1854. It fell in disuse again in August of that same year after the successful Ayutla Revolution and the ousting of Santa Anna from government.
The third and last period of the Order began on June 30, 1863 before the arrival of Maximilian I
Maximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire.After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy...
by decree of the Provisional Imperial Government. Maximilian I modified the statutes of the Order for the last time on April 10, 1865: he made the order "Imperial" (instead of "National") and divided it in four ranks, each with civilian and military divisions:
- Grand Cross, limited to 30 recipients.
- Grand Officer, limited to 100 recipients.
- Commander, limited to 200 recipients.
- Knight, limited to 500 recipients.
Among those who received this honour were Vicente Guerrero
Vicente Guerrero
Vicente Ramón Guerrero Saldaña was one of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence, who fought against Spain for independence in the early 19th century, and served briefly as President of Mexico...
, Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt
Friedrich Wilhelm Heinrich Alexander Freiherr von Humboldt was a German naturalist and explorer, and the younger brother of the Prussian minister, philosopher and linguist Wilhelm von Humboldt...
and Léopold I of Belgium
Leopold I of Belgium
Leopold I was from 21 July 1831 the first King of the Belgians, following Belgium's independence from the Netherlands. He was the founder of the Belgian line of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha...
.
Order of the Mexican Eagle
The Imperial Order of the Mexican Eagle was created by Maximilian IMaximilian I of Mexico
Maximilian I was the only monarch of the Second Mexican Empire.After a distinguished career in the Austrian Navy, he was proclaimed Emperor of Mexico on April 10, 1864, with the backing of Napoleon III of France and a group of Mexican monarchists who sought to revive the Mexican monarchy...
on January 1, 1865. It consisted of two classes: the Superior Class only available to Heads of State
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
awarding a Grand Cross with Collar, and the Ordinary Class consisting of the following ranks:
- Grand Cross
- Grand Officer
- Commander
- Officer
- Knight
The award survives partially (in name at least) in the modern Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle.
Order of Saint Charles
The Imperial Order of Saint Charles was created by Maximilian I on April 10, 1866. It was awarded exclusively those women who excelled in the service of their community. The Order honoured Saint Charles Borromeo, Patron SaintPatron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Empress Carlota, sovereign of the Order. It was divided in two classes: the Grand Cross only awarded to 24 Ladies, and the Cross, without any award limit.
Sources
- Royal Ark: Royal and Ruling Houses of Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas
- Encuentra.com: The Popes and the Virgin of Guadalupe - in Spanish
- This article draws heavily on the corresponding article in the Spanish-language Wikipedia, which was accessed in the version of August 21, 2005.
See also
- Mexican EmpireMexican EmpireThe Mexican Empire or rarely Gran Mexico was the name of modern Mexico on two brief occasions in the 19th century when it was ruled by an emperor. With the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire from Spain in 1821, Mexico became an independent monarchy, but was soon replaced with the...
- Imperial Crown of MexicoImperial Crown of MexicoThe Imperial Crown of Mexico was the crown created for the monarch of Mexico on two separate occasions. The crown of the First Mexican Empire, ruled by Agustin I of Mexico, can be seen in his many portraits , but its history is not entirely known....
- Our Lady of GuadalupeOur Lady of GuadalupeOur Lady of Guadalupe , also known as the Virgin of Guadalupe is a celebrated Catholic icon of the Virgin Mary.According to tradition, on December 9, 1531 Juan Diego, a simple indigenous peasant, had a vision of a young woman while he was on a hill in the Tepeyac desert, near Mexico City. The lady...
- Mexican nobilityMexican nobilityMexican nobility refers to the titled nobles and untitled gentry families of Mexico. Most of the descendants of these families still live in Mexico today, but some can be found in Europe and other countries....