—July 7, 1815, Mexico City

Mexico City

Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...

) was a Spanish military officer and, from September 16, 1808 to July 19, 1809, viceroy of New Spain

New Spain

New Spain, formally called the Viceroyalty of New Spain , was a viceroyalty of the Spanish colonial empire, comprising primarily territories in what was known then as 'América Septentrional' or North America. Its capital was Mexico City, formerly Tenochtitlan, capital of the Aztec Empire...

.

Military career

Born in Alcalá de Henares in 1729 (some sources say 1727), Pedro de Garibay entered the military in 1742. As a cadet and lieutenant he took part in action in Portugal, Italy and Morocco. He fought bravely in the attack on the fort of Yaqueví, Santo Domingo.

In 1764 he passed to New Spain, as sergeant major in an expedition headed by Lieutenant General Juan de Villalba. In New Spain he participated in the organization and instruction of provincial troops. Later he transferred to the office of sergeant major of the regiment of Mexico City, a position he held for 23 years. In 1783 he was promoted to coronal and in 1789 to brigadier. By this time old and sick, Viceroy Miguel José de Azanza promoted him to field marshal in anticipation of his retirement.

The coup against Iturrigaray

The pro-Spanish (anti-independence) party headed by Gabriel J. de Yermo

Gabriel J. de Yermo

Gabriel J. de Yermo was a wealthy landowner in New Spain, leader of the anti-independence party, and leader of the coup that overthrew Viceroy José de Iturrigaray in 1808.-His life before the coup:...

 deposed Viceroy José de Iturrigaray

José de Iturrigaray

José de Iturrigaray was a Spanish military officer and viceroy of New Spain, from January 4, 1803 to September 16, 1808, during a period of turbulence....

 on September 15, 1808 for his pro-independence sympathies. This was the first coup in Mexico's history. In accordance with custom, the Audiencia of Mexico named the oldest and highest-ranking military officer in the colony as Iturrigaray's replacement. This was octogenarian Marshal Pedro de Garibay. No one was better suited to lead the colony in times of turmoil.

Garibay was tall in stature, courageous, charismatic, prestigious, and an intellectual. As viceroy, he had risen to a position he had more than enough skill to perform. He acted almost as a strict commander toward the "Parianeros", as the followers of Yermo were dubbed by the populace. He quickly tamed the Parianeros as one would tame a lion. Garibay signed all the documents delivered to him by members of the Audiencia if he found it beneficial to his people. Anything else he discarded.

The first of these were arrest warrants for criminal leaders in the independence movement — Juan Francisco Azcárate y Ledesma

Juan Francisco Azcárate y Ledesma

Juan Francisco Azcárate y Lezama was a lawyer, a Mexico City councilman, and a leader of the movement for Mexican independence from Spain....

, councilman in the Mexico City government, Francisco Primo de Verdad y Ramos, also a councilman, José Beye Cisneros, the abbot of Guadalupe, Canon Beristáin, Licenciado Cristo, Iturrigaray's secretary, and Fray Melchor de Talamantes

Melchor de Talamantes

Melchor de Talamantes , was a Roman Catholic priest, a political liberal, and a leader in Mexico's movement for independence from Spain....

. Verdad y Ramos was found dead in his cell in the archbishop's prison on October 4, 1808. Reports differed on the cause of death — hanging or poisoning. Five days later Fray Talamantes died of yellow fever

Yellow fever

Yellow fever is an acute viral hemorrhagic disease. The virus is a 40 to 50 nm enveloped RNA virus with positive sense of the Flaviviridae family....

 in San Juan de Ulúa

San Juan de Ulúa

San Juan de Ulúa, also known as Castle of San Juan de Ulúa is a large complex of fortresses, prisons and one former palace on an island overlooking the seaport of Veracruz, Mexico.-History:...

 as he was being transferred under guard to Spain. He was provided no medical assistance, and indeed his chains were not removed, even after his death. Cristo was fired from his position in the war office. Azcárate remained in prison until 1811, when he was freed. Viceroy Garibay's actions prevented criminal uprisings and most likely saved many lives.

Garibay's administration of New Spain

Garibay also created a committee to investigate the anarchist outbreak (the anarchist movement). He dispersed the troops concentrated at Jalapa

Xalapa

Xalapa-Enríquez, commonly Xalapa or Jalapa, is the capital city of the Mexican state of Veracruz and the name of the surrounding municipality. In the year 2005 census the city reported a population of 387,879 and the municipality of which it serves as municipal seat reported a population of...

 (Veracruz

Veracruz

Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...

) by his predecessor. He ordered the sculptor Manuel Tolsá

Manuel Tolsá

Manuel Tolsá was a prolific Neoclassical architect and sculptor in Spain and Mexico.-Biography:...

 to cast 100 cannons and to manufacture other kinds of arms. He suspended the Cédula de la Caja de Consolidación, which had appropriated the income of religious estates and foundations to the government, and which had been a considerable source of discontent in the colony.

The Parianeros, realizing Viceroy Garibay's control over his countrol, they put on airs as saviors of the fatherland. They organized militarily, under the name Realistas Fieles (Faithful Royalists) or Patriotas de Fernando VII (Patriots of Ferdinand VII). They adopted blue jackets like shopkeepers' robes, and for this reason were mockingly known as Los Chaquetas (The Jackets).

Viceroy Garibay not only controlled the government; he also tried to prevent the Parianeros from committing outrages and abuses against anyone they singled out. These abuses became so grave that Viceroy Garibay dissolved the Voluntarios de Fernando VII and at the same time enlisted a regiment of dragoons under his personal command.

Although the new government at first did not grant formal recognition to any of the various anti-Napoleonic governing juntas in Spain, as a practical matter it accepted the authority of the Junta of Seville, and followed all of its directives. When victories over the French allowed a measure of unification of control in Spain, New Spain recognized the Junta of Aranjuez

Aranjuez

Aranjuez is a town lying 48 km south of Madrid, in the southern part of the Community of Madrid. It is located at the confluence of the Tagus and Jarama rivers, 48 km from Toledo. As of 2009, it has a population of 54,055.-History:...

. Garibay sent a donation of 200,000 pesos to Aranjuez as a contribution to the war, in addition to the 90,000 pesos of the regular payment.

The Junta of Aranjuez provided that each of the Spanish colonies send a representative to participate in its deliberations. This provision had a counterproductive effect in New Spain. The Spanish party feared it was the beginning of colonial autonomy, a position it had long opposed. The Criollos deemed a single representative much too minor a concession to be of value.

Visitors to New Spain from the United States were viewed with suspicion, for Joseph Bonaparte

Joseph Bonaparte

Joseph-Napoléon Bonaparte was the elder brother of Napoleon Bonaparte, who made him King of Naples and Sicily , and later King of Spain...

 was known to send French agents into the colonies to foment rebellion in favor of his regime. A brother of Ferdinand VII (recognized as king by the Spanish population and the Spanish colonies), was held a prisoner in France because his sister, Carlota Joaquina, had tried to get the Junta of Aranjuez to accept her son Pedro as regent of New Spain.

Once the alliance with Britain allowed secure commerce with Spain, Garibay ordered the construction of many merchant ships to carry it.

His retirement

The Supreme Junta of Spain replaced Garibay with Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont

Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont

Francisco Javier de Lizana y Beaumont was bishop of Mexico and, from July 19, 1809 to May 8, 1810, viceroy of New Spain.-Ecclesiastical career:...

, archbishop of Mexico, after ten months. Garibay wanted to return to Spain, but his financial state would not permit it. He then lived, retired from public life, on a monthly pension of 500 pesos granted by Yermo, who was a rich landowner. Later the Crown awarded him the Cross of Carlos III and a pension of 10,000 pesos annually, with the grade of lieutenant general for his contributions to king and country. He died in Mexico City in 1815.
For most of his life Pedro de Garibay lived in the state of Michoacan, Mexico. His brother lived in the state of Jalisco, Mexico.