Miguel Miramón

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Miguel Miramón y Tarelo

In office February 2, 1859 – March, 1861
Preceded by	Félix Zuloaga
Succeeded by	Benito Juárez

Born	November 17, 1831 Mexico DF
Died	June 19, 1867 Querétaro, Querétaro
Political party	Conservative
Spouse	Concepción Lombardo

Miguel Gregorio de la Luz Atenógenes Miramón y Tarelo (November 17, 1831 – June 19, 1867) was a Mexican conservative general and Mexico's youngest president ever.

Miramón was born in Mexico City into a family of French heritage. At the age of 15 he was made prisoner during the United States assault to the Chapultepec Castle in the Mexican-American War. In his late teens and early twenties he rose through the army ranks rather quickly, becoming famous for his personal charisma and his guerrilla tactics.

He was a staunch conservative. During the War of Reform he fought in the central lowlands and when Gen. Osorio died he proclaimed the Plan de Navidad, in which he was self-appointed president. Although initially most conservatives were divided, he eventually gathered support and assumed the presidency on February 2, 1860 when not yet 30 years old.

Between August 12 and August 15, 1860 he left the presidency to an interim, José Ignacio Pavón. According to some sources, he also used the Mexico City police to raid the residence of the British consul (who was actively supporting the liberals) and steal 600,000 pesos to finance a conservative levy. He maintained the hostilities against the liberals until being savagely defeated by the troops of Gen. Jesús González Ortega in San Juan del Río, Querétaro, on December 22. Two days later he abdicated and fled to Europe.

[edit] Second Empire

While in France he briefly took part in the negotiations between the Mexican monarchists, Napoleon III and the Archduke Maximilian of Austria. When he returned to Mexico, the archduke, now crowned as Emperor Maximilian of Mexico, appointed him as Great Marshal of the Imperial Army and sent him to Berlin to study military tactics. He returned in 1866 and organized the imperial defenses against the republicans.

On February 19, 1867 he entered to Santiago de Querétaro to repel the siege against the emperor. He took charge of the infantry and sent Tomás Mejía to take charge of the cavalry. Almost three months later the emperor decided to capitulate against the will of Miramón, who had been seriously wounded in action. On 19 June all three were executed by orders of Benito Juárez, the republican leader.