Francisco Florencio Antillón Moreno (22 de February 1830- 18 February 1903) was a Mexican general and politician. He fought in the major Mexican wars of the 19th Century and served as governor of the state of

Guanajuato Guanajuato (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Guanajuato ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Guanajuato), is one of the 32 states that make up the Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 46 municipalities and its capital city i ...

between 1867 and 1876. During this period important civic developments took place in the city of Guanajuato.

Biography

Born on February 22, 1830 in the city of Guanajuato, son of Manuel Antillón and Josefa Moreno. He started his military career at 14 years old in the 2nd Battallion of the 1st Regiment of Guanajuato. Fought against the US invasion of Mexico and saw action during the

Reform War The Reform War, or War of Reform ( es, Guerra de Reforma), also known as the Three Years' War ( es, Guerra de los Tres Años), was a civil war in Mexico lasting from January 11, 1858 to January 11, 1861, fought between liberals and conservativ ...

fighting on the side of the Liberals. On April 24, 1860 Antillón participated in the Battle of Loma Alta as Colonel in charge of the Guanajuato brigade, under General

José López Uraga José Benito Patricio Gabriel López Uraga was a 19th century Mexican general. He participated and fought in the Mexican–American War, the Reform War and the Second French intervention in Mexico. He also served as the Mexican ambassador to Ger ...

. He was ordered to march to Puebla in 1862, but arrived a day after the Battle of Puebla, and joined the Mexican Republican forces defeated in the Battle of Barranca Seca. General Florencio Antillon p

Antillón proclaimed himself governor of Guanajuato on September 17, 1867, and was recognized by President Benito Juárez. On January 26, 1868 he recovered the city of Guanajuato that had been occupied during the Second French intervention in Mexico, defeating Conservative General Feliciano de Liceaga. During his stay in Guanajuato in 1870 American explorer Albert S. Evans described Antillón as "a man of splendid personal appearance, tall, handsome and intelligent." On October 26, 1876, being the legal governor of the state of Guanajuato, Antillón recognized

José María Iglesias José María Iglesias Inzáurraga (January 5, 1823 – December 17, 1891) was a Mexican lawyer, professor, journalist and liberal politician. He is known as author of the Iglesias law, an anticlerical law regulating ecclesiastical fees and aime ...

as President of México, against the re-election of Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada. Antillón stayed as governor until December of that year, being replaced by Francisco Z. Mena and going into temporary exile. He returns from Europe in 1879 and participates in the presidential campaign of Manuel González Flores, himself running again for the governorship of Guanajuato but losing against

Manuel Muñoz Ledo Manuel may refer to: People * Manuel (name) * Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers'' * Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies * Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire * Manu ...

. Antillón retires from politics and goes to live to his hacienda in Santa María, near

Celaya Celaya (; ) is a city and its surrounding municipalities of Mexico, municipality in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico, located in the southeast quadrant of the state. It is the third most populous city in the state, with a 2005 census population of 3 ...

. He dies in Celaya on February 18, 1903, being 72 years old.

Legacy

During Antillón's time as governor several construction works were done in Guanajuato, some of the main examples listed below.- Decoration and refurbishment of the halls of the Government Palace, inaugurated in a New Year's ball in January 1, 1871. - Ordered the construction of the

Teatro Juárez The Teatro Juárez is a historical 19th century theater located in the Mexican city of Guanajuato. It was built from 1872 to 1903 from a design by architect José Noriega and by order of General Florencio Antillón. The building was completed b ...

, which started on January 2, 1873. - Made significant improvements to the State College in 1875. - Built the tunnel from the Presa de la Olla to the Zaragoza dam, which opened on July 1872. In 1902 the garden next to the Presa de la Olla was officially named "Florencio Antillón park". In this park is located the tomb of writer

Jorge Ibargüengoitia Jorge Ibargüengoitia Antillón (January 22, 1928 – November 27, 1983) was a Mexican novelist and playwright who achieved great popular and critical success with his satires, three of which have appeared in English: ''The Dead Girls'', ''Tw ...

, a great-grandson of General Antillón. A plaque, referring to Antillón reads: "Here rests Jorge Ibargüengoitia in the park of his great-grandfather who fought against the French."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Antillon, Florencio Mexican generals Governors of Guanajuato Politicians from Guanajuato 1830 births 1903 deaths 19th-century Mexican military personnel 19th-century Mexican politicians People from Guanajuato City