Francisco Xavier de la Paz Pizarro Martínez (24 January 1787 – 9 February 1840) was a Mexican diplomat who served as
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary
An envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, usually known as a minister, was a diplomatic head of mission who was ranked below ambassador. A diplomatic mission headed by an envoy was known as a legation rather than an embassy. Under the ...
of
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
from 17 October 1837 until his death on 9 February 1840.
Previously, Pizarro served as Mexican consul to
.
Biography
Francisco Pizarro was born in
Mexico City
Mexico City ( es, link=no, Ciudad de México, ; abbr.: CDMX; Nahuatl: ''Altepetl Mexico'') is the capital and largest city of Mexico, and the most populous city in North America. One of the world's alpha cities, it is located in the Valley o ...
on 24 January 1787 to Timoteo Antonio Pizarro López and Antonia San Martín Pérez, a Spanish couple from
Alcántara
Alcántara is a municipality in the province of Cáceres, Extremadura, Spain, on the Tagus, near Portugal. The toponym is from the Arabic word ''al-Qanṭarah'' (القنطرة) meaning "the bridge".
History
Archaeological findings have atteste ...
,
Extremadura
Extremadura (; ext, Estremaúra; pt, Estremadura; Fala: ''Extremaúra'') is an autonomous community of Spain. Its capital city is Mérida, and its largest city is Badajoz. Located in the central-western part of the Iberian Peninsula, it ...
, and
Cádiz
Cádiz (, , ) is a city and port in southwestern Spain. It is the capital of the Province of Cádiz, one of eight that make up the autonomous community of Andalusia.
Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe, ...
, respectively.
At 27, he married Marie Thérèse Visoso, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, and daughter of a
Galician immigrant, on 27 April 1814.
In 1833, as Mexican consul of New Orleans, Pizarro refused entry to blacks and other "people of color" to the then-Mexican state of
Coahuila y Texas
Coahuila y Tejas, officially the Estado Libre y Soberano de Coahuila y Tejas (), was one of the constituent states of the newly established United Mexican States under its 1824 Constitution.
It had two capitals: first Saltillo (1822–1825) for ...
, claiming that they were slaves in disguise and inherently lazy and immoral.
After the
Texas Revolution, he negotiated a
prisoner exchange
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners: prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc. Sometimes, dead bodies are involved in an exchange.
Geneva Conventions
Under the Geneva Convent ...
with
Stephen F. Austin
Stephen Fuller Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American-born empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas" and the founder of Anglo Texas,Hatch (1999), p. 43. he led the second and, ultimately, the successful colonization ...
in the winter of 1836.
In May 1837, he was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of Mexico to the United States by President
Anastasio Bustamante
Anastasio Bustamante y Oseguera (; 27 July 1780 – 6 February 1853) was a Mexican physician, general, and politician who served as president of Mexico three times. He participated in the Mexican War of Independence initially as a royalist befo ...
.
As envoy, he negotiated the ''Convention for the adjustment of claims of citizens of the United States of America upon the Government of the Mexican Republic'' with
John Forsyth in 1838.
Shortly thereafter, Pizarro died while on duty on 9 February 1840, at the age of 53, in
Washington, D.C.
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...
The President of the United States, his cabinet, and members of the diplomatic corps were present at his Catholic funeral.
He was originally interred behind the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier on
College Ground (a burial ground of the
Holy Trinity Church) in the historical neighborhood of
Georgetown.
In 1953, when
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private university, private research university in the Georgetown (Washington, D.C.), Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789 as Georg ...
cleared the cemetery for the construction of new buildings,
his remains were transferred to
Mount Olivet Cemetery.
Notes and references
1787 births
1840 deaths
Politicians from Mexico City
Ambassadors of Mexico to the United States
Burials at Mount Olivet Cemetery (Washington, D.C.)
{{Mexico-diplomat-stub