The

First Mexican Empire The Mexican Empire ( es, Imperio Mexicano, ) was a constitutional monarchy, the first independent government of Mexico and the only former colony of the Spanish Empire to establish a monarchy after independence. It is one of the few modern-era, ...

, established in 1821, with

Agustín de Iturbide Agustín de Iturbide (; 27 September 178319 July 1824), full name Agustín Cosme Damián de Iturbide y Arámburu and also known as Agustín of Mexico, was a Mexican army general and politician. During the Mexican War of Independence, he built a ...

proclaimed as Emperor in 1822, was abolished in 1823. In 1863, the

Second Mexican Empire The Second Mexican Empire (), officially the Mexican Empire (), was a constitutional monarchy established in Mexico by Mexican monarchists in conjunction with the Second French Empire. The period is sometimes referred to as the Second French i ...

was established after a

plebiscite A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

that confirmed the latest proclamation of the empire. Archduke Maximilian of Austria consented to accept the

Imperial Crown of Mexico The Imperial Crown of Mexico was the crown created for the Sovereign of Mexico on two separate occasions in the 19th century. The first was created upon the Declaration of Independence of the Mexican Empire from the kingdom of Spain in 1821, for ...

in October 1863 and officially on 10 April 1864 under the

regnal name A regnal name, or regnant name or reign name, is the name used by monarchs and popes during their reigns and, subsequently, historically. Since ancient times, some monarchs have chosen to use a different name from their original name when they ac ...

Maximilian I of Mexico Maximilian I (german: Ferdinand Maximilian Josef Maria von Habsburg-Lothringen, link=no, es, Fernando Maximiliano José María de Habsburgo-Lorena, link=no; 6 July 1832 – 19 June 1867) was an Austrian archduke who reigned as the only Emperor ...

. Maximilian and his wife Carlota, having no issue of their own, adopted two of Agustín de Iturbide's grandsons,

Agustín de Iturbide y Green , image = Agustin de Iturbide y Green 1884.jpg , image_size = 225px , caption = , succession = Head of the Imperial House of Mexico , predecessor = Agustín Jerónimo de Iturbide , reign = 1865–1925 , successor = María Jose ...

and

Salvador de Iturbide y de Marzán Salvador, meaning "salvation" (or "saviour") in Catalan, Spanish, and Portuguese may refer to: * Salvador (name) Arts, entertainment, and media Music *Salvador (band), a Christian band that plays both English and Spanish music ** ''Salvador'' (S ...

, who were granted each the (non-hereditary) title ''Prince de Iturbide'' with the style of ''Highness'' by an imperial decree of 16 September 1865, and were ranked next in line after the reigning family. However, Maximilian never intended to give the crown to the Iturbides (like

Napoléon I Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

did with his stepson

Eugène de Beauharnais Eugène Rose de Beauharnais, Duke of Leuchtenberg (; 3 September 1781 – 21 February 1824) was a French nobleman, statesman, and military commander who served during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. Through the second marr ...

) and it was all a charade directed at his brother

Archduke Karl Ludwig of Austria Archduke Karl Ludwig Josef Maria of Austria (30 July 1833 – 19 May 1896) was the younger brother of both Franz Joseph I of Austria and Maximilian I of Mexico, and the father of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria (1863–1914), whose assassin ...

, as Maximilian explained himself that "either Karl Ludwig would give him one of his sons as an heir, or else he would bequeath everything to his Iturbide adopted children" as a last resort. Upon the abolition of the Second Mexican Empire and the execution of Emperor Maximilian I in 1867, pretense to the Mexican Crown by the said adopted heirs. The current pretender to the Mexican throne, in right of both the First and Second Empires, is

Count Maximilian von Götzen-Iturbide Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

, great-grandson of Salvador de Iturbide y de Marzán.

List of claimants to the Mexican throne

References

External links

Imperial House of Mexico
{{Mexican Pretenders Pretenders to the Mexican throne Mexico history-related lists * Mexican Empire

List of claimants to the Mexican throne

See also

References

External links