Independent Mexico 15th-18th centuries

ar-pharazon

Banned
Mexico after the Spanish conquest was ruled by various viceroys and governors.

What would it take for New Spain to gain indepedence any time from 1530 to around 1750 or so?

Would this cause the rest of the Spanish empire to fragment early?
 
Spain getting walloped in Europe during their extended Wars of Religion/Dutch, Ottoman, and 30 years war. Perhaps by a successful English Armada (with the planned joint action with the Ottomans and Morocco) that burns down Seville (the main port-of-call for Madrids commerce with her New World colonies), a successful Portugese revolt for Sebastain or at least Dutch-Ottoman prying from Portugal of their Indian Ocean commercial dominance, or a squandering of resources trying to prop up their Austrian cousins (or some combination of the above) leading to Spain going through a rapid series of bankruptcies alongside losing continuous contact with her colonies? The Viceroys might quickly break off in that case to get open trade for European goods and for prestige, and would be far more likely to succeed as unified entities (though fairly decentralized, depending on the encomienda system for local management)
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Spain#Internal_revolts_in_New_Spain

The Mixton War seems to be a good early point while a middle point could be the The Chichimeca War going even worse for the Spanish.

Of course, there would have to be a charismatic group of people to unite the tribes against the Spanish and from a cohesive identity.

Would that result in an independent Mexico? I mean, you get the Spanish out but most likely have the tribes divide the labd amongs each other.
 
Mexico after the Spanish conquest was ruled by various viceroys and governors.

What would it take for New Spain to gain indepedence any time from 1530 to around 1750 or so?

Would this cause the rest of the Spanish empire to fragment early?

I have several scenario's:

- 1585-1605, Elizabeth I somehow agrees with the Moroccan envoy to support them to invade Spain. Morocca has attacked Tanger and Ceuta as a preparation after the battle at alcacar quivir. There is a joint action with the Ottomans and Algerians. The invasion happens in 1590 when the Armada is defeated. English navies raid Cadiz. The English navy and the Dutch Rebel navy are near when the Moroccan forces land near Tarifa. After the landing there is a period of raiding parts of Andalusia by the Moroccans. The Spanish partly drive them back but the Moroccans retreat to the area of the former emirate of Granada and the Southern tip of Iberia. Needless to say, Sevilla gets abandoned as much as Antwerpen in the same era and also results less trade with Spain. (Meanwhile in Mexico): whatever governor there is sees it as an opportunity to act independently and become king. Due to the long wars in Europe, Spain does not send troops to get rid of the traitor. By 1608, the Moroccans are defeated and driven from Tarifa (and Gibraltar in 1614). Spain sends a force to reconquer Mexico in 1618. They unite with the forces in Cuba and Hispaniola. But due to the preparations of the governor and disease in the Army Spain fails to reconquer it. There are more attempts in the 17th century and early 18th centurt but none really succeed. By 1750 Spain (if it still exists) accept its independence and let it go.

- 1780s or so... there was some guy in Spain that predicted the rise of the USA in the future. He had the idea to dived the mainland colonies among the sons of the king loyal to the Spanish crown (don't know if the king of Spain became emperor but I definitely will do it in my TL). In an alternate scenario the king agrees and Mexico becomes the Canada of Spain. Like a dominion.
 
A TL I'm writing on a mexican wank has plausible, if not likely, possibility: The POD is Louis XIV having a second legitimate son who has a touch of genius to him. a capable general/statesman, in 1689, at the beginning of the 9years war, he leads the invasion force into Catalonia, and gathers the support of the disgruntled locals (OTL, some have said if the invasion had been timed and managed correctly, all of Catalonia could have been taken in months as it would have had local support) he takes Catalonia, and instead of the OTL static siege warfare (some called it the art of avoiding battle until the war was over) he engages in mobile warfare, which has great risk of failure, but also great reward if successful. Fearful for his crown, Charles II (or more precisely, the hangers on who actually run the show) agree to a novel/radical (aka not too far from ASB) peace: New Spain, sans Cuba and the Philippines, becomes an autonomous Dominion sending tribute to Spain, headed by the second son. The notion is that any promise to will the Spanish throne to a Bourbon can be broken as soon as France's foot is off Spain's throat, but here Mexico/New Spain will be held hostage to ensure Charles puts a Bourbon in his will. if he does so, Mexico remains in the fold. if not, Mexico breaks free. In my TL, Charles is pissed at the Bourbons, and wills the throne to a Habsburg (in my case, I kept Joseph Ferdinand alive - such a radical departure in the 9yrsWar has massive repercussions, and I had it end the war after 4 years. Joseph is either conceived on a different night, enabling a healthier child, or the change of travel has OTL Joseph avoid whatever he caught - or he avoids the alleged poison Austrian agents gave him). Viola, an independent Mexico.

Somewhat fanciful, but you can come up with a few different semi-plausible scenarios: an ambitious viceroy declares independence during the turbulent War of Spanish Succession, or maybe Louis XIV decides to divide up the Spanish Empire as a way of avoiding the WoSS. Butterfly the measles that kill off most of le petit dauphin's family, and alter the WoSS in such a way that division of empire is the only acceptable end to the war. the almost ASB part is having any major royal wanting to go to the savage new world, so that leaves a declaration of independence by the locals.
 
Actually, if the Spanish are weak in the 16th-early 18th century majority of Luzon goes to the Dutch, since the Dutch do have designs over Luzon and aside from that there were people that support them there such as the Pampangers and the inland areas are not occupied by the Spanish (yet) and it would help them in their trade with Japan, this is one of the reasons why the Spanish withdrew from the spice islands in order to retain Luzon.
 
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Imagine if Don Martin had put his full support behind the conspiracy. He held control over his father's lands and Indian vassals - more than enough to raise an army to seize Mexico City and declare himself King of an independent Mexico. As for said independent kingdom lasting, who knows?

He led a movement along with some encomenderos to prevent the abolition of encomiendas that was mandated by the New Laws of 1542 (they were rumored to be about to come into effect soon)[11] ands well as greater autonomy for the New Spain. From the encomenderos' point of view, they were the heirs of the conquerors who had given the Crown the rich and vast territory and so they sought to retain what they considered their just rewards for service with their encomienda grants. The Crown was increasingly opposed to the development of a noble group that challenged its power and perquisites, and the New Laws that limited the inheritance of encomiendas was a mechanism to phase out the sources of wealth and power for the conqueror group.

In New Spain, on the death of the Viceroy Don Luís de Velasco in 1564, Don Martín was named Captain General by the Mexico City Council, with hints of independence for the viceroyalty. In 1565, two sons of an important conqueror seemed to go beyond merely advocating protection of the conqueror group's interests and offered to raise rebellion and crown Don Martín king of New Spain. According to contemporary observer Juan Suárez de Peralta (a relative of Hernán Cortés's late first wife, Catalina Suárez), Don Martín was not all in with the conspirators but did not discourage them.[12] Don Martín's vacillation caused the plot to be first postponed and then abandoned. On 16 July 1566, the plotters were betrayed and the leaders arrested, including Don Martín, his brothers, and the rich and influential Alonso de Ávila, nephew of the conquistador of the same name. The two main conspirators were sentenced to death and beheaded.[9]

In Don Martín's trial, he was accused of treason and inciting rebellion against the king. According to the trial questionnaires, of which 388 leaves are found in the Harkness Collection of the Library of Congress (and published in transcription and English translation),[13] he was accused of seeking to overturn the audencia (high court) and its judges be assassinated, and he would become king of New Spain. The questionnaires for the trial were drawn up in September 1566 and another in November. There were powerful witnesses testifying to his participation in the plot, including the brother and son of Luis de Velasco. Testifying for the defense were the Provincial for the Augustinian Order and two Provincials of the Franciscan Order, but there wa a range of supporters, including two musicians, a surgeon, a lawyer, a silversmith, the son and wife of an apothecary, and a free black woman named Margarida Pérez.[14]

The monarch sent a judge, Alonso de Muñoz, and to deal with the perceived threat to the colony. Muñoz "unleashed a reign of terror. Hundreds of Spanish settlers were arrested and tortured and scores beheaded."[15] Muñoz was recalled to Spain and thrown into prison.[16] on arrival of the new viceroy, Don Gastón de Peralta, on 15 November 1567. The Cortés brothers were spared death. The failed encomenderos' conspiracy and aftermath was the end of effective power of the group.

Don Martín, who had been spared beheading, was given leave in April 1567 to travel to Spain to plead their case before the King, with whom he had been friends since before his ascendance to the throne. Before he left New Spain, he had been required to swear allegiance to the crown and to present himself in Spain to the king within 50 days of his arrival.[17] Don Martín was under house arrest briefly, but promising not to return to New Spain, he was released and resumed his profligate life in Madrid, funded by his vast wealth.[15]

He had briefly lost the entailed Estate until 1574.[18]

He died in Madrid, Spain, 13 August 1589, the 68th anniversary of the fall of Tenochtitlan. His successors to the title never resided in Mexico but lived in Spain and later Italy.[19]
 
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