XIX. Fountain of Independence
The combined independence forces of New Spain overwhelmed the garrisons and forced General Juan O’Donojú to sign the Treaty of Córdoba. At first, Spain would not officially recognize the treaty, and it would be some time before they finally did. Some wanted to attempt to form a republican government, but when Gen. Agustín de Iturbide appeared to address the crowed they proclaimed him Agustín I, emperor of Anahuac.
Similar events happened all over the Spanish Americas, the fact that all of the rebellions happen at similar times only helped their success as the Spanish could not reinforce everywhere. In New Granada, General Simón Bolívar successfully set up his Republic of Gran Venezuela. In Río de la Plata, General José de San Martín led his forces to independence. There he helped crown Juan Baistista Túpac Amaru, a relative of the last Sapa Inca, Juan I king of Argentina, and later Peru.
Out of all the other rebellions in the Spanish Americas, the Floridas had the most interesting. Gen. Simón Bolívar sent an army to the Floridas as part of his war against the Spanish. General Gregor MacGregor led the invasion and managed to capture Amelia Island. His troops were made up of mostly Venezuelan soldiers and Democratic-Republicans fleeing Columbia. Shortly after Gen. MacGregor proclaimed the Republic of the Floridas, it was discovered that Gen. MacGregor squandered much of the funds the army had. He was promptly kicked out of the country. The army that remained then began to attack mainland Florida. Many of the Spanish forces on the mainland were caught off guard when the Floridian army attacked because they had been watching the Columbian army.
There had been a number of border skirmishes between the Columbians and the Native American Nations that were refuging in the Floridas. After the Second American Revolution, the Columbian army was sent into West Florida, were most of the Natives were, to “eliminate” the threat. The Columbians ensured the Spanish that they had no intention of conquest, and the Spanish knew they could not afford another war, so they gave the troops permission to enter. This did not keep the Spanish garrisons from worrying about a Columbian attack, however.
While the League Wars had kept the great powers of Europe busy with their own problems, Greece was suffering from a great deal of unrest from its Turkic inhabitance. That unrest erupted into a full-scale rebellion that threatened to reunite some parts of the country with the Ottomans. Without the League Wars though the great powers sent troops to Greece to maintain the country in statu quō[†].
[*] spa: Hispanics who were born on the Iberian Peninsula
[†] lat: status quo
Map of the Americas circa 1829
“Remove the Peninsulares[*]!”
(an Anahuacan cry for independence)
(an Anahuacan cry for independence)
The combined independence forces of New Spain overwhelmed the garrisons and forced General Juan O’Donojú to sign the Treaty of Córdoba. At first, Spain would not officially recognize the treaty, and it would be some time before they finally did. Some wanted to attempt to form a republican government, but when Gen. Agustín de Iturbide appeared to address the crowed they proclaimed him Agustín I, emperor of Anahuac.
Similar events happened all over the Spanish Americas, the fact that all of the rebellions happen at similar times only helped their success as the Spanish could not reinforce everywhere. In New Granada, General Simón Bolívar successfully set up his Republic of Gran Venezuela. In Río de la Plata, General José de San Martín led his forces to independence. There he helped crown Juan Baistista Túpac Amaru, a relative of the last Sapa Inca, Juan I king of Argentina, and later Peru.
Out of all the other rebellions in the Spanish Americas, the Floridas had the most interesting. Gen. Simón Bolívar sent an army to the Floridas as part of his war against the Spanish. General Gregor MacGregor led the invasion and managed to capture Amelia Island. His troops were made up of mostly Venezuelan soldiers and Democratic-Republicans fleeing Columbia. Shortly after Gen. MacGregor proclaimed the Republic of the Floridas, it was discovered that Gen. MacGregor squandered much of the funds the army had. He was promptly kicked out of the country. The army that remained then began to attack mainland Florida. Many of the Spanish forces on the mainland were caught off guard when the Floridian army attacked because they had been watching the Columbian army.
There had been a number of border skirmishes between the Columbians and the Native American Nations that were refuging in the Floridas. After the Second American Revolution, the Columbian army was sent into West Florida, were most of the Natives were, to “eliminate” the threat. The Columbians ensured the Spanish that they had no intention of conquest, and the Spanish knew they could not afford another war, so they gave the troops permission to enter. This did not keep the Spanish garrisons from worrying about a Columbian attack, however.
***
The Spanish Americas were not the only place for rebellions at this time though. The new anti-French sentiment was not going over very well in the English colony of Lower Canada. A small rebellion was put down at this time.While the League Wars had kept the great powers of Europe busy with their own problems, Greece was suffering from a great deal of unrest from its Turkic inhabitance. That unrest erupted into a full-scale rebellion that threatened to reunite some parts of the country with the Ottomans. Without the League Wars though the great powers sent troops to Greece to maintain the country in statu quō[†].
***
[*] spa: Hispanics who were born on the Iberian Peninsula
[†] lat: status quo
Map of the Americas circa 1829